Gwent County League Division Two

IN Gwent County League Division Two, Mathern FC made it seven games unbeaten with a battling 3-2 home win over Cwm.

Playing at home for the first time since 12th September, Mathern dominated most of the first half but had only Luke Farley’s header to show for it at the break.

Farley had earlier held his head in disbelief as Cwm’s keeper Tony Harvey made two point-blank saves to deny him.

And, as has happened with alarming regularity, their visitors were out of the blocks before Mathern were out of the dug-outs for the second half, equalising after a suicidal misplaced pass gave Ryan Wetton the chance to run on unopposed and fire low past Mathern keeper Jacob Tyson.

However, when Ashley Ford made it 2-1 to the visitors, it seemed to be the signal for Mathern to find another gear.

Manager Colin Jeffery made some positional and tactical changes, switching Farley with Elliot Greening and Mark Organ operated on the left flank rather than the right and it all clicked.

Organ equalised with a quite superb goal, picking the ball up in his own half and advancing down Cwm’s right flank. He suddenly surged past two defenders, left a third for dead and then curled a great shot over the keeper and inside the far post.

Now it was all Mathern with Cwm rarely offering any real threat to Tyson’s goal and when the winner came it was delivered with a brave header from Greening.

Adam Morrissey swung over a cross, Greening and Farley went up with a Cwm defender, with Greening getting the vital connection to power it past the luckless Harvey.

“We dug in and showed character after going 2-1 down,” said Jeffery later.

“I think we deserved to win especially after creating most of the chances and it keeps the unbeaten run going.”

Mathern are now sixth and face a tough test on Saturday when they travel to third-placed Cromwell in a bid to keep their undefeated status.