Panteg FC 0 – Monmouth Town 8

FINALLY, after a wait of 75 years, Monmouth Town won the Gwent Senior Cup in fine fashion on Saturday 16th May.

A Nick Harrhy hat-trick, two apiece from Eliot Evans and Dab MacDonald and a 25 yard screamer from defender Jacob Guy underlined the gulf in divisions and class on a fine day in Undy, watched by around 200 supporters from all parts of the county.

Third Division Panteg had stepped in after Monmouthshire rivals had controversially withdrawn from the match citing injuries, weddings and suspensions and, like many underdogs, would have hoped for a Monmouth team being off colour and that they would be having the day of days themselves.

In the first ten minutes it may have panned out that way as Town were decidedly rusty getting into the contest, conceding a number of corners and set pieces and failing to get the ball down and play.

But the early flurry was illusory as the Kingfishers took the lead on 12 minutes when Evans pounced on a goalkeeping error.

Within minutes it was two as MacDonald broke clear and finished superbly and, as the clock notched up 20 minutes, Loftus was brought down for a penalty. The Panteg goalkeeper could count himself extremely lucky not to have been sent off for the challenge, before MacDonald put the game out of reach with his spot kick.  

Defender Jacob Guy's pile driver from 25 yards merely emphasised how dominant the Kingfishers were and how ruthlessly they went about the game.

To Panteg's credit they came out fighting again in the second half with the same result as they overcommitted players, and Monmouth's slick passing unpicked the rearguard too easily as Nick Harrhy smashed home his first and Monmouth's fifth on 56 minutes following superb work from man of the match Dan MacDonald.

Ford out wide was having more and more of the ball and he was instrumental in setting up chance after chance as Harrhy was upended again by Wise in the Panteg goal, who escaped a yellow card as the ball broke to Evans to slot home.

Great play by MacDonald opened up a chance for Harrhy who danced his way through before turning and curling his second in with 15 minutes remaining.

He got his hat-trick late on dispossessing the keeper and firing into an empty net.

All that was left was for skipper Alderdice to pick up the old cup, just as his predecessor had done in 1940.

Manager Andrew Smith was also delighted with the win.

"Ash Ford equalised with the last kick of the game in the first round against Risca last August and we went on from there to beat Undy 10-0 in the second round with the best performance I've seen from any Monmouth team.

"This was up there with that win. We were very thorough and the lads went about it in the right way.

"Some of our goals were great team goals and, fair play to Panteg, they didn't resort to kicking but kept playing too. It was our day today."

The club will celebrate another successful season at the clubhouse on Friday 22nd May, and all supporters are welcome.