Cwmbran Celtic vs Penydarren BGC

Celtic’s win was fashioned by a scintillating opening quarter on the 4G surface which was the finest spell of football I have seen from Celtic in 16 years of reporting in the Welsh/Cymru Leagues.

The win was founded on a masterstroke by manager James Kinsella who moved inspirational captain Andrew Larcombe into midfield. Larcs responded by scoring twice, the first on 10 minutes from a speculative 40 yard daisy cutter, and the second on 12 minutes with a flick on header from Isaac Powell’s free kick. Then on 16 minutes Tyler Broom fed Dominic Connor who put Celtic 3-up.

Penydarren hardly had a kick in this first quarter but later in the half they thought they had pulled a goal back but Caffell’s effort was ruled out for offside.

Despite the 3-goal deficit there was no way Penydarren were going to succumb without a fight and they predictably came out for the 2nd half with all guns blazing. They were rewarded on 58 minutes when a spectacular long range bullet of a shot by Alex Long zoomed over Lewis Watkins’s head before he had chance to react. Spurred on by the home crowd, Penydarren bombarded the Celtic defence with a wave of attacks but Celtic doggedly held out until the 85th minute when 16-year-old substitute George Kabzal lashed the ball home from close range. The hosts forced a succession of corners in the closing minutes but Celtic rode the storm to complete a magnificent victory to earn a home quarter final against current league champions and cup holders The New Saints.