Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Trethomas Bluebirds extended their unbeaten league run to 24 games with a 3-0 victory over local rivals Abercarn United in the Ardal South East.

The pair clashed at Abercarn Welfare Ground on Saturday April 13 facing very different challenges at opposite ends of the table.

It was a dream start for the Bluebirds, who opened the scoring through Thomas Gameson.

The midfielder bagged his brace before half-time and an Ethan Edwards goal later in the game sealed all three points for the visitors.

That win puts the table-topping Bluebirds ten points clear of Newport City, who have one game in hand over Trethomas.

Abercarn meanwhile sit three places from bottom and face a relegation scrap with fellow Caerphilly side Treowen Stars.

Kick-off

With the wind swirling through the valley, it was a chance to see what both sides could do with the ball firmly on the ground.

Despite it being a grass pitch, the surface was in pretty good shape, something the Bluebirds take full advantage of on their 4G pitch at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.

It wasn’t long before the first chance of the game fell to the visitors with some neat passing down the left-hand side.

A cross into the back post found Levi Rees who scuffed his effort into the side netting. An early warning.

Moments later however, Rees received another cross from the left, although this time the right winger laid the ball off to Thomas Gameson who was waiting on the penalty spot for the cut back.

Gameson made no mistake in finishing low and hard past George Lohfink to give the visitors an early lead.

Abercarn were looking for a response but found it difficult to get much further than the Trethomas midfield. Their first shot of the game fell to Isaac Richards, but his effort sailed over the bar.

Bluebirds striker Gareth Tedstone was making himself known early in the game. A superb ball from right back by Rees was latched onto by Tedstone who would have scored but for the quick feet of Lohfink to smother a shot.

Tedstone kept at it though, and shortly after, he’d left the woodwork shaking following a thunderous strike from a narrow angle. Fortunately for Abercarn, it hit the line and bounced clear.

There was a good pace to the game, and the tackles were to match that of a derby too. Referee Jefferson Townsend would go on to give ten cards across the match.

The next big chance of the game fell to James Young for Trethomas, another cross from the left found the midfielder in the box who was sliding in at full stretch. He got a toe to it, but his effort was poked wide.

Despite the Bluebirds dominance, it was still only 1-0 after 30 minutes. The pressure was mounting however, and it felt as though the second goal was coming.

It came soon after, and it was a poor one for Abercarn to concede.

A straight free-kick down the left was chipped into Gameson who is one of the taller players for Trethomas.

Wedged between two defenders though, they should have cleared. Gameson flicked his header goal bound where the keeper was nowhere to be seen, instead he too was up trying to challenge Gameson in the air.

It trickled in at the back post to double the Bluebirds’ lead.

The visitors looked truly settled following the second. there were some lovely passages of play in midfield, and flare players such as Ethan Edwards were expressing themselves in the wide areas.

There were a couple of other half chances to make it three before the break, but manager Mark Dunford would have been happy enough with his side’s performance as the whistle blew.

Second-half

Abercarn United manager Rhys Iles carried his team talk out on the pitch. Never a good sign. They were still in the game at 2-0 though, but needed a goal, quickly.

The wind had really picked-up to start the second, directly into the faces of the hosts.

There was still no excuse for the next goal however. A little dink over the top from Rees put Edwards through in the box, the smaller winger got a head to it that should have been collected by Lohfink comfortably.

Perhaps it was the weather, because the number one palmed the ball back to the feet of Edwards who had the simplest of finishes to make it three.

That really was a killer blow for Abercarn, who struggled to get much of the ball following the goal, partly due to captain James Saddler.

Saddler seemed a step or pass ahead of everyone, and dictated the game from midfield for the rest of the 90.

Rees was off after a great game on the hour-mark. He seemed frustrated at the early substitution with the golden boot probably in the back of his mind, but fresh off a hamstring injury, his health is more important at this stage of the season.

A rare chance for Abercarn came shortly after, Alex Adams caught a volley sweet on the edge of the area but it was always rising.

Liam Fawcett should have had a goal from the bench, more good play from Tedstone down the right set Fawcett up in the middle but he somehow put his effort onto the post.

The final ten minutes were very open given the score, with chances being created right up until the final whistle.

Both Trethomas and Abercarn had the ball in the net, neither counted though due to the linesman’s raised flag.

With the game almost over, there were some ugly scenes with manager Iles and Bluebirds defender Gwion Pugh-Jones both seeing red.

A ball over the top set Abercarn on their way before Pugh-Jones seemingly brought his man down.

The referee didn’t think so, and sent Iles off for his protests in the dugout.

After a minute or two though, Townsend seemed to change his mind and awarded the free-kick, sending off Pugh-Jones for his last man tackle.

A bizarre end to the game, but the score remained the same. 3-0 to the Bluebirds.