Mardy in seventh heaven as Heckles hits five

Gwent Central One

Mardy AFC 7 Penygarn & Trevethin 1

MARDY fired a magnificent seven at home to Penygarn & Trevethin on Saturday, although the scoreline belied the fact that only one goal separated the teams ten minutes into the second half before a flurry of goals, including an incredible five from Jake Heckles.

The hosts started well and could have been in front after seven minutes when a header from a Rhys Gully corner was headed clear, followed by another block of a spectacular goal-bound overhead kick from Aaron Dainton.

They went close again minutes later when a Heckles cross was almost turned in by Jake Watkins, before they took the lead after 18 minutes when a perfect through ball from Stephen Dempsey put Heckles in and he finished clinically.

There were several more near misses from a number of very well taken set pieces by Gully, but Penygarn were nevertheless competing well and could have equalised just before the half hour when an attacker chipped over keeper Chris Price, only for Ellis Morgan to chase back and clear with the ball heading for an empty net.

Heckles then had a shot blocked by visiting keeper Harvey Leonard, before Penygarn almost equalised again with a shot that hit the post and bounced clear to leave the interval score 1-0 to Mardy, with no hint of what was to come.

Mardy came out for the second half looking energised and Dempsey was first to go close with a powerful shot just over the bar, before the same player took a quick throw in which Heckles picked up in the area and took on to net with a shot across Leonard.

A third goal arrived just two minutes later when more quick thinking, this time as a result of a Dan Palmer free-kick, put Heckles in the clear for his hat-trick.

However, Penygarn still weren't done and went close with a volley before Will Dixon scored for them to cut the deficit to 3-1.

But the floodgates soon opened and Heckles capitalised on a defensive mistake to grab his fourth of the afternoon, before collecting his fifth after a through ball from Musab Husein to make it 11 goals in five appearances since signing for Mardy.

Three minutes later, Scott Thomas got on the scoresheet having impressed with some mazy runs after coming off the bench.

And the scoring was completed when Heckles turned provider for Will Duggan to get his fourth goal of the season.

The result lifts Mardy to second ahead of a visit this Saturday to Tranch, who they leapfrogged after the latter lost 4-2 away to PILCS 2nds.

Elsewhere in Gwent Central One, veteran former Mardy striker Mark Hughes fired a last-minute winner for Clydach Wasps 2nds at home to Fairfield United Development, as the hosts came from behind to win 3-2 for their second victory of the season.

Things didn't look hopeful at half-time after a mix up in defence left Fairfield's Taylor Gilbert with an open goal to score into on 13 minutes and Logan Jones then doubled their lead in injury time, tapping in after springing the offside trap.

Stand-in Wasps keeper Luke Welsh made some crucial saves though to keep them in the game, and nine minutes into the second half Dylan Clarke pulled one back, a half-cleared through ball reaching the winger who jumped well to nod in.

And with 15 minutes to play, Tylor-James Cheshire picked up the rebound from a saved shot to slot in past a grounded goalie for 2-2.

Both teams pressed for a winner and it fell Wasps' way with a toe-poked clearance landing to onrushing Hughes who calmly slotted home at the near post.

But it proved a frustrating afternoon for table rivals Llanarth as they fell to a 3-1 home loss against Sebastopol.

A physical and competitive first half saw both sides battling hard, with Kyle Baldwin giving Llanarth the lead on 30 minutes following an assist from Dawson Stubbs.

Stubbs then had the chance to double the lead early in the second period, breaking through one-on-one only to see his effort strike the bar and go over.

And three costly defensive errors then proved Llanarth's undoing, conceding a penalty leveller on 54 minutes, and two more goals on 69 and 84 minutes, with the visitors leapfrogging the villagers to fourth in the table as a result.

Meanwhile, table mates Crickhowell 2nds were 0-0 at home to table toppers Race entering the final 20 minutes, but then crumbled to a 5-1 loss.

And despite a battling display, an under strength Mardy 2nds went down 3-1 to Tranch Reserves featuring veterans Paul Williams and Gary Hopkins in their own version of turning the clocks back.

Williams had volunteered to keep goal in the absence of a regular keeper and made several fine saves with Hopkins following up his assist last week to score a goal of his own, which is likely to become a collector's piece!

The loss leaves the team sixth and this Saturday, they will be home to Panteg 2nds.