Cwmbran Celtic
Match Report
Our run without a win stretched into the New Year to 19 games when they went down to Gwent rivals Treowen Stars under the Avondale Motor Park Arena floodlights. For the visitors, who fielded 3 ex-Celtic players, centre backs Tommy James and Callum Hodges and striker Tom Meachan, this was their 4th successive league win.
The crowd was a Celtic league record 262 spectators, testament to the contribution that floodlit football gives to local football. Chances were few and far between and it was the Stars who took the lead in the 27th minute when a wicked curve on Gavin Meachen’s corner sent the ball past the crowded box to the far post where Tommy James had the simplest of tap ins. Our only chance of the half occurred in the 40th minute when, from a corner, they had 3 strikes at goal, but all were half hit and eventually Treowen’s veteran keeper Cael Jones gathered the ball to clear.
In the 2nd half, on the hour the Stars brought on substitute Macsen Evans and 3 minutes later he put his side 2-0 ahead when, from a corner, Callum Hodges, pulled away from the melee in the goalmouth and back flicked the ball into the 6-yard box where Evans was quickest to react to poke the ball over the line. We brought on substitute Josh Gibson and in the 86th minute he pulled a goal back. A throw from the right was cleared to Isaac Powell whose measured crossed was met by Gibson whose shot was not hit with any power but it squirmed through the keeper’s legs into the net. We pushed to the end and, in the 4th minute of time added on, Jones punched a cross clear but it fell to Gibson who shimmied sideways to make room for a shot but, off balance, he screwed his shot wide of the far upright and Treowen survived to take the 3 points.
POM: Jac Evans