Pontypridd Town  3
Will Penikett x2 & Liam Grant

Garden Village  0

Welsh League Division 2
Saturday August 13th, 2005

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Garden Village were beaten convincingly at Ynysangharad Park on the opening day of the season but did have a few chances towards the end of the match to grab what would have only been a consolation.

The home side took the lead on 6 minutes from a close-range shot and doubled their lead soon afterwards with a fine individual effort which squeezed between Martin and the post from a tight angle. Ponty had a glorious chance to make it three mid-way through the half but an excellent point blank save from Matthew Martin kept out Kerry Harding's effort.

Village finished the half stronger than they started it and did come close on a few occasions. Debutant striker Ashley Richards came close before he was handed the visitors' best chance of the half; the former Skewen player was put through on goal, in a one-on-one situation, but the goalkeeper came out of his area and blocked Richards' effort with his legs. Last seasons top-scorer Ben Brown also came close to grabbing a goal on the stroke of half-time but he could only send his effort over.

HALF-TIME: Pontypridd Town 2 - 0 Garden Village

It was a much better second half showing from the visitors but the match was put beyond Bob Lloyd's side when Ponty grabbed that killer third goal on 58 minutes. Ex-Ton Pentre forward Harding beat two men to the by-line down the left-hand side and sent his cross over the head of Matthew Martin to the back post where it was headed in to make it three.

Village never gave up as they were looking to salvage at least a goal, and they should have had it on 73 minutes when substitute Craig Blake headed a Marc Lloyd cross straight at the goalkeeper - anywhere else and it would have been in the net. For the first time in the game we finally started to continually pile the pressure on the Ponty defence, and Ben Brown's effort on 81 minutes should really have been rewarded with a goal. After rounding three defenders on the edge of the box he struck low with his left foot and forced the 'keeper to push the ball onto the post and out for a corner. From the resulting flag-kick the ball fell to Brown again but he could only drag his shot well wide.

Marc Lloyd came close with another shot on goal 2 minutes later, but the afternoon didn't get any better for us when Phil John had to be carried off with suspected ligament damage.

Not the best start to the campaign but we have a good chance to put this result behind when we entertain local rivals Ammanford on Tuesday night.