Mardy Bounce Back

Despite still awaiting the return of several individuals from holiday, Mardy were pleased to welcome the return of a number of their senior players for a midweek game away to Coed Eva Athletic.

Coming off the back of several disappointing results, Mardy nevertheless started confidently and put together some promising attacks. However, despite having more of the play, the score remained blank until just before the half hour mark when the visitors forced a number of corners which were scrambled clear before they finally got their reward. Yet another corner was well flighted to the far post by Owen Vaughan where Daniel Grist got up well and placed a header back across goal into the far corner to score his first goal for the Club. Two minutes later the scoreline should really have been doubled when Nathan Price timed his run from deep perfectly to spring the offside trap and shoot past home keeper Jonathan Tattershall only for the referee to disallow the goal prompting a number of heated protests. Nevertheless, seven minutes before the interval Mardy got the goal their first half display deserved when another set piece caused confusion in the home defence and Dan Palmer set up Price to score with a header close in. Unfortunately, with the setting sun causing problems, a slip by keeper Ben Shooter presented Damien Brean with a chance to score which he accepted to make the half time score 2-1.

Mardy had another shock almost immediately after the interval when Brean scored again with a powerful header from a corner to bring his side level. Set pieces were having a huge say in the game and another one four minutes later proved decisive with yet another flag kick producing a goal. Vaughan had caused problems with some inswinging deliveries and another one after fifty two minutes found Jamie 'Totti' Laurent to score what was to prove the decisive goal. The visitors then brought on two 16 year olds in Ellis Morgan and Jacob Watkins with the latter becoming the sixth player from that age group to appear for the first team this season. Coed Eva threw everything at Mardy late on in the search for an equaliser and with Shooter having to be substituted after sustaining a back injury the final whistle probably  brought delight and relief in equal measures. 

Saturday saw the team brought back down to earth with a 5-1 home defeat to Gwent Premier side Cefn Fforest in the County Motors Cup on Saturday in a match that contained several almost farcical incidents. Fforest started well and had the majority of the play but Mardy defended resolutely until after fifteen minutes a shot by the visitors rebounded off the bar to keeper Kris Purnell. The official whistled immediately with a Fforest attacker thinking he had been given offside but in fact a goal had been awarded with the ball having nowhere near crossed the line. The decision was met with a mixture of derision and anger which was increased minutes later when what appeared to be a clear hand ball in the visitors' area was missed resulting in Mardy's 'Totti' Laurent being sin binned for making his feelings known. Half time arrived with Mardy still only one goal in arrears but with the visitors still having the majority of play and scoring a second after fifty seven minutes. A third arrived shortly afterwards with keeper Purnell, who had played well, lying prone with a dislocated shoulder and play being allowed to continue. Mardy kept battling and pulled a goal back but the visitors were still in the ascendancy and two further goals came in the 88th minute and eight minutes into added time.

This week, the team will be at home to Ponthir on Wednesday evening (3rd) ko 6.15 before travelling to face Panteg on Saturday. Mardy Reserves will also be back in league action at home to Forgeside.