Senior Section - Season 2007/2008 @ Sunday 4th November 2007

With over two months of the season gone, we have been fortunate with the dry and mild weather to date, having had no postponements, as we now move to the earlier 2.15 p.m. kick-off times for the next four months.

The senior section of the club currently has 62 senior players registered, together with another 20 registered at Under 18 level.

Behind the scenes, the committee has worked hard to ensure financial stability, with excellent sponsorship contributions from the following:

Monnington Group
B & I Mortgage and Insurance
A E Peterson Pharmacy
Cecil Howells Racing

These companies have provided the four sides with warm-up and sub tops for all players, and have been met with a good response from all concerned.

The club also remain indebted to our hosts at HQ, the Forestier-Walker Conservative Club (Blue), in Islwyn Street, Cwmfelinfach, for continued sponsorship, and providing after-match food for all our teams and visiting clubs. Our opposition usually always comment on how lucky we are to have such facilities to go back to after games.

Two successful fund-raising nights have also been a great success – the Race Night on October 6th, followed by the Hypnotist evening on November 3rd. It is hoped that many of the players who went on stage for the latter event, have been hypnotised into being better footballers.

YNYSDDU WELFARE CRUSADERS (FIRSTS)
THUNDER ROAD MOTORCYCLES SOUTH WALES AMATEUR FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

The ‘Welfare’ kicked off their sixth consecutive season in the top division, with a fine 2-0 away win at Taffs Well. In fact the away form has been excellent, with a 100% record in all four games. Surprisingly, it has been the home form which has been a bit of a let down. Whilst Corus Steel were dispatched 4-1, strange under-par performances against Aber Valley and Baglan Red Dragons, saw both games being lost by two-goal margins. Nevertheless, whilst currently 10th in the fifteen-team division, if the team wins its four games in hand, they will draw level with the top club, AFC Porth.

In the FAW Welsh Trophy cup competition, after winning through the first game 4-3 at Kenfig Hill, YWC were narrowly defeated by Gwent rivals, Blaenavon Blues, 2-1 in the next round. In the SWAFL league cup, the W John Owen Cup, after a ‘walkover’ against Ton & Gelli BC, the Second Round draw sees the team having to travel to Taffs Well in early December.

The new management duo of Phil Williams and Clive Ash, both from Blackwood, has had a positive impact, with the squad seeming far more committed than in previous seasons, especially with attitude to training and fitness levels. New physio, Robert Hudson, has also been a great acquisition here, who is greatly appreciated by all at the club. Competition for starting XI places from a strong squad of 18 is very keen indeed. A solid start has been made to the campaign, and a top four finish is well achievable here.

Joint top scorers to date, with three apiece is Gareth Knott, and, in his first season at this level, Nicholas Thomas.

Forthcoming fixtures:

10 November – HOME v Carnetown
24 November – HOME v AFC Porth
01 December – away v Taffs Well (W John Owen Cup Round 2)
08 December – HOME v Rhydyfelin
15 December – HOME v Turberville Arms
22 December – away v Pantyscallog Village Juniors
29 December – away v Aber Valley YMCA

(SWAFL only release further fixtures on a bi-monhly basis)

CRUSADERS SECONDS
WELSH AUTOPARTS GWENT COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LEAGUE DIVISION THREE

The Seconds have had mixed fortunes to date. A very poor start resulting in three straight defeats. Since then, a measure of recovery has been evidenced, with three league wins out of the last eight league games. The most notable victory to date has been the excellent 4-2 away win at local rivals AC Pontymister, who are expected to be pushing for promotion this season.

Currently, the ‘Crus’ 11th out of 14 clubs in the league table, although only four points separate the bottom five clubs.

The team has been able to play a couple of home fixtures at Ynysddu Welfare, as opposed to trekking over to Fields Park, Newbridge.

The two cup competitions have seen two eliminations at the first hurdle, although admittedly against oppositions from a higher division in the shape of Fairfied United and Trethomas Bluebirds.

The management duo of David Thomas and Jason Watkins can now get the squad to concentrate on a best-ever league finish, in this the seventh GCFAL campaign. After a spate of early injuries, and a ‘goalkeeping crisis’, things are now much improved, and recent displays would suggest that there should be no more repeats of the three or four heavy defeats incurred earlier in the season.

