Ten-man Cardiff Met scored a rare victory over Connah’s Quay as they won 3-1 at Cyncoed Campus to strengthen their pursuit of a top-six spot.
Joe Evans and Sam Jones gave the Archers the lead on the half-hour but three minutes from half-time Tom Price was sent off. CJ Craven further increased the hosts advantage and then Harry Franklin was sent off for a second bookable offence but Callum Bratley pulled back a consolation goal.
Met move up to third and are five points clear of seventh-placed Penybont as they strengthen their bid for a top-six spot. Neil Gibson’s side fell further behind TNS and are now nine points behind league leaders TNS following their first defeat in 14 games.
The travelers started the first game strongly, and it almost felt like Met were playing catch-up in the opening minutes. The ball found its way into the Met final third way too frequently, with defenders trying to clear it just about anywhere. Archers’ defender Kyle McCarthy performed a goal-saving tackle in only the 6th minute as Met could not catch a break. Connah’s full-back Ryan Harrington was brilliant going forward, and in the 11th minute he found Jordan Davies who shot low to the left of the goalkeeper Alex Lang, who made a brilliant save to put it wide. However, Lang ended up with a niggle which would create difficulties for him throughout the game.
There were a few moments for Cardiff Met in the opening stages, like when CJ Craven’s outstanding turn and pass into the danger zone made Jack Kenny perform a last-ditch block.
Relatively against the run of play, Joe Evans put the Archers ahead in the 24th minute, after midfielder Dixon Kabongo’s pass intersected the defence and reached Evans’ left foot, who shot it down low to the left.
A few minutes after their first goal, Met found the back of the net yet again as Sam Jones put the ball in an empty Connah’s goal. It all began with Thomas Vincent’s pressure on goalie Andy Firth, who in an attempt to clear quickly, found the feet of Sam Jones.
The Archers attacked with their tail up for the remainder of the half, while Connah’s hung on. However, in a game-changing moment right before the end of the half, Thomas Price was sent off for stopping a definite goal-scoring chance. The Met coaches and support staff, however, appealed the decision by stating that there were three defenders coming in to stop the shot, but the referee would not defer his decision.
The travelers started the second half as well as they did the first, forcing Kyle McCarthy to perform a second miracle tackle. Connah’s players began celebrating in the 56th minute as the ball went past the Met net, only for the referee to blow foul for a penalty dive just before the ball went in.
Connah’s Harry Franklin had a frustrating time in the Archers D-box, with his shots either going wide or defected off a Met player for a corner. The visitors almost conceded just before the last quarter when a loose ball found Archers forward Thomas Vincent who upon seeing the goalkeeper off his line, went for the miracle, being awfully close in scoring a wonder goal.
The frustrating afternoon for Connah’s went beyond the realms of miracles when CJ Craven blocked three shots off the same attack from the goal line. It seemed like déjà vu for the north Welsh side, as they conceded against the run of play yet again, with CJ Craven shooting the ball past Andy Firth, only two minutes after a heroic defensive moment.
The frustration and the emotion of the chaos got the better of Harry Franklin, as he was shown the second yellow for dissent in the 78th minute, ending his forgettable day in front of goal.
In yet another moment of defensive heroism, three Connah’s shots from the well inside the D-box were saved by three different Met defenders, all sitting back in the goal-line, trying to put the ball away any way possible. When it seemed like there was nothing more the away team could do to score a goal, substitute Callum Bratley finally found the back of the net for Connah’s, his left-foot shot from the edge of the D curling past the bruised Alex Lang.
The final few minutes of the game saw a lack of discipline from all players, with the referee being kept busy in showing yellow cards, adding to the already-showed two red cards. The chaotic game ended in the 90+7th minute, as the referee ended an absolute classic of a game.
Cardiff Met – Alex Lang (GK), Kyle McCarthy, Thomas Price, Eliot Evans, Dixon Kabongo, Harry Owen, Joe Evans, CJ Craven, Evan Cadwallader, Sam Jones (Finley Skiverton 73’), Thomas Vincent (Brandon Roberts 87’).
Goals – Harry Owen 28’, Sam Jones 31’, CJ Craven 77’.
Yellow Cards – Harry Owen 28’, CJ Craven 88’, Joe Evans 90+2’.
Red Cards – Thomas Price 42’
Connah’s Quay – Andy Firth (GK), John Disney, Daniel Roberts, Ryan Harrington, Callum Morris, Jordan Davies, Harry Franklin, Noah Edwards (Callum Bratley 82’), Ben Nash, Jack Kenny (Jack Burman 86’), Declan Poole 83’).
Goals – Callum Bratley 87’
Yellow Cards – Harry Franklin 63’, Harry Franklin 79’, John Disney 89’.
Red Cards – Harry Franklin 79’
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