Cwmbran Celtic vs Carmarthen Town

Match Report

The Gods have smiled on Cwmbran Celtic this season in the Welsh Cup. Three home ties have resulted in 3 wins against Cymru South teams. In the last round the boys pulled back from 2-0 down against Llantwit Major to equalise in time added on and then won on penalties. This weekend Celtic scraped through again with another last gasp goal in another topsy turvy game, against former Welsh International Mark Aizlewood’s high-flying Carmarthen Town who, in the league encounter last month, had come from 2 goals behind to win 5-3.
Celtic took the lead when Shaun Moss, unmarked at the far post, scored on 22 minutes with a header from Tom Meechan’s corner – his 1st goal for the club. Carmarthen levelled in time added on before half time when Thomas converted a penalty given for a foul by Josh Rippon – how many times do Celtic concede just before half-time? The visitors took the lead when in the 50th minute Noah Daley pounced to score from close range. Referee Ben Williams then changed the course of the game with 2 red cards reducing Town to 9 players. First in the 58th minute he adjudged Rickard’s foul on Andrew Larcombe to be a last man penalty offence, Alex Bonthron scoring from the spot, and on 78 minutes he gave a 2nd yellow/red to Delaney for an alleged dangerous challenge to keeper Lewis Watkins’s head. Celtic took further advantage of the 9 men taking the lead on 63 minutes when Tom Meechan put Bonthron through the middle. Keeper Knott rushed off his line to smother the ball but it escaped his grasp and Bonthron chased the ball down the left and squared it back into the net. On 70 minutes, Greg Walters stole into the box to score the equaliser with a header from a corner. The referee dished out a 3rd red card on 82 minutes against Shaun Moss for a reckless challenge. Both sides pressed for the winner and, in time added on, it was Celtic who scored the decisive goal when, from Tom Meechan’s cross, Andrew Hewitt somehow managed to scoop the ball over the keeper into the net.
This was a magnificent all-round display from Celtic for whom Lewis Watkins made a fine return in goal and skipper Andrew Larcombe. moving up from defence was imperious in the middle of the park.