GOODWICK UNITED 1 PENLAN CLUB 0.
Lee Hudgell supplied a quality second half match winning header, for Goodwick United to secure the Tony Nakonecznyj Insurance Brokers West Wales Intermediate Cup against Penlan Club at Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium. (reports Robert Clement).
It was an evenly contested final with the Pembrokeshire team currently second in their league securing their second trophy victory in three years, having previously won the silverware in 2016 when they beat Morriston Olympic 2-1, with goals from Jonny Horgan and Rhys Dalling.
Goodwick’s appearance in this season’s final arrived following a convincing 4-0 victory against Carew, with two splendid finishes from Matty Delaney, along with a goal each by Scott Delaney and Adam Raymond at Haverfordwest’s Bridge Meadow Stadium.
It was Goodwick who attempted to establish a two goal lead during the opening six minutes, with Horgan sending a solid shot narrowly wide following a right sided cross by Stefan Hayes during the opening sixty seconds, and the lively frontrunner was once again a shade unfortunate when his second scoring threat rolled slowly past the far upright, with Penlan goalkeeper Marcus Collins helpless to stop, following a Jordan Griffiths through ball.
Penlan soon offered a response, being awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box with Darren Rowe’s progress being halted by Wayne O’Sullivan, and it was a timely punched clearance from Goodwick’s shot stopper James Gwilt, that prevented Dale Otten from giving the Swansea League outfit an eighth minute lead.
From the very next attack, Griffiths weaved past three Penlan defenders before his goal bound effort was blocked by Collins just outside the six yard box, then Horgan fired the rebound which deflected off Dale Rowe for a corner.
Midway into the half Luke Chappell was denied a scoring opportunity with Gwilt bravely making a crucial save at the feet of the Penlan frontrunner, after Luke Dalling had used his pace to good effect.
The action immediately switched to the opposite half and Goodwick were awarded a touchline free kick with Penlan’s Kyle Barrett being yellow carded by match official David Keane following a foul on Horgan, but it was former Swansea City youth product Chris O’Sullivan who arrowed the twenty five yard delivery straight into the palms of Collins.
Penlan didn’t lack adventure along with ambition, and a well timed through ball from Chappell found the support of Barrett who scampered swiftly forward into Goodwick territory, but it was a timely successful challenge by Llyr Tobin that prevented Penlan from breaking the deadlock.
Goodwick reaped the reward of the opening goal after fifty six minutes, when a perfectly delivered right wing corner from Horgan provided Hudgell with the ideal chance to displayed desire along with determination to rise up and apply a glancing header beyond the reach of Collins from close range.
Three minutes later, Goodwick were very unfortunate not to double their lead, when a quick attacking route forward led by Hudgell saw him pick out the support of Griffiths with a precision pass, but the striker’s on target strike was acrobatically finger tipped to safety by Collins.
With fourteen minutes remaining Tobin became the fourth Goodwick name to be entered into the officials notebook after disputing a refereeing decision, and four minutes later he was issued with a second yellow card following an ill-timed tackle on Dalling.
With the match well into added on time there was an opportunity for both Penlan and Goodwick produce all important finishing. Firstly a free kick by Dale Otten was superbly saved by Gwilt, with the alert keeper then focused to find Horgan unmarked with a well timed up-field kick, but having displayed his attacking pace to good effect he was unfortunate to drill a low shot from twenty yard narrowly wide of the Penlan goal-frame.
“To be honest we knew that it was going to be a narrow victory, with us already having played them once this season, and it was a battle against a quality side with Penlan having shown that for years, with them having been here twice recently in the final of the competition, so we knew that it was going to be tight and I thought that we started well with a couple of early chances which against the likes of Penlan should have been taken by Jonny Horgan and Jordan Griffiths, with both being very lively on the break,” said Goodwick manager Wayne O’Sullivan at his pitch-side post match interview.
“It was an evenly highly entertaining final involving two of the better sides within west Wales, and we have nothing but respect with us knowing that it was going to be well contested, and luckily we took our chance and managed to see the game out.
“There was a good opportunity for us to move ahead from a Chris O’Sullivan free kick with him very good on set pieces, but either side of the goalkeeper he might have had a chance, but luckily enough for Penlan it went straight into the keeper’s hands.
“We certainly had a good first thirty minutes with Penlan responding as the interval approached, and we regrouped at half-time to sort out a few issues where we thought that we might get caught on the break, and we then settled well in the second half to get the goal, but then we went down to ten men with two quick yellow cards for Llyr Tobin, so against a side like that it’s going to be hard with us being forced to dig deep, and I though that the players really showed a lot of character.” O’Sullivan added: “The goal arrived in classic style with a very good headed finish from Lee Hudgell, and I think that it’s the second or third time he’s done that this season, so he knows exactly what he’s doing with him having played in the Welsh Premiership for Haverfordwest County, being a quality player to make the perfect run into the six yard area to make a great finish.
“We had an excellent opportunity to add a second goal with Jordan Griffiths having a splendid chance that was prevented by the Penlan keeper, with him swiftly bursting forward and going clean through with it being a missed opportunity, but we’ve hung on and dug deep to get the vitally important result.”
O’Sullivan then reflected on the previous visit to the Liberty Stadium. “Two years ago we played another Swansea side, Morriston Olympic who were a very good footballing side with us winning 2-1, but tonight I think there was a bit of rivalry between Penlan and us along with respect as well, and we knew a number of their players having played them previously in the FAW Trophy last October with us being 2-0 down, but we came back and won 3-2, but again it was a game that could have gone either way so there was a lot of respect there, and obviously if you manage to come out on top against Penlan you’ve done well.
“We now have a tough week to be honest in front of us, with Hakin being another tough Pembrokeshire League side with two games left, one being at home and the other away against them, and with the way things have turned out we have to win both games to have any chance to claim the league title, so we’ll celebrate tonight and then be back to working hard to prepare for those remaining matches.”
Goodwick United: James Gwilt, Stefan Hayes, Wayne O’Sullivan, Scott Delaney, Adam Raymond (capt), Chris O’Sullivan (Matty Delaney 70th min), Kieran O’Brien, Lee Hudgell, Jordan Griffiths, Jonny Horgan, Llyr Tobin.
Substitutes not used: Iestyn Evans, Anthony Couzens, Steven Dockerty, Rowan Nicholson.
Penlan Club: Marcus Collins, Dale Rowe (Kyle James 81st min), Liam Otten, Luke Edwards, Dale Otten, Cory Charles (capt), Kyle Barrett (Jamie James 38th min), Jordan Doyle, Darren Rowe, Luke Chappell, Luke Dalling.
Substitutes not used: Paul Lewis, Jamie Williams, Rhys Coffey.
Referee: David Keane (Gowerton).
Score summary: Goodwick United: Lee Hudgell 56th min.
Yellow cards: Goodwick United: Jonny Horgan 27th min. Adam Raymond 45th min+1. Wayne O’Sullivan 51st min. Llyr Tobin 76th min.
Penlan Club: Kyle Barrett 24th min. Dale Otten 74th min. Darren Rowe 82nd min. Jordan Doyle 90th min+2.
Red card: Goodwick United: Llyr Tobin 80th min.
Goodwick Utd