Monmouthshire Windows East Gwent League

Benevolent Cup Round 1

Thornwell R&W A 4 Tintern Abbey 1

THORNWELL boss Richard Jones paid tribute to the fitness of his players but praised Tintern for the part they played in this cup-tie, writes Bob Cypher.

The rearranged match was always going to be tough for the visitors but the performance they put up in the first half ensured it would not be a walkover.

“They shaded the first half and it was only Tyler Morgan-Huggett’s great free kick which gave us the edge,” Jones said.

“Tintern played with guile and a certain amount of pre-match psychology.

“I was talking to a few of their players when they came onto the pitch and they said they were expecting to be 'stuffed' in their words, which is good psychology.

“But then they set up with nine or 10 players behind the ball and we found that barrier very difficult to break down.”

The hosts created a number of chances but Tintern always had a player to block their efforts and keeper Jamie Barnes may have been unsighted as Morgan-Huggett’s free kick fizzed past his outstretched leg, minutes before half time.

“I think we were lucky to take a lead into the break, but I knew my players were fitter and that as Abbey tired, we would make the score more comfortable,” Jones added.

Good work by the lively Evan Fisher and 16-year-old Taka Yamagata created a number of chances, mainly for Stuart Williams, and the visitors might have taken a lead into half-time if he had been a little more accurate with his shooting.

He took advantage of some hesitancy in Thornwell’s defence on a number of occasions but his efforts went unrewarded.

Thornwell were without the steadying influence of skipper Rory Garey and the wing-play of Rob Wood, while Abbey obviously missed Darryl and Geraint Reynolds in the creating and finishing departments.

The second half was only a few minutes old when Thornwell’s Ryan Guscott won the ball 35 yards out and headed straight for Tintern’s goal.

Tintern’s Micky Brett tackled him inside the area and the referee gave a penalty which was tucked away by Wayne Duffield.

Minutes later Duffield set up Guscott for the third before tucking away his second.

Robert Davies scored a late consolation goal for Tintern.