PENARTH ‘A’ 6-0 Cardiff Medics ‘A’

The home team started well and, after a handful of thwarted efforts, finally took the lead midway through the first half, as a well-placed aerial ball caught the Medics’ defence napping, allowing Phil Lane to drive into the ‘D’ and slot home past the hapless ‘keeper. The lead was doubled soon after, with Lane again making the difference as he powered home to add to Penarth’s advantage, but the tempo dropped off towards the end of the half, allowing the Medics to come back into the game, although the few chances they created were met with some resolute defending that prevented them from troubling goalkeeper Simon Comfort.

Despite being ahead at half-time, Penarth knew 2-0 was still a vulnerable scoreline, with the next goal likely to be crucial in determining the outcome. With their effort refired by the interval, and concentrated by an injury to influential midfielder Mark Thomas, it was the home side who grabbed the score, man-of-the-match Sam Salisbury doing superbly to smash a ball to the back post for Steve Davies to add the finishing touch. Like Lane before him, Davies quickly doubled his tally, this time slapping home a scuffed Chick shot after good work from Dave Stevens, driving forward from right back.

With the Medics fading between sporadic attacks, Penarth made it five after a perfectly-weighted through ball from Lane saw Chick’s shot well saved by the ‘keeper, only to fall for Christian Holzbaur to calmly claim his first goal for the Bears. The scoring was rounded off by Chris McCarthy, following good build-up play by Jamie Davison, and the 6-0 scoreline helps Penarth climb to third in the De Cymru 1 table with four games remaining before the Christmas break.

Goalscorers: Phil Lane (2), Steve Davies (2), Christian Holzbaur, Chris McCarthy