Llanharan 0-3 St Athan

Llanharan 0-3 St Athan

St Athan eased to a 3-0 triumph over Bridgend league Llanharan in the first round of the SWFA Senior Cup to set up a second round clash with Merthyr league Bluebird.

Jordan Mortimore returned to the side after a week hiatus with a double while Karl Steel added the third goal after an impressive performance. 

Saints started tentatively as Llanharan started better but it was the away side who carved out the first chance with Mortimore heading a corner over.

The rain poured but both sides battled for supremacy and Llanharan saw an excellent chance to take the lead as their forward took the ball past Nicky Cox in the Saints goal but only found the side netting.

The game started to transition and Saints won a free kick on the edge of the area, Mortimore stepped up to bamboozle the keeper all ends up with a low strike into the bottom left hand corner.

St Athan started to produce better football despite the poor pitch and Steel split the defence to find Aaron Rogers, his cross was half cowered and Steel forced the home keeper into a find save, tipping onto the post from 23 yards out.

Llanharan fired back as Saints switched off but the safe hands of Cox tipped over the home strikers effort.

St Athan put some daylight between them and the home side by doubling their lead. Paul Lucas flicked on for Steel to run at the defence, his pass released Mortimore and his rasping low drive from the right of the area nestled comfortably in the net.

The second half saw Llanharan come out fired up to get back into the game and a through ball put their forward in on goal one on one but the white’s of keeper Cox’s eyes saw his shot cannon back off the post.

Llanharan pushed on to in an attempt to pull one back but a low drive from distance saw Cox pull off an excellent low save to tip round the post.

St Athan looked to break on their opponents and efforts from Lucas, Mortimore and Steel were off target.

But St Athan soon sealed their place in the next round with a move that started at the back. Reece Lewis played the ball back to Cox whose ball forward was flicked on by Mortimore into the path of Lucas, he proceeded to beat the defender all ends up on the right of the area and squared the ball for Steel to slide the ball in.

Llanharan almost got a consolation but again Cox pulled off a tremendous low save to his right to deny the home side and Saints persevered their clean sheet.

St Athan now host Bluebird BGC in the second round next month, up next for Saints is a Barry Cup first round fixture away to Cadoxton Imps.

St Athan: Cox, Pugh, R.Lewis, Young, Reid, Laing, Steel, Ashton, Rogers, Lucas, Mortimore. Subs – Harfoot, Robinson.

Meanwhile the seconds got their first win of the season as Nicky Cleave and a dramatic late winner from Craig Howells secured a 2-1 win over Island Marine B.

St Athan B – Holehouse, Morgans, Burgess, Cleave, Richards, Pickering, George, Whitelock, Morris, Lloyd Howells. Subs – Pope, Prior, Roberts.

Many thanks to our sponsors Llantwit Car Valet and Kinsale Stone Co (Wales) Ltd. If your company is interested in sponsoring the club contact us by email stathanfc@outlook.com

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