Cardiff Corinthians 2-4 Caerphilly Athletic – Composed Caerphilly condemn Corries to defeat

Caerphilly Athletic added to Cardiff Corinthians relegation worries as they consigned the Cardiff club to their seventeenth league defeat of the season. 

The defeat sees the Corries eight points off Ton & Gelli, with just five games remaining for the former Welsh Football League side. Divisional newboys Caerphilly Athletic now move 16 points away from the drop zone, with still eleven games remaining in the season.

Caerphilly picked up on a loose ball and had the first shot of the match. Tedstone carried the ball well, before finding Matthew Cook, who put his shot just over the bar.

Cook then had a second chance, this time forcing Chris Vanos into a save. He strayed the offside trap and had just the keeper to beat, but Vanos imposed himself enough, to force Cook to shoot right at him, as he made the save.

Caerphilly’s goal did come though after Cook’s earlier chances. They broke from a Corinthians corner, with Iwan John breaking down the flank, before dinking the ball over Vanos for an early lead in the 10th minute.

John had the chance to double his tally moments later with two chances. Firstly, hitting a half-volley at Vanos for the save, as well as Tedstone finding the tricky winger in the box, as he dragged his shot wide after trying to slide it under the Corries keeper.

The Corries were level after Caerphilly failed to double their advantage. Corries’ Iwan Withers got onto the end of a low corner into the box and drilled the ball in with a low finish to even things up.

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Caerphilly were eager to get back in front and had a chance to score after conceding the equaliser. A free-kick was delivered in from the middle of the park, with captain Sam Watkins heading straight at the keeper. The game wasn’t level for long as Caerphilly restored their lead through captain Sam Watkins. A quick-free kick was taken and goal scorer John found the skipper for an easy finish as he put it into the corner of the goal.

With just over five minutes until the interval, the away side continued their dominance in the first half, scoring after going near. Iwan John had the chance to grab a second after he was played in but he was denied. He did however have his second, as he got onto the end of a Gareth Tedstone cross and volleyed it in for his second goal of the game, as he wheeled away in celebration.

Cardiff had the chance to restore at least one back, as Gareth Cawley played in Matt Owen, but the Corries attacker mistimed his shot and blazed it behind for a goal kick. With Caerphilly looking like they had a two-goal lead going into the break, the home side had other ideas. James Carman put the ball in from a free-kick on halfway, with Caerphilly failing to clear and there was Nizar Mhani to power it over the line and give Corries a lifeline before the interval.

Early in the second half, Tedstone had a glorious chance to restore their two-goal advantage, however his dip over Vanos could only hit the post, allowing Corries to hoom it behind for a corner. After suffering an early scare in the second half, the Corries enjoyed a spell where they tried to get back into the game, as they peppered the Caerphilly goal with a number of corners.

Substitute Khalid came on for Corries and he flicked his header just behind, moments after coming on as he tried to make an immediate impact.

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Caerphilly hit Corries though with a killer blow and John was involved again. He lofted the ball over, with Watkins missing the connection, but Matthew Cook was there to hit it sweetly as it fell to him, scoring with a superb strike just inside the box.

As the game approached the final ten minutes, the Corries had a number of chances to reduce the deficit to one and give them a slight bit of hope. Misbah stood over the free-kick in a good area but could only hit it against the wall. Iwan Withers went close for his second, beating the offside trap, only to see his shot blocked by Daniel Marsden.

There was a late penalty appeal as Withers went down in the box, but the referee waved away the protests, as Caerphilly saw things out in a composed victory for Ganderton’s men.

Caerphilly return to the capital, as they travel to third-placed Cardiff Draconians on Saturday afternoon, whilst the Riverside Ground hosts its second game in as many days, as mid-table Brecon Corries make the next visit.

Cardiff Corinthians 

Vanos, Malloy, Cooper, Mhani, Carman, Miah, I Withers, Cawley, Khan, Misbah, Owen

Caerphilly Athletic

Marsden, Barrass, Powell, Davies, Carter, Kempton, Watkins (C), Thomas, Tedson, John, Cook