Welsh Football League Youth Cup Final - Monmouth Town FC u19 0 Afan Lido FC u19 3

MONMOUTH Town under 19s took to the field for one last time this season on Thursday (19th May) evening at Jenner Park, Barry to face Afan Lido in the final of the Welsh Football League Youth Cup.

This was to be the final chapter of an incredibly successful season which saw Monmouth become undefeated champions of the Welsh Football League Youth Division East, winning 13 and drawing one of the fourteen games played, scoring 81 goals and conceding just 14 in the process. By way of comparison, the second and third placed teams in the league scored a combined total of 77. Understandably hopes were high of a remarkable ‘double’.

Their opponents, Afan Lido, themselves champions of the WFL Youth Division West, also travelled with dreams of success and as kick-off approached at a rainy Jenner Park the fans of both teams anticipated an exciting game between two worthy finalists.

The game began with both teams probing but without really threatening. The first moment of note came in the 16th minute after a spell of Monmouth pressure when the ball found its way to Dan Taylor 35 yards out in the centre of midfield. He controlled the ball, strode forward five yards and hit a thunderous shot which was bound for the top right corner until the Afan Lido ‘keeper flew across his goal and got a fingertip on the ball to divert it for a corner.

From this point on the first half was dominated by Monmouth. Some of the football was breath-taking. Quick, one-touch passing interspersed with accurate diagonal balls to switch the play had Afan Lido chasing shadows on a slick, wet surface under the floodlights for much of the remaining 45 minutes.

On 23 minutes Jac Hardman gathered the ball in the right-hand channel and, bearing down on goal, struck a beautifully clean strike which hammered against the cross-bar. 10 minutes later the same player drove in from the right and hit another shot, low this time, which the keeper did well to save. The rebound span across the face of goal but Luke Edwards could not find the net and his first-time effort flew over the bar. A minute later Brad Baker crossed to the back post, Jac Hardman headed back across goal to Tom Berry whose effort again cleared the Afan Lido bar.

A Monmouth goal seemed inevitable with Afan Lido offering no more than the occasional threat as the young Kingfishers asserted themselves on the game. A combination of good goalkeeping by the Afan Lido ‘keeper and Monmouth’s profligacy in front of goal ensured that the deadlock remained and half-time arrived with the score still at 0-0.

The second half began much as the first, then after 48 minutes Afan Lido were awarded a free kick on their left hand side, just in from the touchline about 30 yards from goal. A long ball was looped into the box and as the Monmouth defence slept Afan Lido took advantage with a header which found its way into the bottom right of Fraser Soper’s goal. 1-0 to Afan Lido.

This gave the team from Port Talbot belief and they immediately began to take more control of the vital midfield areas. Monmouth continued to press in search of an equaliser and Afan Lido played on the break. On 50 minutes a speculative punt from 40 yard out saw the ball loop up into the air and bounce off the top of the crossbar much to the relief of Fraser Soper in the Monmouth goal but the Kingfishers continued to have the lion’s share of possession and efforts on goal calling the Afan Lido keeper into action time and again.

After 70 minutes the ball came through to Tom Berry who turned and hit another venomous strike which was heading arrow-like for the top right-hand corner of the net. Once again the Afan Lido keeper threw himself high to his left to touch the ball onto the bar and many of those connected with Monmouth began to fear that it was going to be ‘one of those nights’. And so it proved, five minutes later the Afan Lido winger worked hard to earn a corner on their right. The resulting kick was floated across to the far post where it was headed home with some authority by the attacking player for 2-0.

As Monmouth became increasingly desperate so their play became less cohesive, the result was that more hopeful balls were played high into Tom Berry and Brad Baker but the Afan Lido defence were now confident and determined, snuffling out any opportunities and frustrating the Monmouth attack. Afan Lido continued to play on the break and looked increasingly dangerous doing so as Monmouth began to take more risks and pushed more and more players forward in search of a route back into the game.

On 85 minutes an Afan Lido break from defence found its way though to one of their strikers who ran through a threadbare Monmouth defence and around the advancing ‘keeper to slide a fine finish in from an acute angle, making the score 3-0 and game over.

Both teams played out the remaining time in the rain until the final whistle brought scenes of jubilation for the boys in red and despair for those in yellow. Handshakes were exchanged, Afan Lido celebrated and both teams warmly applauded the other as they collected their medals. The difference between the teams on the day was that Afan Lido took their chances well while Monmouth were unable to capitalise while in the ascendency, however, it says much that the official man of the match was adjudged to be the Afan Lido goalkeeper who had an outstanding game.

Despite defeat, each and every one of the Monmouth boys should feel very proud of what they have achieved this season. To win their league so convincingly and reach a cup final is no mean feat, particularly when you consider that the vast majority of this squad are still eligible to play within this age-group next season. Hold your heads high boys, you’ve done everyone proud!