We welcomed back Mark Jones and he responded by volleying in the opening goal on 5 minutes. Chris Hartland cut in on the byeline and delivered a perfect cross for Jonah. We didn’t push on from this allowing Taffs Well to have a lot of possession. However they didn’t make the best use of it until they hit the crossbar from a free kick on 25 minutes and then on 27 minutes equalised with a far post header. Mark Jones shot just wide on 32 minutes in our next meaningful attack but then on 40 minutes he restored the lead firing in at the far post following a Sacha Walters free kick.
The early stages of the second half imitated the first with Taffs Well again having an abundance of possession. On 66 minutes we had the chance to make the game safe when we were awarded a penalty but Liam McCreesh’s kick lacked power and was easily saved by the keeper. Three minutes later it was almost game over, Jack Hurley played a great ball inside the defender for Chris Hartland to run on and drill a left footed shot past the keeper from just inside the area. Jack Hurley was unlucky on 75 minutes when his first time shot hit the keeper and was cleared. We almost gave Taffs a lifeline on 89 minutes when we conceded a penalty but Rory McCreesh dived to his left to make a fine save. In added on time Mark Jones completed his hat trick when he was played through and he slipped the ball past the keeper.
Rory McCreesh 2 Craig Jones 3 James Parry 4 Alex Gammond 5 Lewis Holmes 6 Jack Hurley 7 Liam McCreesh 8 Josh Webber 9 Mark Jones 10 Chris Hartland 11 Sacha Walters
Subs 12 Cai Owens 14 Jack Underwood 15 Ben Thomas for Josh Webber 66 16 Jack Fleming for Sacha Walters 81 17 Luke Evans