Captain Johnathan Smith, Evan Hillier and Mark Hughes, have all bagged three goals each so far, but current top scorer is seventeen year-old, Daniel Morris, with five. Daniel has made a very fast progression from the Thirds to the Seconds this season, and with his pace and finishing abilities, should soon be knocking on the door of the Firsts. An excellent prospect, just hope that we as a club can hang on to him!

Remaining fixtures:

17 November – HOME v Govilon
24 November – away v PILCS
08 December – HOME v New Inn
15 December – away v Sebastopol
22 December – HOME v Race
29 December – away v Villa Dino Christchurch
05 January – away v Sudbrook Cricket Club
12 January – away v Abergavenny Thursdays
19 January – HOME v Whiteheads
26 January – away v Govilon
02 February – away v Caldicot Castle
09 February – HOME v AC Pontymister
16 February – away v Underwood
23 February – HOME v Crickhowell
TBA – HOME v Underwood

CRUSADERS (THIRDS)
ABACUS RECRUITMENT SERVICES NORTH GWENT FOOTBALL LEAGUE
RESERVE DIVISION

The Thirds have been competing in the North Gwent League’s newly-established Reserve Division. This is specifically for the reserve teams of Welsh Pyramid Level Four clubs (ie our Seconds, and other GCFAL clubs).

With only ten teams in the division, the team has already played ten of their eighteen scheduled league fixtures. Presently, the strongest team, holding everyone else up in bottom place, but effectively the side here is one of only two ‘Thirds’ set-ups within this division, which sees stronger second-team outfits from some of Gwent County’s First Division clubs.

Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 8. For 17. Against 43. Points 4.

Top scorer to date with four goals is Owain Beddoe.

With the Seconds now having a more settled squad, this should have a positive knock-on effect to the Thirds, for the remainder of the season, and manager Simon Stephens and assistant Nigel Franklyn can look to putting out stronger teams in the second half of the season.

In the Presidents Cup First Round, the ‘Crus’ went down 0-4 at First Division Nantyglo. And play the same opposition away again in the First Round of the Tom Perkins Cup late in November!

Remaining fixtures:

10 November – HOME v Pentwynmawr Athletic
24 November – away v Nantyglo (Tom Perkins Cup First Round)
01 December – away v Trinant
TBA – HOME v Abercarn United
TBA – away v Abertillery Bluebirds ‘A’
TBA – HOME v Abertillery Bluebirds ‘ B ‘
TBA – away v Llanhilleth Athletic
TBA – HOME v RTB Ebbw Vale
TBA – HOME v Trinant

It is possible, weather permitting, that the league may sanction a ‘third’ league fixture between all clubs, taking the season’s total games to 27. much will depend upon how things look at the end of December.

CRUSADERS UNDER 18S
GWENT COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION YOUTH LEAGUE
UNDER EIGHTEENS – DIVISION ONE

Manager Elwyn Jones and assistant Ian Bartlett have a relatively young squad competing in this extremely competitive, ten-team division, with the vast majority of players in their first season at this level.

The lads have sustained some heavy defeats, but managed their first victory on October 21st against Abertillery Excelsiors, by 4 goals to 1.

Still, good to see the squad turning out in decent numbers, and with two or three second-year players now returning, we should be more competitive in the remainder of the season.

The club has received a bye in the Preliminary Round of the Cup, so will automatically go into the draw for the last sixteen.

Ben Walker is top scorer with 2 goals.

Played 7. Won 1. Drawn 0. Lost 6. For 7. Against 40. Points 3.

Remaining fixtures:

11 November – away v Chepstow Town
18 November – away v Cwmbran Celtic
25 November – HOME v Monmouth Town
02 December – away v Lliswerry
16 December – away v Panteg
06 January – HOME v Malpas
13 January – HOME v Chepstow Town
20 January – away v Abertillery Excelsiors
03 February – away v Cefn Fforest BGC
10 February – HOME v AC Pontymister
TBA – away v AC Pontymister

Ian Gilchrist.