by Callum Ellis and Jordan Jones
Cardiff Metropolitan reach the Quarter Finals of the Welsh Cup after dramatically beating Penybont 2-1 at the SDM Glass Stadium.
A brace from Eliot Evans separated the two sides in an even affair in Bridgend.
Evans scored a 22nd minute penalty before quickly stamping out Nathan Wood’s 89th minute equaliser by scoring in stoppage time.
Met played with a man light for fifty minutes following Mael Davies’ dismissal towards the end of the first-half.
Penybont themselves had a red card when Mikey George was sent off in the last ten minutes.
There was also a further red card as Owain Warlow was shown his second card.
Penybont’s newest recruits almost combined for a dream start on their home debuts. Lewis Harling’s cross was met by fellow newsboy Eli Phipps but the Penybont loanee nodded just wide.
It was the visitors who were presented with the greatest chance to open the scoring as Dean John awarded Met a chance from the spot.
Will Evans was clipped in the box after an initial shot was saved by Ashley Morris.
Namesake Eliot Evans stepped forward to take and sent Morris the opposite way to give Met the lead.
Penybont responded well as they pushed Met for an equaliser. An eager to impress Phipps forced Fuller to tip over the crossbar.
Added to the Penybont pressure, Met’s task of defending their lead was made harder when Mael Davies was dismissed after being involved in a melee.
Towards the end of the half, Harling forced Fuller into another fine save as the midfielder waited for the ball to bounce before hitting a low deflected shot at the goalkeeper.
Met were able to withstand the attacks to take a one-goal lead into the break.
Christian Edwards was made into an enforced change in the opening minutes of the second-half. Jordan Lam was unable to run off an injury with Liam Warman replacing him.
Penybont were pressing the ten-men but weren’t creating any clear-cut opportunities.
In the final quarter, Curtis Jemmett-Hutson got onto the end of Nathan Wood’s cross but couldn’t clip his shot in at the near post.
The playing field was levelled within minutes remaining as Mikey George was given his marching orders.
Fuller faced his toughest tests in the second-half as Kane Owen on his weaker foot tried to curl a shot past the Met keeper’s low corner.
The pressure continued on Met as Jemmett Hutson’s deflected shot bristled the side netting.
It finally told on Met as Nathan Wood broke into the box and placed a shot into Fuller’s opposite post.
However the game wasn’t level for long as Penybont’s defence was caught napping.
Charlie Corsby’s side-splitting pass cut open the Penybont defence, finding Eliot Evans who tucked the ball under Morris.
Penybont’s frustrations then blew over as Owain Warlow was shown a second yellow card.
The hosts were unable to mount a second fightback and bowed out of the Welsh Cup after a lively last quarter of the match.
Penybont: Ashley Morris, Kane Owen, James Saddler (Daniel Griffiths 58), Lewis Harling, Curtis Jemmett-Hutson, Eli Phipps (Eli Phipps 65), Nathan Wood, Dan Jefferies, Matthew Harris, Owain Warlow, Michael George.
Yellow Cards: Matthew Harris 38, Lewis Harling 77
, Rhys Griffiths 92′Red Cards: Michael George 81, Owain Warlow 92′
Cardiff Metropolitan: Will Fuller, Dylan Rees, Kyle McCarthy (Dion Phillips 67), Bradley Woolridge, Mael Davies, Eliot Evans, Will Evans (Guto Williams 94), Charlie Corsby, Jordan Lam (Liam Warman 48), Joel Edwards, Joe Evans.
Goals: Eliot Evans p 22’
Yellow Cards: Will Fuller 74′
Red Cards: Mael Davies 39’
See how Met defeated nine-man Penybont here:
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell/Matthew Lofthouse)
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