A dark and dank night on the outskirts of Caerphilly was the battleground for the hotly anticipated reverse fixture with AFC Machen. With promotion still a possibility for the Excelsiors, pressure was one to once again win every remaining game and it was certain that Machen would not go quietly into the night.

The hosts started out on the backfoot, as the Excelsiors funnelled a barrage of offence in the opening minutes, sending more than one shot across the front of goal as warning shots. Machen found their groove soon after though, composing themselves well and breaking through the midfield in an effort to find any available space to progress up the pitch.

The thick and fast tackles became a staple of the game from the start, with Dafydd Phillips being taken down on the edge of the box early on in a show of defiance from a persistent Machen back line.

A great knock from the home team put some pressure back onto the Excelsiors but Tom Calver was in the right place at the right time to help divert the danger. Captain Brett Morgan then began the clean-up operation, commanding from the centre of the field and regrouping the troops, as Dean Morgan made an attempt at goal but was stopped by Machen before he was able to fire off the shot.

Soon after, a botched free kick from the 1st Team saw Machen break the back of the defenders and push through on the counter but an all-or-nothing rush from Dan Parsons kept the Excelsiors in the game. After stabilising the frenetic five minutes the hosts enjoyed in attack mode, wily midfielder Brett Morgan began to head up the lads’ own counter attack, firing off a shot that went just wide of the mark and again reminded Machen that the Excelsiors were here to gain points.

After a great corner kick in to midfielder Brett Alderson, he once again proved his worth in league encounters as he scored another pearler to propel the Excelsiors in front 0-1. The few remaining minutes of the first 45 minutes saw the lads turn up the ante to hungrily pursue a follow-up goal, putting the hosts on the defensive.

The second half began much as the previous 45 minutes had ended, with Excelsiors hitting the ground running from the get-go, highlighted by Dean Morgan’s sole-aim of scoring. However, try as he might, the experienced striker was unable to break free from the hounding defenders that piled onto him like a pack of dogs.

Much of the second half degenerated into a wild free-for-all, with the ball going from end-to-end and both teams jostling for position with only a single goal separating the two squads. Machen’s focus continued to be singular: getting an equaliser. That moment nearly came to fruition when a scarily-close cross in front of goal crossed the path of Dan Parsons, who deflected the shot and steered the danger away. Likewise, the Excelsiors took aim with a free kick that missed target and drew an exasperated groan from those in attendance.

However, the fans on the side wouldn’t have to wait long for a successful free kick, as the follow-up attempt shot straight and true into the bottom corner, easily beating the Machen goalkeeper and adding a vital goal to extend the lead to 0-2. With Machen disheartened and desperately trying to claw something back in the dying embers of the game, the hosts looked deflated and out of the running, which proved prophetic when the referee blew up shortly after and awarded the game and 3 precious points to the Excelsiors.

The eagerly awaited County Motors Cup clash against Caerleon FC finally beat the weather but it was less than a warm welcome at Cold Bath Road for the Excelsiors’ 1st Team, who fell 3-0 to the hosts and saw their cup aspirations for this tournament dashed.

The Division 1 side started out of the blocks early, with the opening minutes of the game seeing them take a hold over a frantic Excelsiors team. The lads would take the bull by the horns soon thereafter though and both teams had flirtatious encounters in the opposing team’s half. Despite the best efforts of captain Brett Morgan and retired-and-returned Dean Morgan to keep composure in the middle of the pitch, the hosts made life difficult all over the park, but with specific focus on midfield. When they did break free from the one-on-one dogfights, Caerleon played long ball to their advantage and although it may not be a pretty way of playing, it was certainly effective, with the first goal coming soon after, an attacker managing to break free from a hounding Excelsiors defence to make it 1-0.

The home team would press forward moments later, grabbing their second with relative ease, leaving a frustrated back line and extending their lead to 2-0.

The game of cat-and-mouse continued as the Excelsiors sought some vengeance for clinical efforts by Caerleon, rallying hard to break down the attacks and in fairness, responding with promising counter-attacks, including a good opportunity for midfielder Lewis Jones, which went wide of the mark.

The home side made their intentions unmistakable with their third goal, slotting a low, driving ball past Kevin Roberts in goal, as the man between the sticks could only watch on, such was Caerleon’s slick finish.

