Cwmbran Celtic Review W/E 17th March 2024

How much longer do we have to endure the dismal wet weather? Only 3 games were played this week, none at Celtic Park pond.

On Wednesday the 1st team produced their best performance of the season with a 3-1 win in a home game played at Abergavenny. Man of the match Tom Meechan scored 2 and provided the assist for Alex Bonthron’s goal. This win ended Llanelli’s unbeaten run of 8 wins and 2 draws. It also ended the Reds unbeaten run of 9 wins & a draw against Celtic stretching back to 2017. Another interesting snippet is that Alex Bonthron 29 (20+9) & Tom Meechan 25 (11+14) are first & second in the Cymru South combined goals & assists chart ahead of Briton Ferry’s Luke Bowen & Thomas Walters who are both on 24. It should be a battle royal between these two pairs on Saturday at Celtic Park.

On Saturday the 1st team drew 1-1 at Llantwit Major. It was a dour battle on a very heavy pitch. Llantwit took the lead in the 1st half. Celtic equalised in the 90th minute through Lewis Iles – a most timely 1st goal in 9 matches for last season’s top scorer.

On Sunday Celtic Youth were able to play their home game against Treowen Stars on the 4G at Cwmbran Stadium. They won at a canter 5-0, the goals from Jesse Jenkins, Dan Midgley, Jack Prosser, Sam Smith & Oscar Balkwill. After an indifferent start when they lost 4 of their first 6 games, the team (primarily a mixture of last year’s Academy & Torfaen U16s coached by Messrs Foster & Oakley) have won 6, drawn 2 and lost only one of their last 9 games to rise to 3rd place in the league.

JOHN STOCKWELL