Scotland Has The Loch Ness Monster

Scotland has its Lochness Monster, Asia has the Yeti and now Wales has Blue Sheep! I had to pull over today to take the photograph of them as no one would believe me. Can you imagine arriving home and the converstaion goes something like:

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“Hello sweetheart, have you had a good day?” “You’ll never guess, I’ve just seen blue sheep.” “Blue sheep? But…

I love a great sunset and with the extraordinary summer we’ve been having in the U.K. this year, they have been in abundance. As photography is one of my loves, I’m usually armed with a camera wherever I am, even if it’s my phone. The sunset in the photograph was taken about a month ago at Penybont, Powys. It’s about 4 miles from where we live, but the scenery is spectacular whatever the season.

The Bulldogs have failed to win in the league since 8 October and with their promising start to the season now a distant memory, the Rhondda club are once again looking at the wrong end of the table.

However, this Ton Pentre team is capable, they have talent. Results against some of the top teams in the league are examples of this, as was their performance against Welsh Premier League opponents Bangor City in the JD Welsh Cup last week. The Bulldogs even took the lead in this game.

Sam Small put Ton Pentre in front with his 12th goal of the season after just five minutes. He’d rounded off a great move for the Bulldogs, but the lead didn’t last long.

With ten minutes on the clock the scores were all level as Penybont broke through the Ton Pentre defence with Adam Carpenter scoring his first of two goals.

Eleven minutes later Penybont were in pole position as they took the lead through some good fortune. An off target shot by the home team was somehow awarded as a corner instead of a goal kick by the referee. When the ball was sent into the box, it was slotted into the back of the net without a challenge as Joe Hopkins was allowed a free strike.

It had been a poor first half performance from Ton Pentre but they should have gone into the half-time interval all square after Small was set through one-on-one, however, his shot was denied due to a fine save by the Penybont goalkeeper.

Ton Pentre were much better in the second half and looked more dangerous when on the attack but the chances that fell to Liam Reed and Small were not put away and the Bulldogs were eventually punished.

After Tom Davies barged an opponent in the back during the 75th minute of play, Penybont were awarded a penalty, from which Kane Owen made it 3-1. It got even worse for Ton Pentre on 85 minutes as a well worked move saw Carpenter head in his second goal of the game and Penybont’s fourth.

The Bulldogs also finished the match with 10-men after Adam Lewis received two yellow cards late on.

With the Welsh League taking a break for the festive period, the turn of the year will see the Bulldogs play a crunch match away at Monmouth Town on Saturday, 7 January.

Penybont had taken an early lead in this match but the Bulldogs won through thanks to two goals from Kurt Hodges and a third scored by Callum Hopkins.

Elsewhere in the Youth Cup, Newport County, Cardiff City and Swansea City all went through with convincing victories and are all potential opponents in Round Three for the Bulldogs.

Check out the action from the match below.

PENYBONT TEST FOR BULLDOGS IN FAW YOUTH CUP

Following Tuesday’s (4 October) FAW Youth Cup Round 2 draw, the Bulldogs learned that they will play Penybont away on Sunday, 30 October.

The match against Penybont will be a stern test as they have teams playing in both the Welsh Premier Development League and the Welsh League Youth Division West.

While Ton Pentre overcame Caldicot Town 8-1 in Round 1 of the competition, Penybont meanwhile…

Debuts were handed out to four players with Lee Phillips’ Bulldogs squad drawing heavily upon local talent. One of those making his debut was Corey Shephard, who joined in the summer from Newport County, and the midfielder was quick to make his mark when he gave Ton Pentre a 9th minute lead.

The goal was a result of some lovely build-up play as Leon Jacka passed inside for James Dury who spread the play into Adam Lewis’ run on the right wing. Lewis sent a perfect cross into the penalty area where Shephard jumped above the Penybont defence to head the all past Rhys Wilson in goals.

Less than ten minutes later Ton Pentre doubled their lead when striker Sam Small cut in from the right and and went past several defenders who failed to make a challenge on him before calmly slotting the ball in the back of the net.

It had been an impressive start by the Bulldogs as Penybont struggled to deal with their expansive play, however, the Bridgend-based club began to get themselves back in the game as the half progressed.

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Their response to going 2-0 down must have been welcomed by new Penybont manager Rhys Griffiths – his first season in a managerial role after many years of topping the goalscoring tables in the Welsh Premier League – as by half-time they’d levelled matters with Ton Pentre.

In the 29th minute Penybont capitalised following some lacklustre play from the Bulldogs that saw Cullen Kinsella set-up Marcus Griffiths to make it 2-1.

The same pair combined once again in the 40th minute with Griffiths netting his second following a period of pressure on Ton Pentre. At this point the Bulldogs were longing for half-time in fear of seeing their opponents completely turn things around.

The game was more even through the early exchanges in the second half but Ton Pentre were beginning to gain momentum and the home advantage in this fixture began to become apparent as the Bulldogs dug deep to show some excellent character.

Rob Blatchford decided to take a long punt at goal in the 62nd minute, a sign that the Bulldogs were becoming more adventurous, but his well hit effort was matched by an excellent save from Wilson who tipped the strike over the crossbar.

Ten minutes later more great play from Ton Pentre resulted in Small being presented with another chance to score. Once again, Wilson denied the Rhondda club with a fine save stopping Small from bagging a brace.

The Bulldogs were now looking the most likely to find a winner and they did just that in the 80th minute when Rob Blatchford went on a fantastic run that saw him outpace several defenders before placing the ball inside the far post having avoided the sprawling Penybont goalkeeper.

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Ton Pentre welcome Monmouth Town to Ynys Park for their next match on Saturday, 20 August at 2.30pm. The Kingfishers lost their opening game after going down 1-0 at Caerau Ely and will play in the Nathaniel Cars League Cup on Wednesday (17 August) at Cambrian & Clydach Vale. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have more time to recover from their opening day match having received a bye in Round 1 of the competition.

TON PENTRE: Cael Jones; Adam Lewis; Gavin Morris; Scott Hayward; James Dury (Hitchcock 83’); Liam Hutchinson (Captain); Andre Griffiths; Leon Jacka; Sam Small (Adam Hawkins 87’; Corey Shephard; Rob Blatchford. Subs not used: Phil Clarke; Daniel Hurton; Lee Williams. Goals: Shephard 9’, Small 17’, Blatchford 80’

MATCH GALLERY