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Trethomas Bluebirds have extended their 100% record this season to 13 games following a 6-1 win over Penrhiwceiber Rangers in the Welsh Cup.

The visitors came into the game on a hot-streak of their own, and on paper the game should have been a close one.

Forward Levi Rees shone as brightly as the sun when the pair met on Saturday October 14. He grabbed four goals and an assist in a man of the match performance.

A superb 40-yard lob from Rangers’ midfielder Joseph Jenkins wasn’t enough to trouble the unbeaten hosts, with another two goals from Gareth Tedstone making it a comfortable win for the Bluebirds’ at the Centre for Sporting Excellence.

Kick-off

There was actually a point to note before kick-off, and that was Trethomas losing the coin toss.

The side from Mountain Ash decided to swap halves meaning the hosts would be facing the sun for the first 45 minutes.

It wasn’t the sun but the sudden downpour of rain that had an affect on the first goal of the game however.

A ball through from Alfie Jones on the left skipped under the dangling leg of Alex Rees who should have cleared comfortably.

It fell to another Rees though, Levi, who came into this game off the back of a hattrick in the Bluebirds’ 3-0 win over Treharris earlier in the week.

Levi Rees made no mistake from close range, slotting past Jacob Ireland to give the hosts an early lead.

The game settled following the goal, Trethomas were on top but not posing too much going forward, whereas Rangers were still trying to get their foot on the ball.

Then out of nowhere after 20 minutes, an inspired effort from Joseph Jenkins brought the game level.

From a Bluebirds goal-kick, the ball came to Jenkins who had one thing on his mind, lobbing Harry Irving from no less than 40 yards out.

Irvin wasn’t really to blame, facing the sun, he could only watch the strike sail over his head. 1-1.

Referee Scott Brown made his presence known early on in the game, having a word with the Trethomas dugout who were particularly vocal.

Rees was the liveliest for the Bluebirds, he had another effort saved and pushed behind. The resulting corner fell to Andrew Evans who pulled his shot wide.

Rangers were steadily growing into the game to their credit. Captain Jarrad Welch looked neat with the ball and Morgan Grahame was tricky down the right.

The next chance for the visitors however came from the left. A literal head in hands moment for full-back Ryan Bolter, who played a blind back pass to his keeper that was easily cut out by Jenkins.

He managed to round Irving but the angle was too narrow for him to finish. A big let off for Trethomas, and Bolter, with manager Mark Dunford shouting “what are we doing” from the sideline.

The mistake seemed to unsettle the hosts. There was now far too much space in midfield for Rangers, who were running-off their men easily.

Any momentum was lost for the visitors however when shortly before half-time, a training ground set piece re-established the Trethomas lead.

A corner from the left was stood up at the back post where captain Gwion Pugh-Jones was waiting.

Towering above everyone, he headed the ball back into the box and Gareth Tedstone was there to head home from close range.

Second-half

There was still too much space in midfield for the Bluebirds’ liking, but would Rangers be able to do anything with it? Until now they’d got little going when it came to attacking chances.

Trethomas were still creating chances when they had the ball. Rees had a golden opportunity to make it three, and would have done if not for the outstretched leg of Ireland.

The moment was gone for Rangers shortly after, when a superb switch from left to right by Rees found Tedstone.

Through pace and power, the striker barrelled down on goal and finished well at the near post.

Rees continued to impress, he was everywhere now, with the ball linking play and without it pressing the defence.

He got his reward, and second goal of the afternoon, soon after.

A superb bit of play between him and Tedstone pulled the back line out of position before Tedstone unselfishly fed Rees in to grab his brace, firing into the bottom right. 4-1 and game over.

Trethomas were enjoying themselves now. There were a few more smiles on the bench and the passing on the pitch was slick and easy on the eye.

One man had dominated the second-half, and he wasn’t done yet with 70 played.

Rees again getting on the end of a ball through from Alex Newman-Jones this time. There were calls for offside but Rees made no mistake in the finish with a cute dink over Ireland. His hattrick, and the Bluebirds’ fifth.

It was good to see the standards being maintained by Dunford and assistant Matthew Jones on the side line, a huge part of why the Bluebirds have been so ruthless this season no doubt.

It looked like Rees would finish on three goals when his header was tipped wide with the whistle set to blow, but a few minutes later he found himself through on goal thanks to a flicked header by assistant coach Adam Raymond.

Running at goal, Rees finished emphatically high into the middle of the net. What a day it was for him.

Full-time and 6-1 to Trethomas Bluebirds in a game that on paper should have been a lot closer.

The visitors did appear to have a slightly depleted squad with only a couple of subs, but take nothing away from the Bluebirds who looked comfortable on the ball and lethal in front of goal.

They will look to maintain their 100% record when they next play, another cup game against local rivals Aberbargoed Buds on October 27.