Pontypridd Town 1-4 Taffs Well: Wellmen leave it late to blitz relegation rivals Pontypridd

Four goals in the last twenty minutes gave Taffs Well a crucial victory over relegation rivals Pontypridd Town in a relegation six-pointer.

Matthew Hibbs provided Pontypridd with a first-half lead, but a twenty-minute spell which was started by Connah Hughes before being followed by a sublime Jason Bertorelli goal and a Luke Davison brace gave the Wellmen the victory.

Taffs Well had a majority of the possession in the game and were fully deserving of their victory, given the number of opportunities that they created.

Jamie Sherwood’s men challenged the Pontypridd defence early on. Before Liam Fawcett could pull the trigger for a certain goal, David Burnett blocked it for a corner kick. Well captain Warren Jones hit the crossbar having hit a clean strike at goal as he strayed away from his marker.

Jason Bertorelli hit a first-time effort from a Fawcett pass, but Burnett made a needed save.

Pontypridd broke the deadlock despite the early pressure from Taffs Well. Dean Clifford held the ball up for Matthew Hibbs who beat the offside trap to loft the ball over Glyn Garner for the opening goal.

After going behind, Taffs Well tried to exploit the gaps in the Pontypridd defence, with Bertorelli denied by Burnett, having initially dragged the ball too far wide of the goal.

On the hour mark, Taffs Well appealed for a penalty after Jacob Matthews cross struck Jack Wheelers arm.

Luke Davidson then tested Burnett with a driven free-kick with the Pontypridd keeper forced into action.

With most of the chances falling to Taffs Well, substitute Luke Gullick curled an effort at former Wales international Glyn Garner.

Connah Hughes hit the post in his introduction to the game before Christian Davies failed to connect properly on the rebound.

Taffs Well’s persistence was rewarded as they finally drew level. Connah Hughes timed his run to perfection after a superb through ball from Jordan Carey and powered it past Burnett for the equaliser.

They almost fell behind after Davison pulled down a searching Dean Clifford and was cautioned. Clifford took the free-kick and Garner made an acrobatic save to deny the Ponty forward.

The game turned on its head when Taffs Well went in front. Burnett was put under pressure from a poor backless and his header fell to Luke Davidson who strolled the ball into the empty net.

Minutes later, experienced striker Jason Bertorelli scored a sublime goal as his drilled effort clipped the post on its way in to provide a two-goal cushion.

In the closing stages of the game, Luke Davidson was able to grab his second of the game and secure the points for the visitors. He rounded Burnett and his dinked effort fell into the net, despite Dafydd Brewer’s best efforts.

The win takes Taffs Well off the bottom and out of the relegation zone, as Pontypridd drop down a place.

The Dragons are now winless in five games and have yet to win this year, despite a run of five home games at Leckwith Stadium.

Pontypridd Town: Burnett, Wheeler, Farmer (Selway 37), Shaw, Hillman (C), Brewer, Lewis, Baldock, Clifford, Hibbs (Leigh 68), Fox (Gullick 45)

Taffs Well: Garner, Sylvester, Davison, Jones (C), Wong (Thomas 35), Davies (Anney 85), Fawcett (Hughes 65), Matthews, Bertorelli, Carey, O’Sullivan.

(Featured Image: John McAllister)