Mardy Pay The Penalty

A week which had gone well for Mardy with dressing room modifications completed and new goals delivered almost ended on a high in the FAW Trophy against West Wales Premier team Dafen Welfare. The Llanelli based visitors sit two rungs above Mardy in the Wales Football Pyramid and, facing a home team still under strength because of holidays and unavailability, may well have expected a comfortable passage into the next round. The reality was somewhat different, however, with the home side giving their all and taking the game to their higher ranked visitors early on  with Dan Wait going close. Charlie Morris was also battling well up front for Mardy but Dafen were always dangerous on the counter and Matthew Davis in the home goal was alert to the danger and made a number of smart saves. The visitors also had a goal disallowed for offside but Wait gave Mardy the lead on the half hour mark with a well struck free kick into the top corner from 25 yards.

A battling first half display saw Mardy lead at half time but it took some last ditch defending from Matt Wham in particular to protect their slim advantage although some excellent pressing reduced the visitors to shots from distance before newly elected captain Nathan Price volleyed a second goal after a Wham header had been pushed out by visiting keeper Liam Jenkins. Mardy looked to be on course for the next round with time running out and Davis looking secure but legs were tiring and Dafen mounted a number of attacks with the clock already in the red zone. A home victory still looked on the cards but with injury time seeming to be never ending, the visitors finally cracked the home defence in the ninth minute of added time to cut the deficit with a goal from Jayden Jones. That should have been it but still the final whistle wasn't blown and a Dafen equaliser finally arrived from Owain Williams two minutes later following which the final whistle was belatedly blown.

The subsequent penalty shoot out was subsequently a disaster with only Wham finding the net for a disgruntled home team who could nevertheless feel delighted with their performance.

Manager Dai Sadler said afterwards "I'm incredibly proud of the boys today, we dominated the game until injury time against what should have been superior opposition but we lost to something we couldn't control and that is a hard feeling to take. The boys should keep their heads held high because that could be just the start to a very exciting season. Good luck to Dafen in the next round".

This Saturday, Mardy play their first league game at home to Llanhilleth, ko 2pm.