This top of the table clash saw the two remaining unbeaten sides meet away at Bridgend.

Cardiff started brightly and won numerous short corners and it wasn’t long before they took the lead when on form skipper Rich Stokes finished neatly at the left hand post from a well worked short corner. 

However Bridgend’s strikers began to find space and holes appeared in Cardiff’s defence, Comfort made important stops to prevent the equaliser coming but the pressure finally took its toll and Bridgend scored shortly before the break. 

The second half saw Cardiff produce a fine passage of hockey, Ifty held the midfield together and allowed Mo space to make great runs through the middle with the support of Paul Betts and Axel. 

It wasn’t long before Cardiff scored a second when Mo was put through by Ian and finished with a crisp reverse stick strike.

Cardiff managed to kill the game off ten minutes later with another short corner when Sam Wiggins finished on the right hand post from Walid’s second assist of the game. A seemingly well taken fourth goal for Cardiff (and second for Sam) was ruled out by the umpire who was unable to spot the deflection in the D.

Cardiff’s defence held firm for the remainder of the game with good tackling from Stock, Howey, Ruan, Kev and Walid.

 

Cardiff & UWIC B continued their good run of results with a convincing 3:1 victory over Neath.

The game started well for Cardiff and there were some particularly good passages of play in which the team were able to string numerous passes together across the pitch and really work the Neath defence.

Cardiff kept the press on Neath and capitalised on sustained pressure when Stokes was able to get on the end of a well weighted pass from Betts and slot the ball past the keeper to make it 1:0 after 15 minutes.

A second goal looked assured from the restart and within minutes Cardiff had made it 2:0 thanks to some skilful work in midfield from Mo and Ifty and another good cross from Betts setting up Ian Davies who didn’t hesitate to loft the ball into the net.

A third goal came shortly before half time after some effective work down the right hand side from James Campbell and Mathew Gray set up Betts who was clinical in front of goal.

Another superb effort from the Cardiff defence of Comfort, Abdo, Howard, Stockton, Kev Campbell and Russell again laid the foundations for the victory and only dogged and determined work from Neath enabled them to score a consolation goal in the second half.

Cardiff B would like to thank the many members of the club that supported from the sidelines!!!!

Next week sees the unbeaten Cardiff travel to the league leaders Bridgend.

 

 

 

Cardiff and UWIC B won a scappy and ill disciplined match against Gloucester City 2:0  to go forth in the league and notch up the third win in a row.  

 

The match started well with both sides creating some half chances, but a combination of poor final balls and some suspect decisions conspired to end the half at 0:0.

 

Cardiff and UWIC B were unlucky not to take all three points in the first league game of the season. Playing together for the first time, it took several minutes for Cardiff to get used to the team structure (not to mention each others names!). The team was buoyed early on by some effective work down right wing with Brad and Oli combining well and it wasn’t long before Ian Stockton found space in the D and narrowly missed from a tight angle. 

As the game progressed, Cardiff benefited from some overzealous defending and won a number of short corners which they were unlucky not to convert, but it was Newport that took the lead after a quick break caught the midfield unawares. 

Goalkeeper Simon Comfort was bossing the Cardiff ‘D’ and made some excellent saves whilst Walid, Graham and Ruan provided the experience at the back and put an abrupt end to the Newport Attacks. Sam Wiggins and Jason Durbridge ran tirelessly and created a number of good opportunities which the Cardiff attack of Rob Berry, Dale Hutchinson and Crispy were unlucky not to score from. Ian stock and Tom Hutchinson made some good runs down the left and it was no surprise when Cardiff were awarded yet another short corner following extended pressure from the attacking line. On this occasion Walid Abdo was clinical at the short corner and slotted the ball past the Newport keeper to level the scores at half time. 

The second half passed in much the same way as the first with a physical Newport side showing good resilience in defense and creating a number of half chances following quick breaks from midfield. However, the game ended in some controversy after Cardiff scored a seemingly legitimate goal which was deemed instead to be a sixteen yard hit when the umpires were unable to confirm that Brad Ghilchrist’s shot had been struck within the ‘D’. 

Cardiff will be disappointed not to get a first win under their belt, but will be encouraged that such a new side was able to more than compete with an experienced and well organised Newport team. Cardiff will look to improve at every opportunity and will be eager to convert their chances early on when they play against Cardiff Uni next Saturday.