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Caerphilly Athletic have suffered yet another defeat in the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division, after losing 2-1 to Pencoed Athletic.

It was a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon in Ystrad Mynach, and despite a slow start from both, Caerphilly nabbed a goal through Dafydd Pearce after 30 minutes.

The visitors responded well in the second-half, a good finish from Thomas Powell brought things level and a deflected goal from Cian Goldsworthy sealed the points for Pencoed on Saturday October 7.

Kick-off

Although it was a sunny day at the Centre for Sporting Excellence, it wasn’t a particularly hot one, meaning their was no excuse for the slow start both sides made.

Everything felt like a walking pace from both sides, as Caerphilly defender Nicholas Hill tried his best to galvanise his side into action.

The first real chance of the game came for the visitors, who sit second in the league on goal difference only.

Marc Turner got down the right well and crossed a great ball in-between the keeper and defenders. Jack Delve was the closest but he didn’t manage to prod home with 20 minutes played.

A drinks break followed shortly after, giving both managers a chance to wake their players up.

Nothing really changed however. Half an hour played and neither side were stringing more than a few passes together. Pencoed maybe just about edging it but posing no real threat.

Then out of nowhere, the game sparked into life.

A clearance on the halfway line from Caerphilly captain Jonathan Davies looped over Pencoed captain Evan Price.

Price tried to nod the ball back to the keeper, but didn’t get enough on it and Dafydd Pearce alertly intercepted before finishing past the onrushing Brad Borge. 1-0 out of nothing but the hosts were more than happy to take it.

Things went from bad to worse for Price, who was soon sent to the side lines for ten minutes after being shown a ‘blue card’.

The blue card is part of a trial campaign from the Football Association of Wales, where players are sent to the sideline for ten minutes if they use offensive language, for example.

Caerphilly didn’t really do much with the extra man however, and the half ended much like it started with sloppy passes from both.

Second-half

There was definitely some more energy out there to start the second-half. The next goal would be crucial.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the next goal was scored by Pencoed.

Slow on the ball at the back, Nick Hill was caught in possession by Delve who quickly squared the ball to Thomas Powell in the centre of the box.

Powell’s left footed strike beat the keeper into the bottom corner and brought things all square. 1-1.

The game was on a knife edge now with an hour or so played.

It should have been advantage Pencoed shortly after, when Cian Goldsworthy fizzed in a great cross down the right which beat the keeper at the near post and fell to Turner.

It looked easier to score than miss from Turner, who couldn’t have been more than two metres out. Despite that, he got completely under the ball and sent it over the bar. How crucial would that miss prove.

Not very as it turned out. Only minutes later did Goldsworthy decide to do the job himself – but did need the help of a wicked deflection.

A shot from the edge of the Caerphilly area by the striker hit a defender and sent Marsden the wrong way.

The goal was doubly painful for the hosts, who had just seen a great effort from Christopher Crane saved superbly by Borge down the other end.

Despite going behind, Caerphilly still looked flat. They couldn’t get anything going when attacking, and the space they were leaving meant a third from the visitors was looking ominous.

To stop that happening, Rhys McCarthy found himself in the book for pulling back Goldsworthy on the break.

The pair got into a pushing contest and Goldsworthy also saw yellow.

The whistle went and it felt like Caerphilly lost in their own minds after that second goal went in some 20 minutes before.

That defeat puts Caerphilly Athletic in dangerous territory down at the bottom end of the table. It’s only early days, but they’ll need some sort of reaction in their next game against Llanrumney on October 14.

For Pencoed, that one won’t live long in the memory, but they’ll be happy with the win and three points which keeps them hot on the heels of Treherbert.