Photo Gallery
Match Action
Squad Photos
Player Profiles
Who's Who
Pontardawe Town AFC Photo Gallery
Pontardawe
Town Reserve Team Photo Gallery
To view all the available details from a previous season for
the Reserve team click the season button below:
Current Season
2009/2010
Match Dates with video highlights/photos available (in reverse order
newest first):
Ponty win Reserve Division West at Ammanford. Watch the celebrations
here
Ponty went into this game against Afan Lido on the 29th April 2010 determined to come away with the 3 points to sustain their title push. Afan Lido had exactly the same intention as they are up there and in with a chance of grabbing the Reserve Division West title themselves.
Ponty started slowly in the driving rain and Lido took full advantage of this as you would expect and went ahead with just over 5 minutes of the game gone. Ponty continued to ride their luck with Lido creating far more opportunities than Ponty. However, Ponty gradually played themselves back into the game and got level when James Pickup headed a near post goal. The game was end to end now and Ponty took the lead when Liam James curled a left foot shot in at the far post. This is how it stood when the half-time whistle went with Ponty ahead 2-1.
Lido started the second half strong again and had Ponty on the ropes on a number of occasions but just could not seem to convert the chances that they created. As the game wore on, Lido created far the better of the chances and it was not until approximately 10 minutes from the end that Lido pulled the goal back to level the score at 2-2. Lido pressed and Ponty defended for the remainder of the match but held out to earn a hard fought draw aggainst a good Lido side. Honours even, the second of the matches between these two sides takes place again in a couple of days - our thanks go to Afan Lido for agreeing to host Ponty's home game at The Marsden stadium next week.
View all of the match action and goals here
Ponty started the better
of the two teams and created numerous chances against a hard working and
much improved Cwmamman United eleven on
Wednesday 7th April 2010. Ponty dominated the opening exchanges
and went ahead when Chris Allen poked a shot past the stranded keeper.
Ponty continued to press and played some great football which eventually
saw Gazza Lewis smash the ball home to put Ponty 2-0 up. Chances were
created by Ponty leading upto the half time break but Ponty were content
with a dominant display and a 2-0 lead at half time.
The second
half did not see as many chances created by Ponty, and efforts from
Cwmamman were very few and far between but Ponty continued to dominate
until the final whistle. Another great display from Ponty and another
very welcome 3 points. Ponty must now sit out the next week or so with
no fixtures with the next fixture, a crucial one against Afan Lido, away
on the 29th April. All support for the boys will be welcome so turn up
and cheer them on to another 3 points and hopefully the Reserve West
Champions title !
View all of the goals and match action here
With
vivid memories of last years very young Neath side that visited the
Recreation Ground and totally outplayed the Pontardawe eleven, Ponty
were out not to repeat the result of last season again as that result
ruined Ponty's chance at claiming the title.
Neath visited on Saturday 13th March 2010 with
another very young and highly skilful side that played some very neat
passing football and were not intimidated by the size and age of the
Ponty side. Play early on revolved around a midfield battle with chances
even at either end until Stuart Hoskins opened the scoring after
sneaking in at the far post from a free kick. Ponty continued to play
some good football and went into the half time break 1-0 up.
The second half continued to see
both sides create chances. Ponty took control of the game when Mark
Nappieralla nodded home unchallenged after the ball was headed back
across goal with Stuart Hoskins rounding off his Man of the Match award
with his second and Pont's third just before the final whistle.
Neath deserved a goal for their efforts but the very impressive back
four led by Rob Fulford who hardly missed a header all game stood firm
to secure the win and another very valuable 3 points
Watch all of the goals and match action here
Ponty entertained Briton
Ferry Llansawel in Reserve Division West on Saturday 27th February 2010
at the Recreation Ground, determined to put the horror show in the
defeat at Britton Ferry Llansawel just before Christmas behind them.
Ponty got off to a bright start and raced to a 3-0 lead within the
first 15 minutes thanks to an opening goal from Ianto and then a brace
from Arwel Rees. The visitors pulled one goal back to make it 3-1 to
Ponty before James Pickup restored the three goal advantage to make it
4-1 to Ponty at the half-time break.
