Gwent FA Amateur Cup

THORNWELL Red & White booked themselves a trip to Aberbargoed Town with an 8-1 win over Mill Street Dynamo at the weekend, writes Bob Cypher.

Red & White led 3-1 at the break although the first half had been fairly even until they scored their third goal.

But the second half saw Thornwell hit five more goals - including two penalties, to the delight of club secretary Rob Murdin.

“The lads were far fitter than them and it showed,” he said later.

On target for Thornwell were Dan Hines (2), Dean Corbett (2 inc 1 pen), Wayne Duffield (pen), Jimmy Boulter, Rory Garey and Joshua Kaczynski.

Red & White’s match at Aberbargoed is scheduled for Saturday, December 15th.

They will be the only East Gwent League representative after Tintern Abbey lost 7-1 to Gwent County League Division 2 side Abertillery Excelsiors and Caldicot Castle A’s 2-0 defeat at Cwmcarn.

Despite losing for the second time in a week, Castle’s player-manager Joe O’Brien described the cup match as a “nothing game for us”.

“The message before the game was play your game and express yourself, we have nothing to lose,” he said later,

“There were a few missing but it was a good run-out for us.

“We started well. I put one the wrong side of the post in the first half and we held our own and it was 0-0 at half-time.

“In the second half we struggled to get a hold on the ball, they scored from a counter attack from our corner and the second was another counter as we were searching for the equaliser.

“We gave new signing Gary McGrath his debut and he did well in his hold-up approach.

“He will be a good signing from Caldicot Town when we get some game time in him.

“Now, we go to Iscoed Tafarn looking to settle up from last weekend's disappointing defeat.”