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Trethomas Bluebirds have beaten Baglan Dragons 3-1 in round two of the Nathaniel MG Cup, despite going down to ten men before half-time.

The Bluebirds opened the scoring at the Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach, thanks to defender Andrew Evans under the floodlights on Friday August 2.

It looked a tough task to hang-on to the lead after William Bevan was sent off, but if anything, the Bluebirds improved.

Further goals from James Young and Thomas Gameson secured Trethomas’ place in the next round.

Kick-off

The rain stopped just in time for kick-off, giving the 4G pitch a nice zip to it. Perfect conditions to get the ball down and play.

One man who wouldn’t be playing however was striker Gareth Tedstone. Named in the original starting XI, Tedstone indicated he’d felt something in his hamstring during the warm-ups.

For the rest of the Bluebirds team though, it was a brilliant start. Their Port Talbot-based opposition didn’t touch the ball for the first five minutes or so.

Midfielder Thomas Gameson was largely to credit for this. He set the tempo from the off and drove positively with the ball, pushing the visitors deeper into their own box.

Out of possession, the Bluebirds were equally impressive. Something clearly worked-on in training, the forwards pressed with purpose, conducted almost by assistant manager Matthew Jones in the dugout.

Despite the fast start, it was the Dragons who had the first solid chance. A header back to Bluebirds keeper Cameron Clarke was just short from Ryan Bolter.

Striker Joshua Williams intercepted and rounded Clarke but couldn’t get a shot away.

Down the other end, speedster Ethan Edwards had his first look in the left channel, he flew past his man and won a corner.

Lee Baldock took the set piece and found defender Andrew Evans at the back post.

Evans scored the one and only goal the time the pair last met, over a year ago in the Amateur Trophy.

Hammering the half volley into the ground, the ball bounced onto the bar and post before hitting the back of the net. A well deserved lead for the Bluebirds inside ten minutes.

Baglan responded well. Some sloppiness from the Bluebirds helped, who suddenly looked unsettled despite having the lead.

Williams found himself in far too much space down the left, and had just one defender between him and teammate Jay Thomas in the middle.

The pass was a little behind Thomas though, and his shot was blocked. A wake-up call for the hosts.

The theme continued however. For a good 15 minutes or so the Bluebirds remained a little ragged.

Although they had grown into the game, pressing higher-up the pitch and playing a few nice combinations, Baglan didn’t register their first shot on target until the half-hour mark. A weak effort at Clarke.

As half-time approached, the game threatened to turn on its head when Dragons striker Williams latched-on to a through ball with just Clarke to beat.

As he pulled away from the last defender, William Bevan, the centre back just grabbed at the nine, who went down on the edge of the area.

Referee Dale Randall had no choice but to go to his back pocket and brandish the red card. Bevan could have no real complaints.

The resulting set piece didn’t lead to anything, but Trethomas now had to hang-on until half time; winger Jack Jones made way for defender Adam Jones in what was already a pretty makeshift backline.

Credit to the Bluebirds though, they kept calm and made it to the half-time whistle where manager Mark Dunford and his staff could rethink tactics.

Second-half

You could have forgiven Trethomas for going into their shell with a man missing, but they remained positive, and within a minute of the half had their reward.

Very similar to the first penalty awarded to Gareth Tedstone in their 1-0 win against Llantwit Major last weekend, a ball was lobbed-up into the box when Edwards this time tried to meet it.

In a footrace against keeper Goodwin, Edwards just about got their first and was clattered by the number one who also went down in a heap.

The referee pointed straight to the spot where substitute James Young took the ball and stepped-up.

After two separate penalty takers missed spot kicks for the Bluebirds last weekend, there were a few murmurings on the side line, but Young confidently dispatched his effort into the bottom left corner. 2-0.

Trethomas now had a realistic lead they could hold and try to slow the game down.

It’s often said it can be harder trying to play a side with ten men, but Baglan were making it look impossible. They offered little to nothing going forward the whole game.

Now relying on counter attacks, a great move between Leon Thomas and Ethan Edwards led to a goal, but the winger was just offside.

A wicked cross from Jack Fleming that split the defence and goalkeeper was about as close as it had come for Baglan with an hour or so played. No player could get on the end of it however.

It took until the 70th minute for Clarke to really be tested, a header from Dylan Edwards was heading into the bottom right corner bar the outstretched glove of the former Goytre AFC man.

A free kick in the left channel for the Bluebirds shouldn’t have been much for the visitors to worry about. Only Gameson made the optimistic trip into the box where he was comfortably outnumbered.

Somehow though, Gareth Emmanuel’s ball towards the near post found the Trethomas midfielder, who timed his run perfectly to poke the ball home.

It might have been off the defender, but Gameson didn’t care, his side were 3-0 up with ten men.

Losing a player seemed to sharpen the hosts’ mind on the night, they’d looked more confident and clinical since the red.

With 15 minutes to go, the Bluebirds sat back and absorbed what little pressure they faced.

The score allowed Dunford to bring-on 17-year-old Niks Gnedlers which was good to see. The player has been impressing in the club’s U19 section.

With Randall poised to blow his whistle, the visitors did have one final chance; a cross down the left aimed towards fullback Kieran Parsons.

Parson bravely met cross with his head and beat Clarke to grab a consolation. He was clattered for his efforts however, and remained on the floor for some time before eventually making it off as the whistle went.

A very impressive win then for the Bluebirds, who once again pass the test of beating Cymru South level opposition, this time with a few key starters missing also.

Reaction

After the game, Caerphilly Observer spoke to assistant manager, Matthew Jones. He said: “It was a very fast start to the game which is a bit of a trademark of ours, but we did sit back after the goal.

“Baglan passed the ball well and asked us some questions, then it was the case of making it to half-time at 1-0 after losing a player.”

Asked if he thought the side looked better after going a man down, Jones said: “We decided to become more aggressive at the half and adopt a 3-4-2 shape so as not to invite pressure.

“We were more of a threat in possession and that counterattacking mentality sunk-in from the half and we played really well.”

With a few players missing, Jones was asked what that win says about the depth of the squad: “I hate the word rotation because we don’t do it for the sake of it.

“We did have some really experienced players missing however but credit to the squad, that’s why we try and carry 18/19 players who can all start.

“Niks coming-on too and giving a really good account of himself is great experience as well.”

With an official attendance of 218, Jones said he hopes to see more of the same now the Bluebirds are playing at this level, one division below the Cymru Premier.

Trethomas await the draw to find out their next opposition in the cup, but could face a Cardiff City or Merthyr Town.