Mardy players knocked out before game knocked on head

WITH Mardy AFC’s first and second teams in cup action at the weekend, both games rather surprisingly went ahead, although despite plenty of incident, both ultimately had unsatisfactory conclusions.

The first team's Gwent Open Cup game at home to Tranch was given the go ahead after a morning pitch inspection, but began in heavy driving Storm Boelo rain, which made things difficult for both teams and unpleasant for those on the sidelines.

Nevertheless, the visitors made the better start with the wind behind them and their more direct style suited the conditions more than Mardy’s short passing game, with the first big chance falling to Tranch when Tyler Haines was put through on goal nine minutes in.

However, with only keeper Matthew Davis to beat, the Mardy stopper made an excellent full-length save to push the ball wide.

But the ball was returned almost immediately and this time Jacob Okyere made no mistake to put the visitors ahead.

An equaliser arrived almost immediately when new signing Stephen Dempsey was given a sight of goal and his powerfully driven shot looked destined for the net only to hit a post and rebound clear.

Unfortunately, a promising debut by the player was cut short before the interval when a push by a Tranch player resulted in Dempsey and colleague Jake Watkins clashing heads with such force that both were temporarily knocked out and had to be substituted.

The incident sparked a mass confrontation between both sets of players, resulting in red cards for visitors' substitute Matthew Timbrell and Mardy's Morgan Wait.

And conditions slowly deteriorated after the break to the extent that the referee stopped the game just before the hour mark to warn that he was considering calling the match off.

Play was allowed to continue temporarily, with Tranch managing to score again before the official decided to call proceedings off because of standing water in the centre of the pitch.

Meanwhile, Mardy 2nds were in Gwent Central Benevolent Cup action away to Usk 2nds, where they went behind early on after a goal from Aled Burfitt before equalising within five minutes through Jamie Hall.

They were unlucky not to be ahead at the break when Josh Parfitt hit the bar with a shot from distance before a similar effort after the break from Hall suffered the same fate by coming back off the post.

Mardy finally got the goal they felt they deserved after 81 minutes when Rhys Gully netted to give his side a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, a defensive slip three minutes into injury time resulted in an equalising goal for Louis Quinton, which meant a point apiece in the group stages of the competition.

Elsewhere, Blaenavon Blues 2nds fell 5-3 away to Tredegar Town 2nds in a Gwent Premier Combination match, sharing the second half 3-3 after trailing 2-0 at the break, with their goals coming from Jaiden Caswell, an own goal and Darren Harris.

Blues 1sts’ Ardal South Cup clash at Port Talbot was postponed, alongside Goytre’s trip to Clydach FC in the Swansea Valley, while Abergavenny Town didn’t have a game.

Elsewhere, Brynmawr United marched on at the top of Gwent Premier One with a 3-0 home win over Coed Eva Athletic, Harvey Miles scoring twice in a minute just over 10 minutes into the first half, and sub Sam Jones adding a third with half an hour to play.

Table-mate neighbours Nantyglo were blown away in the stormy weather though, losing 6-0 at home to Cwmcarn Athletic.

But Mike Ling put Crickhowell 1-0 up in three minutes away to Rassau & Oak in GP2, before the visitors conceded two in a minute mid-way through the first half.

Connor Balment levelled within four minutes, before the hosts scored again for 3-2 at the break.

Ling then fired his second four minutes into the second period for 3-3, but Rassau & Oak were back in front within three minutes and scored again just after the hour mark to secure a 5-3 win.

But Raglan Juniors crushed Sudbrook CC 2nds 5-0 in East Gwent 2, two goals from Larsson Brown and one from Sam Hamley putting them three up in 17 minutes, before late strikes from Rikki Knight and Hamley again.

Fixtures this Saturday (October 31) include – Undy v Abergavenny Town, Blaenavon Blues v Risca United, Goytre v Giant’s Grave, Briton Ferry (FAW Trophy), Pentwynmawr Athletic v Clydach Wasps (Gwent Senior Cup), Aberbargoed Buds v Brynmawr United , Llanhilleth Athletic v Nantyglo, Thornwell R&W v Crickhowell, Usk Town v Newbridge Town, Blaenavon Blues 2nds v Chepstow Town 2nds, Mardy v Penygarn & Trevethin, Crickhowell Reserves v Race, Fairfield Utd Dev v Clydach Wasps 2nds, Llanarth v Sebastopol, Forgeside 2nds v Pontypool Town, Panteg 2nds v Usk Town 2nds, Tranch 2nds v Mardy 2nds.