Corus Steel - 2

Goytre - 3

FOR the first time in their seven season stint in Welsh League Division Three, Goytre are sitting pretty at the top of the table after last Saturday's well worked win over previous Port Talbot-based leaders Corus Steel.

"Although it's a just reward for the players who've worked very hard this season, we're not getting to carried away with our current status.

"There are still a lot of games to go and promotion is the last thing on our minds. Our main ambition is just to regain our Welsh League status and finish somewhere in the top nine," announced a jubilant but pragmatic chairman Paul Greenhalgh after the match.

From the kick-off Goytre started well with Chris Pritchard unleashing a couple of powerhouse strike from 25 yards out in the first ten minutes, which forced the Corus keeper to pull out some cracking saves from the top drawer to deny the visitors.

Goytre's early pressure turned into points on the 20 minute mark when Pritchard's cross into the box, split defenders and was taken down by Graham Mason, who in one fluid movement kicked it into the Corus net.

Greenhalgh told the Chronicle, "It was a cracking start but after that first goal Corus came right back at us with a shot from the edge of the box which our keeper Gareth Williams did well to save.

"From then on in they applied the pressure and forced a couple of corners but we weathered the storm. That is until Craig Jollife picked up a groin injury going into a tackle and although the resulting corner was punched away by our keeper, one of their players hit it on the rebound to make it all square going into the interval."

Greenhalgh added, "It was particularly gutting to not only lose our lead but also one a player of Jollife's calibre going into the second-half, but we kept our heads up."

Straight from the kick-off Goyte's hunger for a result proved itself when a ball from Chris Watkins found Pritchard who set up Mason for a six yard tap-in to make it 2-1.

Goytre's joy was shortlived however, as straight from the kick-off Corus's Carl Evans picked up the ball on the right flank and sent a cross come shot into the box, which was carried by the wind over the defender's heads and straight into the Goytre net.

With the score at 2-2 Corus went for broke and it was left to Andy Walsh, Dean Taylor, Mike Dewer and Chris Pritchard to battle the unrelenting barrage that came their way.

With 15 minutes on the clock and Corus pushed upfield, Chris Watkins delivered a superb ball for Jock Houston who outpaced the defence, drew the keeper, and placed a square ball for Mason to side-foot into the corner of the net for his hat-trick and Goytre's winning goal.

"We had a chance to put the game firmly beyond their reach in the last five minutes, when Chris Pritchard, who has a great turn of pace, beat the Corus defence, and with Mason completely unmarked on his side, chose to launch a speculative shot that missed its target, much to Mason's disgust," laughed Greehalgh, before adding, "From then on in it was all Corus as they laid siege to our goal, but thankfully our one goal lead was enough to carry us through and to the top of the table."

Courtesy of Saturday's result, Goytre now head Corus by two points, but waiting in the wings are Monmouth Town, who will also take the title of top dogs if they win their game in hand over the Plough Rd contenders.

This Saturday Goytre face lowly South Gower at home.