Ammanford’s winless hoodoo at Celtic Park continued as they fell to defeat at the hands of Cwmbran Celtic in the first game of 2024.
Having taken the lead through Lewis Reed’s superb finish, goals either side of the break ensured Gruff Harrison’s men returned West with nothing to show for their efforts for the ninth time in ten visits.
On a heavy but extremely presentable pitch given the conditions suffered in South Wales over the festive and New Year period, both sides struggled to muster any clear sights of goal in the opening quarter of an hour.
The hosts were enjoying the majority of the possession and territory without really threatening Luke Martin’s goal.
Ammanford took the lead with their very first meaningful attack. Liam Samuel played a long ball over the high defensive line the home side were holding to find Lewis Reed. The striker lifted the ball over the head of the onrushing Lewis Watkins to score his 14th league goal of the term.
The goal buoyed the visitors who saw Tristan Jenkins go close with two efforts of his own before the hosts were back on level terms. A long-range shot was parried in the six-yard box into the path of the grateful Thomas Meechan who buried the opportunity presented to him.
Adam Orme was forced off at the interval and was replaced by Tom Pratt. The substitute was among the chances from the moment he was introduced as he drove a powerful effort over the bar.
However, the hosts were ahead just minutes later. A Kian Bodenham cross picked out Harrison Lewis unmarked at the back post. The twenty-year-old unleashed a powerful volley into the top corner to hand the hosts the initiative.
Despite bringing on Mark Jones, Town were struggling to create clear-cut chances with Pratt and Adam John going close with half chances. In fact, the home side came closest to increasing the lead as Alex Bonthron skied a chance over the bar from close range.
Ammanford turned to their bench to try and change the game as they brought on Matthew Fisher and Nich Arnold and both featured heavily in goal-scoring opportunities. Fisher curled an effort that was well stopped by Watkins whilst Arnold had to be alert to keep the deficit to one, clearing an effort off the line late on.
As the game went into stoppage time, Ammanford peppered the opposition penalty area to no avail. Celtic hung on to earn the three points, even missing a glorious chance in the dying embers to add extra gloss onto a deserved victory.
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Roedd lwc ddrwg Rhydaman yng Nghwmbran wedi parhau yn ngêm gyntaf 2024 wrth iddynt golli yn erbyn Cwmbran Celtic.
Er i dîm Gruff Harrison fynd ar y blaen trwy ymdrech wych Lewis Reed, wnaeth ddau gôl naill ochr o hanner amser sicrhau buddugoliaeth i’r tîm cartref ac ymestyn rhediad o ddeg gêm heb ennill ar Barc Celtic.
Er bod y cae yn drwm, rhaid rhoi pob clod i dîm y cae Cwmbran Celtic wrth iddynt weithio’n wych i gael gêm ymlaen ar ôl glaw trwm dros amser Nadolig a’r Flwyddyn Newydd. Roedd y ddau dîm yn cael trafferth creu cyfleoedd yn y chwarter awr agoriadol, ond roedd y tîm cartref yn mwynhau mwy o’r bel a mwy o’r tir.
Er hynny, aeth Rhydaman ar y blaen. Chwaraeodd Liam Samuel pêl hir dros benau’r llinell amddiffynnol uchel y Celtic. Rhedodd Reed drwyddo a chodi’r bel dros ben Lewis Watkins i roi mantais i’r du a gwynion.
Wnaeth y gôl rhoi hyder i Rhydaman ac aeth Tristan Jenkins yn agos gyda dwy gyfle, ond cyn yr egwyl, roedd Celtic yn gyfartal. Wnaeth ymdrech o bellter cael ei arbed yn dda gan Luke Martin ond yn anffodus, syth i draed Thomas Meechan. Saethodd yr ymysodwr y bel i dô y rhwyd i uno’r sgôr.
Collodd Rhydaman Adam Orme ar yr egwyl a daeth Thomas Pratt i’r cae yn ei le ac roedd y chwaraewr canol-cae ynghanol ymdrechion o’r cychwyn. Saethodd ef dros y bar cyn i Cwmbran fynd ar y blaen.
Croesodd Kian Bodenham y bel i’r postyn pellach i ddarganfod Harrison Lewis yn rhydd yn y cwrt. Bwrodd y crwt ugain oed foli i gefn y rhwyd i roi mantais i’r tîm cartref am y tro cyntaf.
Er i Rhydaman ddod â Mark Jones i’r maes i geisio newid y gêm, roedden nhw’n cael trafferth torri lawr amddiffyn trefnus Cwmbran Celtic ac roedd rhaid iddynt greu hanner cyfleoedd drwy Adam John a Pratt i geisio cael rhywbeth allan o’r gêm.
Roedd y tîm cartref yn edrych yn beryglus yn eu ymosodiad ac aeth prif sgoriwr Alex Bonthron yn agos at ddwbli’r mantais ond methodd e cadw ei ergyd o dan y trawst.
Edrychodd Rhydaman at ei fainc i newid y gêm ac daeth Matthew Fisher a Nich Arnold i’r cae ac wnaeth y ddau eilydd cyfranu’n bwysig i’r gêm. Wnaeth Fisher ddod â arbed da allan o Watkins cyn i Arnold glirio’r bel oddi ar y llinell i gadw’r sgôr yn 2-1.
Wrth i’r gêm ddod tua diwedd, anfonodd Rhydaman popeth tua gôl y Melynion ond roedden nhw’n gadarn trwy gydol y munudau olaf. Yn wir, aeth y tîm cartref yn agosaf yn y munudau diwethaf at bedwaredd gôl y prynhawn ond aeth y bel dros y trawst.
