Goytre - 2
Pentwyn Dynamos - 1
ALTHOUGH they won, it was a very unconvincing victory and Goytre should really have done more and proved more in Saturday's affair against a relagation-threatened Pentwyn Dynamos.
With eight clubs facing the drop and eight games still to play, Goytre, who also sit eighth in the table have set themselves a target of 50 points or more before the season is out to ensure they survive the rigours of Welsh League Division Three for another year.
Yet as a disappointed club chairman Paul Greenhalgh pointed out, "If we played like we did on Saturday, then we are definitely going to struggle."
The opening 20 minutes were probably about as good as it got for Goytre against the Dynamos. Following some good interplay by Craig Jolife and Carl Evans, the ever reliable Graham Mason was put in on goal to make it 1-0 to Plough Road.
Disaster struck soon after as Mason had to leave the pitch with a twisted ankle and Goytre sat back and rested complacently on their slenderest of leads.
Consequently, three minutes before half-time Pentwyn snuck in through the back-door and equalised through a scrambled corner.
Come the second-half and the game could have gone either way, luckily it went in Goytre's direction as two minutes from time, substitute Rob Surtees scored to bag the points in what was a delightfully sunny day but a dreary afternoon on the park.
"We need to put this game behind and up the ante if we're to secure our safety this season," announced Greenhalgh post-match, "We failed to pretty much inject anything but an unhealthy dose of lethargy into proceedings and we can't carry on doing that if we hope to win even one of our remaining games.
"In our previous match against second-placed Pontypridd Town we were leading 1-0 right up until the final nine minutes, and then it all went pear-shaped as they put two goals past us before we had time to catch our breath.
"When we threw away that game, along with it went our only chance, no matter how slight, of mixing it up this season with the top three heavyweights.
"However, we still need to be very much on the ball for the remaining fixtures, because we're playing for the pride of Plough Road and everyone on the team needs to step up to the plate and deliver the goods, starting on Thursday (tonight) against Pontyclun and next Saturday against Abertillery Bluebirds.
"We want to end the 2009/10 season with a bang and not with a whimper."