I have mixed feelings about the Centre for Sporting Excellence (CSE) in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly CBC’s multi-million pound multi-sport facility. It’s got excellent facilities including one of the nicest and most comfortable stands in Welsh football. I’m sure it is fantastic for players and coaches with modern, state of the art facilities. But…
Yes, there is a but…
It has no identity. Which is what you expect of a community-use facility, but as a football ground it feels sanitised, like the matchday experience has been bleached of all it’s colour.
Presently, it is home to two Welsh Football League clubs: Risca United and, the hosts of this fixture, Trethomas Bluebirds. The facility is 10 miles from Risca and 6 miles from Trethomas. Both clubs play at the CSE because their traditional home grounds fail to meet the facilities criteria to play either at Welsh League level or the Cymru Leagues (which gets extended to tier 3 next season).
Risca’s historic home at Ty-Isaf Park is a fantastic ground, well-situated in the heart of its community, with a good stand and a nice feel of history about it. Sadly, it needs serious investment to meet the FAW criteria for the level of football The Cuckoos play at. Likewise for Trethomas, whose home pitch is just a railed pitch on the village recreational space. Since joining the Welsh League, the Bluebirds have been forced to play at homes away from home. They were briefly based at Bedwas Rugby Club before making the CSE their permanent home at the start of the 2017/18 season.
Importantly, this isn’t a criticism of either club. I always want to see clubs playing in their town or village because that seems to me to be part of the essence of Welsh football: clubs rich in local identity, based in and connected to their community. But ambition, finances and a lack of support from bodies like local authorities means clubs sometimes are forced to rub against this. It is an unfortunate, but sometimes, necessity of football in Wales. Ultimately, I suppose it is how you go about doing something as much as why.
Trethomas Bluebirds are a recent addition on the Welsh League scene, gaining promotion in 2016 after winning the Gwent County League title. Despite claiming to have been founded in 1903, much of the club’s history has been played out on the local scene, joining the Gwent County League at the start of this century (a Trethomas side is recorded to have played two seasons in the Welsh League between 1945 and 1947). Since promotion four years ago the club have become an established Welsh League outfit, achieving an improved final league position each year. Last season’s 5th place finish is the highest in the club’s history.
Visitors Penrhiwceiber Rangers have been established in the Welsh League since 1992, playing mostly in the bottom two tiers. Last season the club were unfortunate to finish on the wrong-end of a thrilling three-horse race for the two promotion spots with Trefelin BGC and Penydarren BGC. All three clubs accumulated a very impressive 70+ points but in the end Rangers missed out by two points to Trefelin.
The club looks like it will challenge again this season although so far the campaign has been overshadowed by the tragic loss of first team manager and club legend Steve Haggett before Christmas. Haggett’s successor Dean Brown is another clubman well-acquainted in the traditions of the club and hoping to finish the job Haggett had started.
At the start of the evening Trethomas had the chance to go top of division two if they could better Ynysygerwn’s result and having won the first meeting between the sides 4-1 at Penrhiwceiber’s Glasbrook Field ground, there may have been some confidence of doing the double. However, this was very much going to be the visitors’ night.
An intense start to the game saw opportunities for both sides to take the lead in the first two minutes before a 4th minute penalty from Ricky Carter gave Penrhiwceiber the lead. Dafydd Pearce scrambled home an equaliser in the 10th minute after Rangers’ keeper fumbled a ball into the box, but that was ultimately as good as it got for the Bluebirds.
In this clash of styles, Penrhiwceiber’s quick passing game and rapid attacks out of transition dominated against a more direct strategy from Trethomas, looking to get the ball forward quickly for their speedy forwards to run in behind. Only poor finishing stopped Penrhiwceiver running away from it before half-time, but an superb looping header from Brandon Hill to finish a top drawer right wing cross did ensure the Cynon Valley side led at the break.
Carter had another chance from the penalty spot early in the second-half but Gareth Williams read the striker’s penalty and saved the effort. More chances came and went for Rangers before Warren Jones finally gave them a cushion with a powerful drive. A minute later Joseph Jenkins punished a poor clearance with a well-executed chip. Carter did complete his brace with a tap-in from Brandon Davies’ cross before the excellent Davies got a goal his performance deserved; finishing off a superb sweeping counter-attack from a Trethomas corner kick to complete the rout to the delight of an excellent away following that comprised most of the 100+ souls in attendance.
An excellent night’s entertainment and a genuinely thrilling attacking display from Penrhiwceiber who came with a game-plan suited perfectly for the 3G surface; moving the ball quickly to feet, pressing high to force mistakes, the movement and precision of their play when the chance to attack came posed Trethomas too many questions they couldn’t answer on the night.
Match Notes
31.1.2020
Trethomas Bluebirds 1-6 Penrhiwceiber Rangers
(Dafydd Pearce 10′; Ricky Carter 4′ [p] 75′, Brandon Hill 40′, Warren Jones 63′ Joseph Jenkins 64′, Brandon Davies 82′)
Welsh Football League Division Two
Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach
Attendance: 110 (approx) | Entry: £4 (no programme available) |
Jordan Forster 