AMMANFORD AFC Reserves won the Picton Sports Senior Cup Final by beating Pontlliw 5-1 at Stebonheath Park last Friday (Apr 12).
The emphatic scoreline at the end of the game would suggest that this was a stroll in the park for the team from the Amman Valley, but you would be very wrong as Pontlliw played their full part in this highly entertaining Cup Final game.
Ammanford AFC Reserves Manager Christian Lloyd had drummed into his team prior to kick off that everyone had to be on top of their game if they were to lift the Picton Sports Senior Cup.
There was almost an explosive start to the game when Ammanford striker Craig Frater took everyone by surprise, even the match officials by taking a direct shot straight from the kick off and then seeing his resulting shot thud against the goal post with the Pontlliw keeper well and truly beaten.
However, the start of the game was ordered to be re-taken again by the referee who deemed that the Ammanford kick off was taken prematurely.
Having started the game it was Pontlliw that had the better of exchanges in the first ten minutes and it was the Ammanford defence being tested.
The Ammanford goalkeeper Ioan Treharne did well to clear his lines and slowly the Ammanford midfield started to create with Nathan Jones finding his right back Shaun Williams who was starting to probe the Pontlliw defence.
With twenty five minutes gone it was a pin point cross from Ammanford’s right back Shaun Williams that found the head of his team mate Rhodri Davies who headed the ball narrowly wide of the Pontlliw goal.
Ammanford were gaining the upper hand and their strikers Bruno Forkouh and Craig Frater were starting to twist and turn their markers.
Just after the half hour mark a through ball from Ammanford’s Butler found Craig Frater who took a shot at goal which took a deflection off a Pontlliw defender and wrong-footed the Pontlliw keeper Joe Hutin to open the scoring for Ammanford Reserves, 1-0.
Three minutes later things got worse for Pontlliw when keeper Hutin was adjudged to have fouled Frater in the penalty area.
Frater stepped up and duly scored from his spot kick and doubled the lead, 2-0.
Things went from bad to worse for Pontlliw as a handball was given by the Referee in the Pontlliw penalty area and again it was left to Frater to convert the penalty kick and make it 3-0 and complete his hat trick.
With a couple of minutes to half time Pontlliw were thrown a life line when a failed Ammanford clearance kick found its way to Pontlliw’s Josh Scott who made no mistake in finding the back of the net to reduce the deficit and give his side a timely boost.
The second half saw Pontlliw immediately on the front foot and were unfortunate not to score when a scrambling defence somehow managed to clear the danger.
Again Ammanford regained their composure and after 55 minutes played it was Bruno Forkouh who sped away from his markers and stroked the ball home to restore the three goal cushion, 4-1.
It was Ammanford who could relax more now and a minute later it was that man again Craig Frater who notched his fourth goal of the game and make it 5-1.
With almost half an hour left in the game Ammanford controlled the play and as the clock counted down towards the ninety made their allocated substitutions.
Pontlliw tried hard but just couldn’t find a way back into the game and despite their plucky efforts it was Ammanford Reserves who were celebrating at the sound of the final whistle.
The Players, Management, Directors and Supporters of Ammanford AFC were overjoyed with their Cup Success and it was Craig Frater who earned the man of the match award for his four goals.
The management and team had an early opportunity to parade their trophy in front of their home crowd on Saturday (Apr 13) when the Ammanford firsts made it a double winning Weekend for the Club.
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