1sts Fly High Against Jets

The Firsts visited Cardiff Jets FC for the first time following the Jets promotion from Division 1 last season.

With the late kick off of 4.30pm, the Cons played with the setting sun behind them, and gave a first team debut to new signing Sam Hotchkiss at Centre Back.

The Jets had the better of the opening exchanges, but this was undone for them on 6 minutes when a shot from Cons striker Dylan Waddington was fumbled by the keeper and Dan Walsh was on hand to follow up and prod home from 5 yards out. The lead was doubled on 17 minutes when Tom Roadnight, making his first start of the season, chipped a cross from the right for skipper Jon Counsell to side foot home past the keeper.

Playing some good possession football, the Cons were slowly gaining the upper hand, and on 21 minutes Waddington was able to break through the Jets high defensive line before slipping the ball to Counsell for his second goal of the game.

A Cons free kick on the half hour was played back to defender Gareth Lloyd, who cleverly chipped the ball over the top for Waddington to volley home. 8 minutes later following good work wide on the right, defender Dan Walsh sent over a deep cross to the far post where Counsell was unmarked to tap home and complete a first half hat trick, and give his side a 5-0 lead at half time.

Hotchkiss made way for Mason Lloyd at the break with Alec Stevens dropping into the back 4 from midfield and Counsell replacing him in midfield alongside Steffan Veck, to leave Lloyd partnering Waddington up front. Lloyd was making a welcome return to the Cons after a brief absence last season.

The second half started with the home side creating a bit more pressure on the Cons defence, but the away side were able to counter this and bring the ball away with some good possession football to nullify the pressure.

On 57 minutes left sided midfielder, Luke Williams fed Waddington down the left flank, where he was able to cut in on goal and beat the keeper at his near post to make it 6-0.

10 minutes later a long shot on goal was punched away by Cons keeper, Craig Parker, but the ball fell to the Jets striker who was able to score, and 3 minutes later the home side doubled their tally when a corner was bundled home.

This double strike seemed to wake up the Cons defence with Gareth Lloyd and Matthew Perry making some very strong tackles and interceptions.

In the 70th minute the ball broke to Waddington inside the Jets half and he was able to advance on goal and shoot early to catch the keeper off guard and score.

The game was wrapped up on 78 minutes with the move of the match. The Cons played some excellent passing football out of defence before feeding Roadnight on the right. He in turn slipped the ball to defender Walsh on the overlap, who crossed to the near post where Waddington was waiting to score his fourth of the game to top off a Man of the Match performance.