Football

Leaders Penparcau win thriller

Spar Mid Wales League

Hay St Mary's 5

Penparcau 6

HIGH-FLYING Penparcau kept their noses in front in the chase for Spar Mid Wales League honours after a remarkable 11-goal encounter away at Hay St Mary’s.
Mike Gilbert’s men had breezed into a five-goal lead, but they were then forced to survive a second half fightback before returning with the spoils, which keeps them in pole position on goal difference.
“It was a strange game with some strange decisions by the referee,” said boss Mike Gilbert, whose side had Mike Gornall contentiously sent off in the second half.
“When you’re 5-0 up you don’t expect to be pegged back and have your backs to the wall. Full credit to Hay, they are a good side, and before the game I’d have been happy to come away with a point.”
Early chances had seen Kevin Jones fire wide for the hosts, while Mattie Davies went close at the other end for Penparcau.
Penparcau then stormed ahead with captain Jon Foligno heading home a Wayne Gornall corner, before the dangerous Mattie Davies extended the visitors’ lead.
Andrew Carree then completed a quick-fire hat-trick within the space of 20 minutes as Penparcau carved out a 5-0 lead.
The Saints, however, refused to surrender, and Josh Wisniewski went close, before an inch-perfect Sam Mayglothling throughball to Kevin Jones saw the striker smash home past the visiting keeper.
Straight after the restart, Gareth Jenkins headed home Ben Bevan’s cross for Hay, and then Jenkins crossed for Wisniewski to convert and reduce the arrears to 5-3.
Penparcau then had Mike Gornall dismissed for a late challenge on Jenkins, a decision the club may appeal against.
However, despite being down to 10 men, they restored their three goal lead when Davies made it 6-3 with a breakaway goal, which was his 31st goal of the season.
Within minutes a Jones cross found strike partner Wisniewski to score at the back post, and further home chances went begging before Foligno headed into his own net under pressure from a Chris Preece cross as the hosts pulled it back to 6-5.
Stuart Davies came closest to snatching a point for the hosts, but Penparcau held firm to maintain their lead at the top, and they now embark on a run of four successive home games, starting against struggling Caersws Reserves this Saturday.

PENPARCAU : S Bird, A Tedaldi, J Foligno, D Smith, W Gornall, M Gornall, L Hunt, J Shields, N Evans, A Carree, Davies. Subs: Welsby, Lewis.