PEN-Y-BONT (Bryntirion Park)

FAW WELSH CUP 3rd ROUND, PEN-Y-BONT 4-1 AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON, ATTENDANCE: 160 (h/c)

At this latter stage of the Welsh Cup competition, when the Premier League teams enter, there are usually slim pickings when it comes to a new ground to visit. Luckily for me though, Pen-y-bont were drawn at home to Airbus so it was to South Wales I headed for the latest instalment on the road to....well, we will have to see!

Penybont is the Welsh name for Bridgend, the end of the bridge being on the River Ogmore which flows through town. I first visited the town in 2011 when Bridgend Town FC were playing at the rugby ground, The Brewery Field. The club played here from 2009 until 2013 when they merged with another local side, Bryntirion Athletic, to form Pen-y-Bont FC.

The new club are based at Bryntirion Park, the former home of Athletic, which, for sponsorship reasons, is now known as the Kymco Stadium. Despite the freezing cold conditions that the country has experienced over the past week, there was no danger of this game being off as a 3G pitch was laid, to coincide with the beginning of the new club.

Penybont are members of the Welsh league Division One, which sits directly below the Welsh Premier League in the Welsh pyramid. They are currently in 6th position in the table, 8 points behind current leaders Goytre, but with two games in hand.

They are managed by Welsh Premier League legend Rhys Griffiths, who is second on the all time goalscoring list behind Marc Lloyd-Williams. He scored a staggering 180 goals in 181 appearances for Llanelli between 2006 and 2012.

I witnessed The Wingmakers last visit to South Wales a few weeks ago, when they lost 2-0 to Cardiff Met. They are currently without a win since September and are rock bottom of the Welsh Premier League, so there was definitely the whiff of an upset in the air in the build up to kick off. Unfortunately for Airbus that is how is panned out. Admittedly they did not help themselves as their frailties at the back contributed to their downfall.

Penybont went at the visitors from the off and pressed them back, not giving the Wingmakers any time to settle. They found themselves two goals to the good after 19 minutes. Airbus goalkeeper Ryan Nield played the ball to Jake Hully on the edge of the area but a poor touch was intercepted by Joe Hopkins who squared for Marcus Griffiths to fire home (12).

Neild made a great save from a Griffiths header to deny the Penybont striker his second goal (pictured below) but Griffiths did hit the target in the 19th minute when more dithering in the Airbus defence led to a goal. Neild's clearance was intercepted by Hopkins who back healed the ball into the path of Griffiths who made no mistake.

Penybont's two goal lead only lasted two minutes when Ryan Fraughan found the bottom corner of the net from just inside the area. Despite not being in the game for most of the half Airbus should have gone in level at half time but a Liam O’Neill header found the crossbar with the goal at his mercy. When your luck is out...

The second half was 10 minutes old when Penybont restored their two goal advantage. A free kick was swung in and glanced home by player/manager Rhys Griffiths (pictured above). This time there was no coming back for Airbus. There were further chances for both sides but Penybont had the final say in the 89th minute with a superbly worked goal, the ball eventually being played through to Owain Warlow who wrapped up a deserved victory for Penybont.

The sgorio cameras were at the match and the highlights can be found be clicking here

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (Cyncoed Campus)

WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE, CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY 2-0 AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON, ATTENDANCE: 319

It was with tired eyes and a banging headache that I awoke today after spending the previous night in the Tiny Rebel Urban Tap House analysing Wales' disappointing 1-1 draw with Serbia.

After a Wetherspoons breakfast had put me right, I Continued the theme of yesterday by paying a visit to another team with links to a University. Welsh Premier League 'newboys' Cardiff Metropolitan University were hosting visitors from the North, Airbus UK Broughton.

The last time I visited the Cyncoed Campus was for a Welsh Cup tie in 2011, when the club were known as University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) and they played on the adjacent pitch. The small stand is still there but the pitch is now used for rugby.

The club became known as Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2012 but that was the latest in a series of name changes based on the name of the institution it was representing. The major name change occurred in in 2000 when the club merged with four times League of Wales runners up Inter Cardiff to become UWIC Inter Cardiff.

The club played under this name as they fell from the top tier to the Welsh league 3rd Division before simply becoming UWIC in 2009. The change of name to Cardiff Met in 2012 has coincided with a renaissance as the club secured three promotions in four seasons to rise back to the top tier of Welsh football. Former welsh international Dr Christian Edwards, who was in charge on my last visit, is still the Director of Football at the club.

There was a good crowd today as the club make watching Premier League football affordable. It was £6 to get in, and that includes your programme, but for Students it is only £1 on production of their card. There were plenty of young faces in the crowd, including a small section in the corner who were quite literally banging the drum for Cardiff.

This is the fourth time I have seen Cardiff Met. play this season and, in my humble opinion, I think they are the best footballing side in the division. Early on their performances didn't garner the points they merited but, in recent weeks, the results have now started to come and the club are now in the upper echelons of the table, sitting in 6th position.

Airbus on the other hand, after beating Cardiff Met. on the opening day, have struggled this season and are currently in the relegation zone on goal difference.

The game today went with form as the students impressed once again. Adam Roscrow gave the home side the lead on the half hour mark when he headed home a sublime cross Kyle McCarthy. Charlie Corsby doubled the students lead after when he fired home from inside the box early in the second half.

Airbus were not without chances with some last ditch defending preventing them from getting on the scoresheet. Cardiff also hit the woodwork three times but the game ended with just the two goals.