Gwent Central League round-up (From Free Press Series)

Gwent Central League round-up

GILWERN and District upset the odds on Saturday when they knocked Sebastopol out of the Langdon Cup.

In a thrilling quarter-final clash, one of only three games to survive the weather in the Gwent Central League, Gilwern made it through to the last four with a 2-1 victory against the team many had tipped to lift the trophy this season.

Graham Rees gave Gilwern the lead in the 10th minute with a spectacular 30-yard drive that beat Sebastopol's keeper Ian Doughty.

Aaron Meade pulled Sebastopol level 18 minutes later. Following a cross by Lee Jones into the Gilwern box, the home side's keeper Kurt Jones punched the ball out to Rob Surtees. He chipped the ball in and Meade made no mistake with his headed finish.

In the 55th minute when luck seemed to desert Sebastopol. Surtees looked odds on to score following good work by James Jackson but his shot from just three yards out went over the bar.

Their bad luck continued 15 minutes later when following a free kick by Gilwern's Graham Rees, Sebastopol defender Chris Phelps sliced the ball into his own net giving Gilwern a 2-1 victory.

Gilwern now play Cwmffrwdoer in the semi-final at Panteg on April 19. In a second quarter-final, Usk Town, the cup holders, crashed out of the competition, beaten 3-2 by Llanarth.

Colin Morgan put Llanarth ahead in the 24th minute but Daniel Bevan was on target 12 minutes later to draw Usk Town level.

And Mike Dixon put Usk 2-1 up just before half-time with a simple close range effort.

But Llanarth fought back in the second half and Paul Detheridge, who has recently appeared on TV in the Just Up Your Street singing competition with Owen Money, hit all the right notes with an equaliser in the 56th minute.

Detheridge pounced on a mix-up in the Usk defence to make it 2-2.

The match looked to be going into extra-time but with a minute left, Llanarth pulled off a memorable victory when Paul Rennie fired in a narrow angled shot from 12 yards out.

Llanarth will meet either Tranch United or Pontypool Town in the last four at PILCS FC on April 20.

In the only league match to beat the weather, Clydach Wasps beat Cwmffrwdoer 2-1 at home.

The game was marred by a serious injury to Cwmffrwdoer's star striker Jason McCann. McCann, who was the team's top scorer in last season's campaign with 42 goals, was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg after 20 minutes of play.

Clydach took the lead with an early goal by Simon Tippings and it stayed 1-0 at half-time. Derry Probert equalised for the away team in the 65th minute with a 35-yard sizzler.

Clydach went searching for a winner and they were rewarded just five minutes from time when Nicky Brown hit the bar and Ian Morris followed up to score with a header. Man of the match for Clydach was Alistair Payton while Chris Bradbury starred for Cwmffrwdoer. Clydach stay in seventh spot in Division One, one place ahead of Cwmffrwdoer.