Gwent Premier One

Newport Saints 4 Mardy AFC 0

AFTER hoping to face unbeaten Newport Saints with a strong line up, a raft of drop outs and unavailability saw Mardy travel with a severely depleted squad featuring a bench containing only three substitutes, all of whom were coaching staff, reports CLIVE HARRY.

A tough afternoon against arguably the best side in Gwent Premier One was fully expected and the signs were there after two minutes when it looked as if Saints had broken the deadlock only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

The hosts continued to press with several half chances going wide or over the crossbar and they could have paid the price on the half hour mark when Mardy sprang into life and Lloyd Walker had a shooting chance which was blocked by keeper Nathan Florence.

The Saints stopper enhanced his reputation even more when a cross was met on the volley by Matthew Wham and with the Mardy skipper about to celebrate, Florence appeared from nowhere to make a full length save before blocking a follow up from Dan Wait.

The near misses stung the home side into action and they took the lead a minute before the break with a goal from Jonathan Vowles after a pass from Blair Bailey who had caused problems for Mardy in the previous encounter a week earlier.

The interval revealed several members of the patched up Mardy side suffering from their exertions after not having played for some time and the team fell further behind seven minutes into the half when Jayden Ward scored after another Bailey assist.

Saints were now rampant and added a third eight minutes later when Vowles grabbed his second after an assist by Dwaine Bailey.

A flagging Mardy continued to battle with Dan Palmer causing problems up front despite a lack of game time and they went close with a shot from Musab Hussein which drifted just wide.

But they were dealt a double blow after 63 minutes when Liam Simmonds’ race was run and skipper Wham suffered a hamstring injury. The changes saw the introduction of 1st team coach Huw Llewellyn and 2nds coach Gareth Williams despite neither being fully fit!

And a fourth goal was conceded on 73 minutes scored by Rhuben McKenly Jones.

Walker had two chances to cut the deficit with the first being saved by the Florence and the second a lob which went just wide.

The team return to action on Saturday (January 20) at home to a Nantyglo team sitting one place and a point above them in the tablet.

Mardy’s 2nds lost 5-1 at home to PILCS 2nds with their only score an own goal. They play table topping Pontnewynydd away on Saturday.