Vale of Glamorgan Football League Round Up 31/10

The Barry Cup Quarter-Finals produced a major upset, while the league programme saw some impressive individual performances, a remarkable 13-goal thriller and important results at both ends of the tables.

Barry Cup Quarter-Finals

The biggest shock of the afternoon came at AFC Rhoose, as the Premier Division leaders were knocked out of the Barry Cup by Championship side Sparta Park, who claimed a stunning 3–2 victory.

Sparta made a sensational start, scoring all three of their goals inside the opening 15 minutes. Lewis Slack grabbed two, with Jack Sayers also on the scoresheet, leaving Rhoose with too much to do despite a fightback.

There was no shortage of goals at The Buttrills Field, where Cardiff Airport FC Reserves produced a ruthless display to defeat Holton Road AFC 12–1. Captain Kyle Lewis helped himself to a hat-trick, while Max Jones enjoyed an outstanding afternoon, scoring once and setting up four more in a dominant performance.

Cwm Talwg also booked their place in the semi-finals with a 3–2 victory over Barry Athletic Reserves. Talwg raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening half-hour, with Mitch Thomas scoring twice and Jack Cutajar adding the other. Barry Athletic threatened a comeback, but Talwg held on to progress.

Premier Division

It was a difficult afternoon for St Athan, who suffered a heavy 6–0 defeat away at Penarth Town. The Winton brothers, Macauley and Michael, both scored twice as Penarth recorded their first league victory in four matches. For St Athan, it was another frustrating result in what has been an inconsistent spell of form.

Rhoose Social FC continued their impressive campaign with a convincing 6–1 victory over Vale Madrid FC. Chris Morgan scored twice as Social moved up to second place in the table. There are now just six points separating the top side from the team in second-bottom place, highlighting the competitive nature of the division.

There was late drama at Peterston, where Peterston Vale and Cadoxton Imps shared the points in a 2–2 draw. Peterston looked to be heading for defeat after falling 2–0 behind, but Gavin Lewis scored twice to rescue a point, with his equaliser arriving in the 96th minute.

Championship

Llantwit Major Thirds claimed an important away victory, defeating Porthkerry Panthers 2–1. Matt Nation and Brad Newman scored the goals as Llantwit took all three points.

Dinas Powys Reserves enjoyed an excellent afternoon at St Athan Community Centre Field, recording a convincing 5–1 victory over St Athan Reserves. Dennis Frazer was the star of the show, scoring four goals in a superb individual performance.

There were plenty of goals at Corntown, where Vale United Reserves produced an impressive 6–1 win over AFC Rhoose Development. Adam Preece and Will O'Connor both scored twice as Vale secured a comfortable victory.

The remaining Championship fixture saw Sully Sports Development and Cogan Coronation Reserves share the points in a 1–1 draw. Josh Corlett gave Sully the lead before Alex Coffey grabbed an equaliser for Cogan to ensure the sides finished level.

League One

Cardiff Airport Vets FC maintained their perfect league record with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over FC Barry. The Vets had to come from behind to secure the win, with Lee Stradling and Josh Cummings finding the net to preserve their unbeaten start and go six points clear at the top. 

League One produced arguably the most remarkable match of the weekend, as King Billy FC edged a 13-goal thriller against Cowbridge Town, winning 7–6.

Tommy Lee James was at the heart of the action, scoring a hat-trick and providing three assists in an outstanding contribution. King Billy had to come from behind twice during the contest but maintained a two-goal cushion for much of the game. Cowbridge's late rally set up a nervy finish, but King Billy held on to claim all three points.

Tadross FC also enjoyed a memorable afternoon, recording a huge 12–1 victory over St Athan Thirds. Dan Morgan and Brad O'Loughlin both scored four goals each as Tadross moved up to second place in the table with a dominant display.

There was a welcome return to winning ways for Vale of Glamorgan Rovers, who ended a run of four consecutive defeats with a 5–3 victory over Rhoose Social Reserves. Ashton Hammill led the way with an impressive hat-trick as Rovers got their campaign back on track.

Finally, Ely Rangers Reserves Wenvoe continued their excellent run of form with a 3–0 victory over Cadoxton Imps Seconds. It was their third consecutive league win, keeping them in fifth place in the division.