Cardiff Draconians 2–0 Cwmamman United AFC

The Ardal South West League team continued their quest for promotion against mid-table opponents

A second match within Cardiff in a week saw me check out a fixture in the Ardal South West League.

The hosts were well in the hunt for a promotion spot heading into this one, whilst the visitors looked set for a mid table finish.

The ground, Lydstep Park, is located in the Gabalfa area of Cardiff. It has one seated stand which was well over half full for this fixture.

The nearest train station is Llandaff, which is approximately 15 minutes on the train from Cardiff Central Station and the ground is a 25 minute walk.

There are also several buses that run from the centre to Llandaff North which can get you to within a reasonable walking distance of the ground.

Entry to the Lydstep Park is £4 for adults and the £1 for the programme takes it up to a nice round figure.

The pitch is open, covered only partially by trees on the far side. The strong wind would end up making some brands of football difficult, especially in the second half.

The Draconians started like a side on the hunt for promotion and played some decent football. Although the first half had few chances, it was an entertaining watch between two competitive sides.

Balls into the box were causing some problems for the Cwmamman backline, and it took some last ditch defending to keep the score at 0–0 heading into the break.

Both midfields cancelled each other out in the first 45, so this would need to change in order for a breakthrough to be made.

Less than 10 minutes into the second half, everyone following the team in black and white in Lydstep Park got their wish.

The hosts broke the deadlock when Cwmamman failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Liam Williams at the back post who tucked the ball home across the keeper.

It was a much deserved lead, and it was doubled just minutes later.

A melee on the edge of the Cwmamman penalty area fell kindly to Joshua Payne who managed to find the bottom corner with a well hit strike.

From here on in, the hosts looked relatively comfortable.

They had their keeper to thank for some smart saves and a goal line clearance made sure that the visitors would be leaving the capital empty handed.

Draconians look set to be a major figure in the promotion race and could well find themselves playing Cymru South football next season.

Whether or not they get promoted, they are a great club and play better football than I’ve seen some Cymru Premier teams play in recent years.

This ground is well worth the visit for anyone who finds themselves at a loose end in Cardiff on a Saturday afternoon.