Dean Morgan’s attempt to push back against the tide of momentum being built by the hosts was cut off at the pass by a stoic defender and the rebound to Shaun Smith fared little better, with a goal seemingly elusive in the Saturday sunshine. Employing a pack-mentality, the Excelsiors spent the remainder of the first half trying to close down the goal-hungry home team, who simply had the better 45 minutes of the two teams.

The second half looked certain to be a tough ask of the lads but Dean Morgan showed there was still fire in the belly of the boys with a superb strike early on that pinged off the crossbar and sent the warning to Caerleon that there was life left in their visitors. Zak Kelly followed up with a sublime ball into the box that found the out of position Tyla Preece, but the solid defender was taken down in the box though didn’t get a penalty from the referee. Kelly spent much of the second half in a desperate attempt to help push the boys up the pitch, delivering some great balls in from his position on the wing in the process.

The tough work and mounting pressure of the Excelsiors war machine seemed to have some of the desired effect, as Caerleon began to show cracks in the armour, making silly mistakes that they had shown no sign of making for much of the first half.

Indeed, whether they took their foot off the gas or eye off the ball, a majority of the second half tantalisingly took place in the host’s half of the pitch, as they found themselves inundated with offence from a fevered Excelsiors, with Brett Morgan even firing off an attempt at goal and Tyla Preece also being denied by an on-form goalkeeper.

A penalty for the Excelsiors looked to break the goal-drought for the lads, as Ewan Harty was brought down in the box and the referee instructed a one-vs-one moment to take place. Rhys Jones willingly stepped up to the plate but unlike his definitive finish this past week for the Reserves, the goalkeeper ensured that a clean sheet would remain in his future.

With many of the options and opportunities exhausted, the remaining moments saw Caerleon hold on to their sizeable lead and punch their ticket to the next round of the County Motors Cup, winning a tough challenge against the Excelsiors 3-0 after 90 minutes.

A chilly midweek fixture at Abertillery 3G saw the 1st Team keep their promotion dream alive, with a decisive 3 points being claimed from Pentwynmawr AFC.

The visitors would actually be the home side in this situation, with their own pitch unplayable after another depressing bout of rain these past few days, and with the Excelsiors run of games on the artificial surface not being the best – it was anyone’s ball game.

The opening minutes were frantic at best, with some end-to-end play and engines on max throttle, an early mistake from Pentwynmawr opening the opportunities for the evening as Shaun Smith eyed an early goal. Credit though where it’s due, for as quickly as the lads were making ground on their opponents, Pentwynmawr were able to knock the ball to safety and avoid an early goal, more often than not breaking out on the rebound only to be cut off by Tyla Preece and the Abertillery back line.

When Callum Williams was downed for a short time after a tough tackle, any momentum that the ‘home’ side had fought hard to build was sucked out of the game and equal footing ruled again, with advantage dissipating for both sides, who seemed destined to lock horns for the whole 90 minutes without either side giving way.

As the game got into its groove, the Excelsiors were the more goal-hungry of the two teams, with opportunities presenting themselves often and near-hits like those of Jamie Laurent’s thunderous effort working as warning shots for the opposition. Pentwynmawr though would show their flirtation with the goal as a one-on-one effort was superbly saved by Kevin Roberts, with the game still tied up without a goal.

The midfield contingent had a storming performance overall with Lewis Jones being the target of a gang marking from Pentwynmawr, the opponents not allowing the former Newport County and Abergavenny Town player from finding space and enclosing on him at every opportunity. Likewise, Jamie Laurent’s engine once again proved invaluable throughout the game and the resilience and calm composure of captain Brett Morgan held firm in the centre of the pitch, a constant reminder of skill and experience playing a pivotal role.

Yet it was the ‘other’ Brett who left people’s mouths agape when Brett Alderson went for what initially seemed like a throwaway effort from 35 yards out but upon execution, was nothing short of an absolute lightning bolt strike that rocketed past the Pentwynmawr ‘keeper to push the Excelsiors to 0-1.

The gigantic goal was all the lads needed to rekindle the fire of the opening minutes, with Dafydd Phillips trying to follow up moments later with another decent effort, but at the end of the opening 45 minutes it was a slim single goal lead for the Excelsiors.

The second half started with a bang as Jamie Laurent’s persistence paid off once again, as the bulldog-esque midfielder forced his way onto the scoresheet yet again with a great finish and made it 0-2.

