Welsh League Division One - Taffs Well 3 Monmouth Town 0

MONMOUTH Town travelled to Cardiff on an unusual Friday night game and, despite starting the game positively, returned home with nothing after a 3-0 defeat under the lights.

After edging past Port Talbot Town in their last league fixture, the visitors were forced to hang on at times in the first 45 minutes, but they also created chances and had a goal disallowed.

But a frustrating second half saw Monmouth concede against the run of play, before being caught on the break twice while chasing a vital equaliser.

Ross Kennedy made three changes to his side that beat Port Talbot, bringing in goalkeeper Lee Williams for the injured Ben Taylor, Simon Miguel for the suspended Ashley Ford and Dafydd Jones for the suspended Elliot Ford.

The Kingfishers started the game positively and maintained possession well in the early stages, and they had the first chance of the game, Dafydd Jones picked up the ball just inside the Taffs half and played a through ball to Craig Lewis. Lewis ran at the Wellmen’s defence and cut in on his right foot but his shot went just over the crossbar.

Moments later the home side caught Monmouth unorganised and nearly took the lead. A floated corner into the box found the Wellmen’s centre half, whose header was saved by Lee Williams.

Taffs Well came into the game and had another good chance when a deflected shot on the edge of the box was saved well by Williams. Taffs continued to trouble Monmouth’s defence with their pace out wide and had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 20th minute when their right winger beat his man and went down the by-line eventually passing across goal but there was no one to tap it in.

The Kingfishers managed to weather the storm and moments later should have found themselves one up. Jones whipped a corner into the box which their goalkeeper came out to catch but he spilled out for Craig Lewis who chested home. Unfortunately for the Kingfishers, the linesman disallowed the goal for handball.

The Town had some good spells in the latter stages of the half and maintained possession well but just lacked a bit of quality in the final third. On the stroke of half time Taff’s Well nearly took the lead when their player floated in a corner which found former Monmouth centre back Dan Claire at the back post. Claire headed across goal and found his teammate first time but Monmouth’s Dan Spence was there to emphatically block it off the line.

The Kingfishers started the second half brightly and looked more confident on the ball. The Town had a great chance to break the deadlock in the 50th minute when Jake Robinson ran onto a losing Taff’s Well pass, beating his man and cut in on his right foot.

Robinson shot on the edge of the box but his shot went narrowly wide. Monmouth continued to attack Taff’s great intensity and had another great chance to take the lead moments later when Chip Miguel played a ball down the line which Dafydd Jones ran onto and continued down the by-line, eventually cutting in on his right foot and shooting, but his shot was deflected just wide of the post.

Against the run of play the home side took the lead when their player floated his corner towards the back post who found former Kingfishers player Dan Claire and his header flew into the top corner. Taff’s goal gave them confidence and nearly extended their lead moments later when their winger whipped a ball into the box which their striker headed on for his teammate, who went one-on-one with Lee Williams; but Williams came out on top saving with his chest.

Monmouth continued to attack as Wellmen searched for an equaliser. Manager Ross Kennedy brought on youngster Robbie Atkinson to add more quality in the final third for his side. Atkinson made an immediate impact in the game and nearly provided Monmouth with the equaliser when he beat his man and ran down the by line and passed it across goal but Rob Laurie couldn’t quite get there to tap it in. With Monmouth searching for a winner they looked vulnerable on the counter attack and Taff’s extended their lead in the seventieth minute when their midfielder played a through ball which their striker ran onto and went around Chip Miguel. Taff’s player went one-on-one with Lee Williams and calmly slotted it into the bottom corner. Monmouth didn’t give up and battled in the latter stages of the game well. They were again caught on the break when their centre back played a long ball which again their striker ran onto and went one on one with Williams and once again calmly slotted it into the bottom corner.

Manager Ross Kennedy described the narrow defeat as “frustrating” and “harsh”. He said: “I felt we dominated large parts of that game and had the better chances. However, if you don’t take your chances at this level you will get punished and that’s exactly what happened”.

The Kingfishers are home next week against Caerau Ely where the Town will need to look to pick up three valuable points.