East Gwent Senior League Benevolent Cup Round 1

TWO of the favourite sides to lift this season’s Benevolent Cup were cast aside this weekend as both Underwood SC teams lost.

Underwood’s A team lost 3-0 at Thornwell Red & White A, whose manager Terry Woodward said keeper Dan Northey had played a major part.

“We played deep to hit them on the break and although they had a lot of possession, we didn’t give them many chances,” he said.

“Despite that, Dan made three great saves and I think we edged the chances in the end with Underwood pushing on in the second half.”

Neil Brown applied the finishing touch after a Jordan Locke free-kick hit a post, man of the match Kenny Vidler added the second after a goalkeeping error and Chris Rees’ cross-shot completed the victory.

Meanwhile, Underwood B lost 2-1 at home to Caldicot Town.

The score was 1-1 after 90 minutes, 3-3 after extra time, but successful penalties from Simon Yates and Keiran Harris were topped off by Ryan Matthews’ winner to seal a 3-2 victory for Undy.

Both Mathern Reserves teams are in the draw for the next round, the A team beating Division 2 side Severn Tunnel B and the B team beating Division 1’s Tintern Abbey.

Lee Baker, Mathern Reserves A manager paid tribute to the visitors.

“Tunnel came with a good attitude and made it difficult for us, to their credit,” he said, after seeing his team win 6-0.

“We had to be patient in attack as they had such a deep line but we broke them down.

“Ironically after a fairly good win, we lacked a killer edge but I thought we delivered.”

Dan Tyler opened the scoring and Tom Watson struck a 25-yarder which gave Tunnel keeper Neil Hughes little chance to put Mathern 2-0 up at the break.

Two goals by Connor Hayden, another for Watson and one from Callum England to celebrate his birthday, completed the scoring.

Matthew Divers struck four times in Mathern Reserves B’s 6-4 win at Tintern, with the other goals coming from Keiron Gettings and Stuart Mackie.

Chepstow Athletic, Severn Bridge and Caldicot Castle B join them in the hat for the next round.