CWMAMMAN United bowed out of the JD Welsh Cup on Saturday (Dec 8), as they were beaten 4-3 by Aberystwyth Town at Grenig Park.
It took a late pitch inspection by the match officials to deem this cup tie on but in the end the match officials were proved correct and a real old fashioned cup tie ensued.
Both teams were keen to play and the crowd were treated to a seven-goal thriller.
Aberystwyth Town were always the favourites to win this game and they were on the front foot from the kick off.
As early as the 12th minute Aber striker Ashley Ruane rounded Blues’ keeper Chris Curtis but side footed his shot wide of the goal.
A few minutes later Aber captain Declan Walker forced a good save from Curtis.
After 20 minutes Aber got the goal that their attacking play deserved and a pin point cross by Matthew Jones found his team mate Porya Ahmadi who as unmarked and the striker controlled his shot well and hit the ball into the back of the Cwm net, 0-1.
Cwmamman’s never gave up attitude was there in abundance for all to see and the game became more of an open affair.
With 37 minutes gone Aber striker Ashley Ruane rounded Curtis again and had his effort cleared off the line.
Two minutes later Cwm played themselves down to the Aber end and from a resulting corner the visitors failed to clear the cross and Cwm’s James Bryan finally poked the ball into the back of the Aber net to level the score 1-1.
The half time whistle blew and it was Cwmamman who were buoyant as they headed for their half time pep talk.
Aberystwyth would have been a little disappointed that they hadn’t capitalised on their first half chances.
The second half was only two minutes old when a cross found the head of Ashley Ruane who powered his header into the roof of the Cwm net, 1-2.
Less than 10 minutes later it was that man again, Ashley Ruane who added the visitors’ third goal despite appeals from the home defence, 1-3.
Several minutes later the same player Ashley Ruane grabbed his hat trick as Cwm had failed to clear a thunderous shot that had rattled the Cwm crossbar and Ruane did the rest to make it 1-4 to Aber.
For most this would have been game set and match. But this Cwm team didn’t give up the cause.
Cwm responded and within three minutes they had won a free kick some 30 yards out from the Aber goal and a well-rehearsed move ended with a cross into the Aber box which was headed into the back of the net by Blues striker Chrissy Allen, 2-4.
With time running out Cwm were dominating the last 14 minutes of this cup tie and it took a fine save from Aber keeper Terry McCormick to deny Cwm a third goal.
But hold the back page as Cwm weren’t finished and continued to push forward and it was defender James Bryan who had been pushed forward from defence who found a gap in the Aber defence and found himself in a one on one with the Aber keeper.
James Bryan kept his nerve and despite a hand from Aber keeper Terry McCormick couldn’t stop the shot from going into the net off the inside of the post to make it 3-4.
With minutes to go it was Aber taking the ball to the corners to run down the clock.
Cwmamman’s players to a man had tried hard for the equaliser but as the referee’s whistle blew it was the visitors Aberystwyth who were celebrating but there were lots of tired players on both sides after a gruelling encounter on an energy sapping pitch.
On balance of chances in this game then Aberystwyth deserved to progress to the next round of the JD Welsh Cup and certainly avoided this potential banana skin but make no mistake that this Cwmamman team are a quality outfit and showed their Premier League opponents why they are in the top half of their division.
Aberystwyth Town Manager Neville Powell was obviously very pleased to be in the next round of the cup but very complimentary about the Cwmamman team in his post-match comments.
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