Gilbert League Cup

97/98 Reports

Second Round 1st Leg
26.11.97 Ebbw Vale 4-2 Aberystwyth Town

Midway through the second half, a local wandered up to me as I stood, away from the herd, alone at the back of the massive terracing of Eugene Cross Park, and asked, "What's the score?" I told him that it was 3-2. He asked me who was playing, I told him that it was Aber Town in the League Cup. He wandered back the way he had come and disappeared back into the night. He missed a not uninteresting game of football.
Aberystwyth Town dragged me, Andy, Dixon, Dave, Tomsky, Dai Dogs, Steve Moore, Martyn Griffith's girlfriend and some bloke from Barry to watch this one, in communion with about three dozen Ebbw Vale supporters. I suspect the FAW will blame live European football for the low turnout but I'd like to think that it was more to do with the distinct lack of interest that this pathetic competition generates. Most Aber fans would rather the Mid Wales Floodlit Cup tie against Penrhyncoch would've been played instead of this.
The match itself saw Ebbw Vale have the majority of the play and run out deserved winners, though Aber, who played for the most part with ten men after the dismissal of Gari Lewis (retaliation), did well to restrict their scoring in the second half. Price gave the home side the lead in the seventeenth minute before Gavin Allen restored parity on thirty six. Yet again Aber let the advantage slip within a minute as Eston Chiverton struck home. The first half wasn't done though as David Webley made it 3-1 before Griffiths pulled one back for Aber in injury time.
The second half was largely uneventful and it seemed that Aber may have done a good enough holding job but it was not to be and Ray John scored in the eighty third minute to seemingly book Ebbw's passage through to the next round. In the dying minutes, Appy threw on Andy Evans and he was unlucky not to score from a strong header.
There is still the second leg to be played and at least there should be a crowd of over a hundred a Park Avenue, regardless of whether Newcastle are boring the pants off Barca and the watching millions on ITV.
JDS Dec 97

96/97 Match Reports

Second Round First Leg
12/11/96 Newtown 1-1 Aberystwyth Town

Amid the hack of a myriad of unseen late challenges, leading elbows and shoddy refereeing, there was actually an exciting football match played. A match in which two teams, neither at full strength, struggled to take advantage of the chances that came their way. For Aber, Jonathan and Steven Williams both appeared on the team-sheet (Jonathan played like a demon, Steven kept the bench warm) and Harrison and McNeil stayed at home. Newtown gave Kevin Morrison his first First Team start and it was his controversial goal (the linesman flagged late to say the ball had crossed the line)(THIS WAS BECAUSE THE LINESMAN DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND BECAUSE THE BALL HADN'T CROSSED THE LINE Ed.) that gave Newtown the lead in the second half. It was surprising that they had to wait so long as they had had all the early attacks, and looked the fastest to the ball. Still, the best chance fell to the Seasiders, as Gavin Allen charged through on goal, attempted to flick the ball past the outcoming Barton who blantantly handled the ball outside the area whilst the ref (crap crap crap, Beven of Wrexham) waved play blindly on. The game was played at speed, although there was skill and chances in abundance. Aber drew level through a lob from Wyn"Yup, goal at last" Thomas who had earlier had a couple of shots from distance saved. The crowd was not as high as for the league encounter earlier in the season, but there was enough noise made (those obnoxious oiks were there again) to keep it interesting. Alison was in attendance and she described the game as "like Terry Pratchett had scripted it".
J.D. Smalldon Nov 1996

First Round Second Leg
23/10/96 Aberystwyth Town 3-1 Cwmbran Town

(6-6 on agg. Aber Town go through on the away goals rule. Hooray!)

So, the Green & Blacks made it had for themselves. Trailing by two goals (it would've been 3, but Phil McNeil is the God of Sweat & Toil) the Seasiders had all the early play, Cwmbran obviously spoiling for the draw, but very little in the way of shots. No Glyndwr Hughes, no Matthew Harrison and it looked like no hope after the defence parted on 27 mins to later a Cwmbran counter attack increase their aggregate lead back to three.The large-ish (for LoW Cup) crowd shifted their feet and wondered why they'd bothered to turn up. Thoughts which were soon abandoned after Ryan Nicolls half time low blast from outside the box. Gavin Allen made it 2-1 on 72 minutes, but the winner came with only five minutes remaining through Martyn Griffiths. Making his first appearance for the Green and Blacks this season was Damian (GOD!) Burke, who showed some fine ball skills and a clear head. The team actually clicked like a team, although missing the aforementioned players. In the wider scale of things, a victory over Cwmbran in the LoW Cup shouldn't count for much, but it is indicative of the new found confidence and resolve to be found at Park Avenue. Caernarfon are next up in the league on Saturday. Newtown are next up in the League Cup.
J.D.Smalldon Oct 1996

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I would just like to apologise for the unbiased nature of this report, Mr Smalldon's usual fee will undoubtedly be held back until which time he starts to write BIASED reports again. Thankyou.

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