CUP football came to the Recreation Ground in Ammanford on a very warm Saturday afternoon (Aug 3) as the home team welcomed their opponents Penrhyncoch, nicknamed The Roosters, and their travelling support.
In an earlier interview for a Cup preview podcast Roosters Manager Gari Lewis rated his team as underdogs for this tie but most supporters knew that this was indeed Cup football and certainly not at all predictable.
Ammanford were captained by full back Mathew Jones in the absence of regular skipper Rhys Fisher who picked up an injury during the week.
The Black and White army were out in force and the drum beat out as the match referee Teifion Cook got this cup match under way.
It was Ammanford striker Craig Frater who fired wide from the first corner of the game.
Home defender Richard Lewis was first to test the finger tips of Roosters goalkeeper Leigh Lewis.
The deadlock was broken after ten minutes play when Ammanford’s Brett Enoch linked up with Frater to set up fellow striker Gavin Jones who latched onto the ball on the left and sublimely volleyed his shot over the goalkeeper to nestle the ball into the right side of the Penrhyncoch net to make it 1-0.
A great start for the home team. Ammanford were bossing the midfield with Ammanford’s Ben Soal catching the eye.
Penrhyncoch were finding it difficult to break the Ammanford lines with Euros Griffiths marshalling at the heart of the defence.
With ten minutes to the break it was Ammanford’s Captain Mathew Jones who put in a low cross for striker Gavin Jones to power his low hard shot into the corner of the net. A brace for Gavin and a 2-0 lead.
Roosters’ Lance Jones tried to lift the visitors spirits but his shot went wide of the mark.
Ammanford picked up where they had left off in the first half with Brett Enoch coming close.
Roosters Jonathan Evans responded soon after but likewise his shot was over the crossbar.
Penrhyncoch thought they had pulled a goal back from striker Ian Burrell but a fine save from Ammanford’s Number one Craig Morris thwarted the effort.
The dangerous Craig Frater then almost got in at the other end but he was denied.
Then with a quarter of an hour left on the clock Penrhyncoch were trying desperately to get a foothold in the game.
Another close range header from Jonathan Foligno sailed over the cross bar.
Ammanford’s Gavin Jones almost got his hat trick but was denied by goalkeeper Leigh Jenkins.
With six minutes remaining Penrhyncoch finally got the goal they wanted when their substitute Carwyn Morgan headed in from close range from a Lance Jones cross.
Time was against the visitors and maybe it was a question of too little too late.
Ammanford were celebrating at the final whistle and after commiserations with their opponents will now look forward to a mouthwatering away trip on Saturday (Aug 10) to Welsh Premier League outfit Newtown in Round two.
Ammanford Club captain Rhys Fisher echoed the sentiments of his team by saying: “The boys are thrilled and can’t wait to go up to Newtown with nothing to lose and show premier league opponents what we can do.”
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