Ponty came out for the
second half with the same determination as they showed during the early
first half. This determination saw Ryan Penny setup Rhys Whitelock for a
pile driver into the top left hand corner within two minutes of the
restart to make it 5-1 to Ponty. Ponty continued to stretch the Ferry
defence and Gareth Lewis made it 6-1 with a neat lob (some would argue a
cross !!). In the dieing minutes, Ponty conceded a penalty when Deano
brought down the striker which was put away from the spot kick to make
it a little more respectable for Ferry with the game finishing with an
emphatic 6-2 win for Ponty
View all
of the goals and match action
here
Ponty entertained Reserve Division West local
rivals Ammanford on the 13th February at the Recreation Ground. In a
game that saw a lot of good passing football by both sides with Ponty's
Luke Michaels getting a hat-trick and Ponty running out eventual
4-1 winners and claiming the three valuable points on offer.
View all
of the goals and match action
here
Ponty took the short trip to Cwmamman
on Saturday 6th February to play their local rivals in Reserve
Division West. Cwmamman managed to nick some points off Ponty
last season with two draws so a result at Cwmamman was vital for Ponty's
push for the title this year.
View all
of the goals and match action
here
Our thanks
go to Afan Lido for agreeing to host the home match for Ponty against
Garden Village in Reserve Division West on Wednesday
26th January 2010. On what turned out to be a great night for Pontardawe,
both teams produced some good football on a difficult pitch which
eventually saw Ponty run out 5-2 victors.
View all
of the goals and match action
here
After
a long layoff Ponty got back to winning ways against Goytre United in
Reserve Division West on Saturday 23rd January 2010 with what turned out
to be a resounding win.
From the first minute, the result was
never in doubt as Pont started as they finished, totally dominating the
game against a surprisingly poor Goytre United eleven.
View all
of the goals and match action
here
In
a game that never should have been played at
Briton Ferry Llansawel
on 19th December 2009 - the ref insisted that the pitch was just like a
bone hard pitch during the summer !!,
Ponty never really were up for this game as it was
in doubt up until the kick off. The rock hard surface made playing any
football difficult as the ball was bobbling everywhere and tackles that
went to ground were prone to leaving their mark.
Not much to say about the game except that
Ponty did not turn up and were promptly turned over on a disappointing
day. Watch brief match highlights
here.
On an emotionally charged day for all from Ponty following the death of
Peter James the day before, Ponty entertained newcomers to
Reserve Division West South Gower
for their first visit to the Recreation Ground on Saturday 10th October
2009. An
impeccable minutes silence in honour
of Peter was held before kick off.
View
the match report along with all of the match action and goals
here.
A DVD of the
whole game is available - let us know if you would like to purchase a
copy of the DVD for £5
Ponty took the short
trip to the Gnoll on Thursday 1st October to play a very young
Neath
side. This was always going to be a tough game for Ponty as this Neath
team effectively ended Ponty's title challenge at the tail end of last
season with a superb display at The Recreation Ground.
The first
half started with Neath showing how dangerous they could be creating a
couple of chances. Ponty had their fair share of possession and created
some chances themselves. The football from both sides was a treat to
watch with one touch short passing and movement which will be the envy
of most teams in this league. Slowly but surely, Ponty started to
dominate more and more of the play as the first half went on. Ponty got
their reward with two quick goals just before half time. The first one
was from Liam James after some great determination by Craig Spring, with
Craig then scoring from a header himself just two minutes later. Ponty
went into the half time break 2-0 up.
Ponty started the second
half the way they finished the first and got their third goal within 3
minutes of the start from Dale Otten. Ponty now went on to produced a
display of one touch passing football that was truly a joy to watch.
Ponty were virtually unstoppable with Dan Thomas and Ianto outstanding
in midfield but Neath showed that they were still capable of a reminder
of the danger that they could pose.
Ponty were now playing with such fluid passing and
movement that in one 4 minute spell they could have doubled their tally
with a little luck and some clinical
finishing. Ponty kept this tempo and style of play up until the final
whistle to send a resounding message out to the other teams in the
league. This was truly a dominant performance and significant win for
Ponty over a Neath team who will prove we are sure, that they are no
pushovers in this league.
Gareth Govier was voted "Man of the
Match" with Dale Otten picking up the "coveted" "Minge of the
Match" award.
View
all of the match action and goals
here.
A DVD of the
whole game is available - let us know if you would like to purchase a
copy of the DVD for £5
Ponty visited
Garden Village on Saturday
26th September in their second Reserve Division West
game of the season.
The first half was a pretty doer event with few chances being created.
Those chances that were created fell to Ponty but they failed to take
advantage of their dominance with the half time score level at 0-0.
