O60s WorkwearSupermarket.com CUP 23/24

28th April
Cardiff Academicals 1, Barry Town 7
The visitors earned a cup final place against Swansea with an emphatic win against the hosts at Cardiff University Fields....writes pitch-side reporter/tumbler Frank Lennon....

Barry started with real intensity, firing shots in at stand-in keeper, Shanahan, from distance and sliding passes between the full-backs, it seemed, at will. The Accies were immediately forced into a rear-guard action and on 10 minutes a superb cross by Branch was headed home by Bobbett. Hill extended the lead on 17’ with a strike from distance. A period of untidiness followed until a Hill corner, on the stroke of half time, was met by Huish, whose header was blocked on/over the line only to be prodded home number 3 by Orr, who had replaced a debilitated Bobbett.
The second half became more disjointed, but the visitors extended their lead from a Hill free-kick and minutes later the same player unselfishly squared for Huish to tap in. A rare break by the Accies saw good interplay between Owen and Welsh rewarded when Cooke to clipped home to make it 1-5. Orr also got his second with a fine finish from close-in and Huish completed the scoring when he drilled home from the edge of the box.

Swansea 5, Newport 1
The hosts earned a well-deserved place in the Final against Barry Town with a convincing display at Penyrheol, eventually demonstrating their superiority with a forceful performance against a hard working Newport XI....writes pitch-side reporter...Alan Meacham

With no room for complacency against recently resurgent opponents, the home side surged forward from the start, creating 3 excellent chances in as many minutes, but on each occasion the finishing was ‘well wide of the mark', and Swansea's territorial advantage in these early stages went unrewarded. Was it going to be one of those days?...Certainly the home side’s resolve was going to be fully tested as Newport showed they weren't there just to make up the numbers, drawing first blood in the 20th minute with a well worked goal as Compton latched onto a Vaughan cross to steer the ball into the top corner. Swansea’s urgency to restore parity was quickly demonstrated as they probed down the flanks as time and time again they stretched the Newport back line, who themselves also continued to pose a threat on the break as Griffith's went close. It was the hosts who took a lead into the interval, firstly an ‘og’ from the unfortunate Jordan and then by Otway finishing sharply after bringing a good save from the Newport keeper, Cueto.

With the home side now in the ascendency, and Newport struggling to make any impression against the home side's centre-back partnership of Seago and Medwin, Lockett added a third with a composed finish to put Swansea securely in the driving seat. Further goals from Otway and a sublime finish from distance by Lockett, secured the tie for the Swans and although Newport tried hard to get back into the game, Swansea never looked like relinquishing their lead

14th April
Barry Town 2, Pontyclun 1
The hosts advanced to the o60s WorkwearSupermarket.com CUP semi-final with a fine win over rivals and current cup holders, Pontyclun...writes pitch-side reporter, Frank Lennon... The visitors gave Barry an early scare, but they were denied by a superb tackle by captain, Mark Jones in a scrappy and, largely, uneventful first 30 minutes. Finally, Barry began to control the midfield and service their ‘wingers’, but sadly the final ball was lacking and Clun keeper, Iles, was rarely troubled. On the stroke of half-time, Bobbett had a golden opportunity for the hosts but skewed wide of the post and it remained scoreless at the interval.
Barry exerted greater control after the break and when Dalton drove forward his powerful shot rebounded invitingly to Murray, who gleefully slammed home into an empty net. The hosts exerted further pressure but Clarke, Cope and Thompson defended defiantly until Gibbins’ driven corner caught replacement keeper, Baldwin flat-footed and he could only help the ball into the net for 2-0. Minutes later Huish saw his 35yard drive tipped around the post by a scurrying Baldwin and further decent efforts were repelled by his obstinate back-line. Pontyclun were, as usual, dangerous on the break, substitute, Taylor, adding much needed composure to their attack, but Jones and his defensive colleagues Gibbs and Gibbins were consummate and gave keeper, John Jones a ‘quiet’ day at the office...we wish!! Mele did get one back for the visitors, albeit slightly controversial, but the hosts took the tie and now face Cardiff Accies on 28th April.

Newport 12, Merthyr Tydfil 2
An emphatic win for a strong Newport side at Llanwern High School sees them advance to the o60s WorkwearSupermarket.com CUP semi-final on 28th April. Tadman (3), Thomas (2), Vaughan (2), Ross, Pickering, Staddon, Burns and Price were on the scorersheet, in a one-sided game against a weakened Merthyr. The hosts now travel to Swansea to face the new o60s WorkwearSupermarket.com League champions in what should be a much tighter affair.