Monmouth Town Reserves 7 Caldicot Town 1

AFTER many weeks without football, Monmouth Town Reserves showed their strength with an emphatic win against Caldicot Town.

Manager Brian Bond made four changes to his side that drew with Croesyceiliog, bringing in first team players Jack Hardman, Mitchell Palmer and the Ford brothers. The Town, who sat fifth in the Welsh League Reserves Division East, were also without captain Craig Lewis due to shin splints, being replaced by veteran striker Andrew Rodgers.

Caldicot meanwhile sat seventh in the league, four points off the Kingfishers.

Both teams started well, playing their fast flowing counter attacking football and maintaining possession well. It was Caldicot who took the lead when their midfielder ran at the town’s defence, taking on Jack Jones who timed his challenge late. The free kick on the edge of the box was placed well into the bottom corner.

The Kingfishers wasted no time and immediately replied when Dean Palmer whipped his corner into the box; the ball ricocheted out to Jack Jones for the player to score an easy tap-in. The Kingfishers dominated the next 10 minutes, playing their possession styled football, and their dominance soon paid off. When Dean Palmer took an ambitious shot outside the box, the keeper failed to keep hold of the effort giving Tom Maxted a tap-in.

The home side had a golden opportunity to further extend their lead before half time when Andrew Rogers turned his man and went one-on-one with the Caldicot keeper, but the keeper came out on top, saving with his foot to make the half time score 2-1.

The Kingfishers started the second half like they ended the first, playing their one-and-two-touch football confidently. They kept the pressure on Caldicot, and earned their reward when Dean Palmer whipped another cross in finding his brother who scored yet another tap-in.

The Town continued to dominate the game, getting another goal a few minutes later when Luke Cleaves beat his man and found Elliot Ford who drilled his shot into the bottom corner. The Town found their fifth goal in the 65th minute when Jack Hardman beat his man and squared it to Mitchell Palmer who placed his shot into the bottom corner.

The Town were not content with five and scored again when Dean Palmer floated a ball into the box finding Jack Jones on the back post who found the back of the net with a free header. The Kingfishers didn’t sit back and relax in the last 10 minutes and continued to play their fast flowing attacking football despite the score line.

The town then wrapped it up in style, after some great combination play saw Brad Bradleys play a one- two with Mitch Palmer to go one-on-one with the keeper and slot it calmly into the bottom corner.

Manager Brian Bond said after the game: “I thought we played outstanding. I thought the football we played was world class.”

Monmouth Town’s firsts are next at home to Risca United on the 27th February while the Reserves are next at home on the 19th March against Treharris Athletic.