Cardiff Draconians gave a good account of themselves in this JD Welsh Cup encounter against their higher league opponents Ammanford AFC, as they bowed out in a 4-1 loss.
As expected Ammanford’s Manager Gruff Harrison made a couple of changes to his lineup from the side that started against Llanelli Town in their last league outing.
The first half hour of this game was a tense affair with the visitors trying to press the home side whilst defending soundly at the back.
Ammanford’s first real chance came in the 32nd minute when winger Ricky Martin cut inside and fired a powerful shot which forced the Draconian’s Goalkeeper Callum Meyer into a flying save tipping the ball over his crossbar.
Minutes later Ammanford’s central defender Euros Griffiths headed the ball over the crossbar from a free kick.
Ten minutes later an Ammanford corner kick saw the same player rise majestically above the visitors defence and head the ball into the net 1-0. It was a perfect time for the home side to score – right on the stroke of half time.
The second half saw Ammanford slowly starting to control the game and in the 54th minute were awarded a penalty. Ammanford’s Mathew Fisher stepped up but his spot kick sailed over the crossbar.
Three minutes later a rash challenge from Draconian’s Thomas McLean on Ammanford’s Brett Enoch saw the referee brandish his red card and the visitors faced an up hill battle with ten men.
In the 65th minute Lee Trundle almost doubled Ammanford’s lead but his shot went narrowly wide.
However, a minute later Mathew Fisher made amends for his penalty miss by dribbling his way into the visitors penalty area and placed his close range shot into the corner of the net deceiving the visitors goalkeeper.
With the home team in command Ammanford made changes with Ben Soal and Tristan Jenkins replacing Dale Jones and Ricky Martin. The Draconian’s never say die spirit paid dividends when Bradley Stubbs stunned the home crowd by pulling a goal back.
Ammanford made their final substitution when striker Craig Frater came on for Bruno Forkuoh.
It was all Ammanford in the last ten minutes as the visitors ten men started to tire.
In the 87th minute Ammanford made it 3-1 when Lee Trundle powered a fierce shot past the Draconian’s keeper.
A minute later straight from the restart, Ammanford’s Craig Frater got the ball and caught the Draconian’s defence flat footed as his shot rolled along the grass and into the Draconian’s net to make it 4-1.
With time almost up Ammanford were awarded a second penalty which Lee Trundle took. The former Swans frontman tried to dink his kick into the middle of the visitors goal but keeper Callum Meyer stood his ground in the middle of his goal and easily caught the ball.
The final whistle blew and Ammanford celebrated the win and progress into Round 2 of the JD Welsh Cup.
A spirited performance from the Cardiff Draconians, which their supporters would have fully appreciated.
