Pontypridd Town 1-1 Carmarthen Town: Late drama as Baldock blocks out Daley strike
A cagey affair saw Pontypridd Town and Carmarthen Town share the spoils in a 1-1 draw in the Cymru South at the USW Sport Park.
Two minutes from the end, Noah Daley thought he had won it for Carmarthen, only for a Lee Baldock penalty in stoppage time to cancel out his effort.
Former manager Mark Aizlewood was listed amongst the coaching staff of Carmarthen with Sean Cresser in charge after Kristian O’Leary’s departure from Richmond Park.
Carmarthen’s side featured a number of debutants, including Eli Phipps, Michael George, and Scott James.
A number of Aizlewood’s trusted lieutenant’s were amongst the opposition ranks with Jordan Knott and captain Dave Vincent in the Dragons starting line-up.
Playing their first league match outside of the Cymru Premier for the first time in 20 years, Carmarthen were perhaps back to their ways of their former manager as they allowed Ponty to press whilst their players did their defensive duties.
The first half was a very even affair, with neither side enjoying a sustained period of possession. A clash of heads between Carmarthen’s Lewis Rocke and Pontypridd’s Luke Gullick saw a lengthy period of stoppage for treatment, but both were able to resume playing.
Jonathan Jones’ side had an opportunity to break the deadlock but recent signing Sam Johnson from Cambrian & Clydach Vale rustled the side netting with his effort.
For Cresser’s men, the nippy Daley went close as his half-volley was parried away by Morgan Davies.
The best chance of the first half fell to Carmarthen’s Liam Thomas. An attempted clearance by Pontypridd fell to Vickers, who threaded it through to the unmarked Thomas, but his shot hit the side netting.
Both sides seemed content to be playing it long, with Ponty targeting the wings and playing crosses in meanwhile Carmarthen’s long balls to Thomas were yet to come to fruition.
Carmarthen’s physicality was then showing as Lee Surman, Kieran Howard, and Greg Walters were all cautioned inside a five-minute spell.
In terms of the complexion of the game, it was more of the same for the majority of the second half, with chances few and far between and a succession of fouls ruining any flow the game had.
The last ten minutes saw both sides playing in a more attacking manner, and this paid off for Carmarthen. A powerful strike by Liam Thomas hit the post, and the ball then fell to Noah Daley to fire it past Morgan Davies.
However, the Old Gold’s lead only lasted two minutes. Captain Kieran Howard was adjudged to have pushed Jordan Knott on the edge of the box, and referee Alex McInch pointed to the spot.
Left-back Lee Baldock slotted it into the bottom right corner, just out of reach of Scott James in the Carmarthen goal.
Pontypridd Town: Morgan Davies, Paul Morgan, Lee Baldock, Dave Vincent (c) (Gavin Beddard 76’) Jordan Knott, Aiden Lewis (Jarrad Welch 82’), Luke Gullick, Drew Fahiya, James Saddler, Sam Johnson, Corey Jenkins (Jordan Carey 68’)
Unused subs: Shane Parry, Abraham Cordle
Goal: Lee Baldock (pen. 90)
Yellow Card: Aiden Lewis 80’
Carmarthen Town: Scott James, Michael George, Cory Saunders, Lee Surman, Lewis Rocke, Kieran Howard, Greg Walters (c), Eli Phipps (Ben Steele 70’) Noah Daley (Tom Dyson 90’), Jordan Vickers, Liam Thomas
Unused subs: Kelland Absalom, Jay Woodford, Jac Walters
Goal: Noah Daley 88’
Yellow Cards: Lee Surman 37’, Kieran Howard 40’, Greg Walters 42’
