Tuesday, 8 May 2012. Pentyrch edge a close game with Caerau Ely to take the runners-up spot in the Cardiff & District B Division
This eagerly anticipated game lived up to expectations. With Butetown having already secured top spot, this game would decide who would come runners-up. Caerau have had a great season and it soon became obvious they have some very talented players. Unfortunately for them they have hit a bad run of form that has coincided with the run-in to the end of the season. Pentyrch have had a good run and have reeled in Caerau so that both teams were on 40 points.
Tonight’s game was the decider. And it was Pentyrch who got off to the better start. They shocked Caerau with two early goals to take the advantage. For the following twenty minutes they pressured Caerau relentlessly rarely allowing them out of their half. When Caerau did get a strike on goal some superb goalkeeping by the Pentyrch goalie kept them at bay. Equally, some excellent keeping by the Caerau keeper stopped Pentyrch putting the game out of sight. A third goal for Pentyrch was inevitable. When the goal came it looked as though Pentyrch were going to run away with the game. But a superb strike by Caerau made it 3-1 just before half time.
From the beginning of the second half roles were reversed and it was Caerau who sustained the pressure. As they put Pentyrch on the back foot the talent in the Caerau side came to the fore and they pulled back a second goal to make it 3-2. Caerau’s tails were up, but as they pushed for the equaliser Pentyrch caught them on the break to make it 4-2.
The midfield battle became very scrappy as both teams struggled for dominance. Pentyrch relieved the pressure a littl and began to win more of the ball. With the game now end-to-end, Pentyrch managed to get yet another goal to make it 5-2.
Caerau refused to give up, kept pushing and got a third. The final ten minute saw two tired teams giving their all and scrapping for every ball. Both teams created some superb openings but the ball just refused to go into the net for either team.
The final result was Pentyrch 5 – 3 Caerau Ely. Pentyrch are the B Division runners-up.