Goytre crash out of Welsh Cup (From Free Press Series)

Goytre crash out of Welsh Cup

FAW Welsh Cup 1st Round Caerau Ely 3 Goytre 0

GOYTRE missed out on a bumper pay day after losing to Caerau Ely in the opening round of the FAW Welsh Cup on Saturday.

A win would have not only banked the club a cheque for £500, but also the possibility of a money-spinning second round home tie against one of Welsh football's bigger sides.

This was the first time Goytre had entered Wales' showpiece cup competition. Past winners include soccer giants Cardiff City and Wrexham. The Football Association of Wales has pumped tens of thousands of pounds into the prize kitty this year and a cup run could have banked Goytre a small fortune.

Instead they will have to be content with focusing their attentions of the bread and butter of Welsh League Division Three football after losing to Caerau Ely.

Two identical break-away goals from Lee Carter just before half-time were enough to book Caerau Ely a place in round two. Steve Collett had a great chance to pull the score line back to 2-1 after the break, but his header just glanced past the post before Ely tied the result up with a late strike.

"It was a disappointing defeat because we would have relished a cup run. We'd drawn against them at the start of the season in the league, but those two goals before half time killed the game off really for us.

"We were missing our two new signings Mike Vanes and Will Bratt and also lost Simon Bailey to a calf injury after just 20 minutes. That disrupted us because we had to bring Andy Walsh on meaning we had three strikers on the field," said chairman Paul Greenhalgh.

The Plough Road club has a tough weekend ahead with a league game on Saturday against second place Treowen followed by a Gwent Senior Cup match against Caerleon on Sunday.

"It's a difficult couple of games so if we can get anything out of them we will be pleased," said Greenhalgh.

Saturday's match kicks off at Treowen at 3pm and Sunday's home cup game at 2.30pm.