The second half continued to see Ponty dominate the game, creating
chance after chance. When the breakthrough came from Liam James on 82
minutes, Ponty should have been a couple of goals clear as very clear
cut chances were squandered. Liam deserved his headed goal for battling
during the previous 82 minutes. Ponty comfortably saw out the remaining
time to make it 2 wins out of 2
Ponty deservedly took the 3 points on offer and now visit
Neath Athletic on Thursday 1st October.
The "Man of the Match" award
went to Marcus Evans for his contributions during the game. "Minge of
the Match" went to Gareth Govier (something about if a salt cellar had
salt in it - during post match meal)
View
all of the match action and goals
here.
A DVD of the
whole game is available - let us know if you would like to purchase a
copy of the DVD for £5
Pontardawe
welcomed a strong West End side to the Recreation Ground for their first
Reserve Division West fixture of the 2009/2010 season on Saturday 19th
September 2009.
Ponty started the better of the sides with West
End taking a long time to try and understand the formation of the Ponty
team. Ponty played with 5 in midfield, one being a holding midfield
player. West End seemed unable to manage this formation with Pontardawe
making several chances before Andrew Stokes got the opening goal on 11
minutes. Pontardawe were looking the stronger team for the majority of
the first half hour but slowly, West End sorted themselves out and
created a few chances themselves. Then with 10 minutes left of the first
half, West End were awarded what looked like a very soft free kick, just
outside the Ponty penalty area. Pony's wall failed to deal with the low
stuck shot which passed Dean Morgan in the Ponty goal for West End's
equalizer. Ponty tried to pick themselves up from this setback and
created a couple of half chances before the half time break but the
teams went into the break level at 1-1.
Ponty again started the
better of the teams during the early stages of the second half, creating
a couple of chances against a physically strong West End side. Ponty
then regained the lead when Andrew Stokes latched onto a ball out of the
Ponty defence and from approximately 25 yards, wide on the right
volleyed the ball home for a truly spectacular goal. The goal was so
good that the match referee commented on his post match report to the
Ponty Football Committee "Hell of a goal". Andy Gray would surely repeat
those famous words should he see Stokesy's goal... "take a bow son, take
a bow....". A contender not only for "Goal of the Month" but probably
"Goal of the Season" even this early into the new season. West End were
stunned by the goal but fought back, creating a couple of half chances.
Ponty could have extended their lead but for some poorly taken chances.
Ponty did get the ball into the back of the net again during the second
half but Craig Springs spectacular overhead volley was ruled offside.
Ponty deservedly took the 3 points on offer and now visit Garden
Village on the 26th September.
The "Man of the Match" award could
only go to Andrew Stokes for his contributions during the game. "Minge
of the Match" went to Craig Spring.
View all of the
match action and goals
here.
A DVD of the whole game is available - let us know if you would like to
purchase a copy of the DVD for £5
Ponty were drawn in a very sparsely populated preliminary round of the Reserve Cup against Troedyrhiw. Ponty started this game on Saturday 5th September 2009 at the Recreation Ground in confident if slow fashion but soon started to dominate the game. Chance after chance was created but the half time break came with the sides level at 0-0.
The second half continued with Ponty dominating play but again the breakthrough would not come. Troedyrhiw then took the lead totally against the run of play when a mix up at the back provided the Troedyrhiw striker with an easy tap in. Ponty continued to create chance after chance and were probably trying to force the game too much as chances went begging. The breakthrough for Ponty came late in the game when Liam James headed home from a corner to level the score at 1-1. Ponty were now confident of at least taking the game into extra time if not winning before the final whistle. Again, chances were created where Ponty probably could have and probably should have won the game. However, approximately 30 seconds from the final whistle the unthinkable happened - a ball over the top of the Ponty back four and the striker looked offside but the Troedyrhiw striker carried on to eventually round the keeper and slot home the winner. Ponty did not have enough time to pick themselves up from this body blow and the game ended seconds after the restart with Troedyrhiw running out winners 2-1.
The Ponty "Man of the Match" was awarded to Owain with the "Minge of the Match" being "won" by Aled Whitelock as he did not know that Ianto's name was Ian after Ianto called "Ian's ball" and Aled promptly tacked Ianto !. How long have you been playing for Ponty Aled.........
In a change of format this year the games highlights and goals are all contained within one video file (its quicker to produce and gives a better timeline of the match action). The highlights and goals can be viewed here (the video file is just over 9 minutes long and will stream from the server) . Total file size is 67Mb.