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After a frustrating midweek 2-2 draw away to Monmouth Town, Trethomas Bluebirds returned to winning ways with a 5-0 victory over Brecon Corries under the floodlights at the Centre for Sporting Excellence on Friday April 21.
The Bluebirds came into the match knowing a win over 11th placed Brecon would move them into third place with just six games to go in the Ardal South East League.
Summary
Looking to put Tuesday’s result behind them, Trethomas opened up as the aggressors, winning a penalty and going 1-0 up inside eight minutes.
Another goal on the half hour mark meant the Bluebirds were sitting pretty with a 2-0 half time lead, despite some missed chances by the home side.
Bluebirds captain Tomas Rutherford was frustrated in the second half as Trethomas threatened to let Brecon back into the game.
The decisive third goal came in the 65th minute through Thomas Gameson who headed in from close range, securing Trethomas the three points before the title contenders opened up and scored two more goals for good measure.
Kick-off
The home side opened up with a point to prove. The Trethomas press was fast and organised and had Brecon pinned deep inside their own half.
The first mistake came after just three minutes when Jordan Baker slipped and gave the ball to Ethan Edwards, who would get joy down the visitors’ right-hand side for most of the match.
Edwards drove into the box before finding the red-hot Gareth Tedstone, who has scored four goals in his last two matches. Tedstone fired straight at the keeper – a warning sign for the Corries.
Moments later and it’s Edwards again running at will down the left wing, this time beating goalkeeper Joel Evans to the ball as he unsuccessfully tried to play the sweeper role.
A cross once more found the feet of Tedstone, who couldn’t quite angle his body properly and, and he scuffed it wide.
Down the other end, and a corner for the visitors led to a brilliant chance. Paul Keddle leaping above the rest before putting his header just over the crossbar.
A stunning piece of skill by Edwards in midfield after seven minutes freed the ball down the left once again, this time the cross catching the arm of a defender.
Referee Mark Roberts pointed straight to the spot and gave Trethomas a chance to take the lead.
Tedstone sent the keeper the wrong way, finishing low and hard into the bottom left.
The goal didn’t change much for either side. Trethomas continued to press high out of possession and attack the channels quickly with the ball.
Whenever Brecon did manage to get past midfield, or boot a hopeful one over the top, Gwion Pugh-Jones was there to deal with it, the central defender was a rock at the back.
Twenty minutes in and Rutherford makes a great tackle in midfield and quickly slipped in the dangerous Edwards on the left. Edwards whipped in another brilliant teasing cross that the keeper tried to clear.
The clearance only went as far as Alfie Jones, who gratefully poked the ball home from close range. 2-0 to the home side who were cruising.
Chances kept coming for Trethomas. Rutherford controlled midfield and did the simple things superbly, getting the ball away quickly and letting the creative players test the Brecon back four.
Tedstone could have had a hat-trick by half-time. Two chances before the whistle – one hitting the woodwork after rounding the keeper.
The last five minutes of the half were a little sloppy by Trethomas. The game slowed to the point where Bluebirds keeper Tomos Bodger was booked for time wasting.
Half-time and manager Mark Dunford would have been happy with his team and their performance. Maybe not quite as clinical in front of goal as he’d have liked, but the game was in their hands.
Second half
The second half opened much like the first half ended. Both teams were a bit careless with the ball as the game began to open up.
Despite the slower start, Trethomas were still finding space down the left, Edwards again asking questions with a ball in that just missed the forwards.
Fifty-two minutes gone and it was Brecon who could’ve put the result into question, Nathan Williams found himself one-on-one with Bodger who saved well with his feet to keep the visitors goalless.
The warning signs were there for the Bluebirds, who were sitting back deeper as the game went on.
Tedstone looked as sharp as he did in the first half however, holding the ball up well whenever it found him in often isolated positions.
By the hour mark, Trethomas captain let his players know the game wasn’t won and to take care of the ball better.
This boiled over when the Corries had another decent chance from a corner. Williams again unmarked in the box as he headed over.
Maybe it was the wake-up call they needed, as Trethomas broke brilliantly through the middle of the field this time with 64 minutes played.
Tedstone found himself through when he fired at the keeper. Not giving up the chase however, the forward recovered the ball and crossed it to the head of Thomas Gameson who attacked the ball and headed into the top right corner.
At 3-0 and the game felt won. The Bluebirds began controlling the game again, as Brecon made some last ditch substitutes.
Some 76 minutes in and the visitors had a chance to grab a goal back, Keddle again with a half chance in the box. He leaned back on the shot however and sent it over the bar.
A minute later and it was the Trethomas substitute, Adam Raymond, who found the net.
The ball was bobbling around in the box before finding the feet of Raymond who opened his body up and passed the ball into the bottom right. 4-0 as the team celebrated the goal and the points.
A few minutes later and it was five. Tedstone with his second penalty in what was a man of the match performance.
He sent the keeper the wrong way once again, boosting the Bluebirds goal difference to 42 goals, the highest in the league.
That’s how the game ended. Trethomas kept the ball for the remainder of the half and walked off very happy with the points in a solid performance.
Reaction
Manager Mark Dunford spoke to Caerphilly Observer after the game: “We had to pick ourselves up after the game in midweek and we did that.
“I thought in the first 20-minutes we probably played the best we played for most of the season. The rest of the half was pretty poor however, we missed a lot of chances and I let the boys know at half time.
“The second half was a lot better however and I was happy to see the response.”
Trethomas Bluebirds travel to second place Abertillery Bluebirds on Tuesday April 25 in what could be a title deciding match.
On that game, Dunford said: “They’re a very good and organised side with great individuals. They’re clear favourites for the league in my mind but we’re confident heading into it.”
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