As the two goal lead began to plague Pentwynmawr psychologically, their efforts became more erratic but retained their threat level at a high amber, attempting to close the deficit and get back into the game. No sooner had their comeback began, the educated feet of Laurent nearly struck a death blow to them as a great ball across the mouth of goal only narrowly missed their intended target. The ‘hosts’ then put hearts in mouths as a fantastic freekick effort ricocheted off the crossbar and denied them an all-important goal, as play resumed much as it started the evening off, with frenetic end-to-end, back and forth action, the tempo absolutely unrelenting.

As Pentwynmawr desperately tried to claw their way back into the game and take a clean sheet away in the process, Jamie Laurent had one parting shot that became more of a nail in the coffin for the opposition, with a sublime photo-finish goal off of a slick ball in by Brett Morgan to power the Excelsiors to 0-3 with little chance of a Rocky-like comeback in the script. As the referee blew up, an exhausted but defiant Pentwynmawr have nothing to be ashamed of but unfortunately, the clinical and strategic dissection by the Excelsiors was just too much on this night.

As the Excelsiors road to promotion meanders its way through some of the toughest competition in the league, tonight was a ‘must-win’ game for them – for momentum if nothing else – against Clydach Wasps.

The lads hit the ground running, coming out of the blocks with purpose and gusto, mounting pressure at every turn. Jonny Morgan set precedent too, with an early shot being drilled at goal but going just wide.

The Wasps however seemed poised and composed, weathering the storm in the early going and swatting back several chances at goal. More worrying for the Abertillery contingent was Clydach’s near successive attempts at attacking on the rebound, as the home team saw chinks in the armour and sought to exploit them.

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Clydach’s attempts at breaking the defensive unit of the Excelsiors certainly fired something up in the hosts, who pushed harder and harder to try and break the deadlock, but were left disappointed on more than one occasion as the boys kept firm.

Captain Brett Morgan, returning after nearly seven weeks due to injury, showed no signs of rust in the middle of the pitch, effortlessly commanding from the midfield and reacquainting himself with the referee through some tough tackles. The captain would then prove the worthy assistant, delivering a great ball to Tyla Preece, who buried the ball into Clydach’s goal with a strong diving header to push things to 0-1.

Jamie Laurent would join the scoresheet too, with another slick penalty finish to bring proceedings to 0-2 and giving those watching from the side hope of a clear-cut victory upcoming, going into half time with a definitive lead after a strong half.

Dan Parsons began the second half on the back foot as Clydach looked to gain lost ground but with a fantastic save to rattle even the most hopeful of strikers, the goalkeeper seemed to allay any fears of a Wasps comeback. Spurred on with the backline of Tyla Preece, Jordan Pettet and Callum Williams, Excelsiors began the methodical and strategic wearing down of the Clydach attack, which seemed to be working until a measured opportunity and show of perseverance payed off for the home side, who came back with a return goal to make it 1-2.

The goal did the intended job for the home team, who seemed reinvigorated and rejuvenated by the unexpected finish, desperately looking to claim another goal at any cost and cut the thin lead down even further. A surefire chance for striker Shaun Smith was cut off at the pass with a late tackle that did not reap the same reward as Laurent’s penalty, as the Excelsiors tried to setup and regroup against a hungry and aggravated nest of Wasps.

As the game wound down into the final 10 minutes, a palpable tension was in the air, with the expectancy that a goal for either side would completely take the wind out of the opposing team’s sails. That tension was cut through with a knife moments later, as Dan Parsons was beaten to the punch by a Clydach attacker, who saw his prize roll over the line and into the net, scoring an huger, emphatic equaliser so late in the game.

A shocked and rocked Excelsiors turned on the defensive prowess that has served them well for much of the season late in the game, and a lucky break for Dan Parsons saw an effort from the edge of the box come within inches of scoring and putting the game to bed for Clydach, whose effort bounced off the crossbar. Moments later, the referee blew up to signal the end of a tough and entertaining 90 minutes and leaving things at a 2-2 finish, giving both teams a precious point that further adds intrigue to the final few weeks of the 2017/18 season.

This Saturday, the Excelsiors aim for all 3 points up for grabs when they face New Inn away and if history is anything to go by, a win is most definitely achievable, with victories in league and cup this season already going in favour of the Excelsiors.

The 1st Team see their meeting with Sudbrook CCFC postponed for a little bit longer. The heavy rain has resulted in a washout at the Woodland

Elsewhere, the Jim Owen proves unplayable also, as our Reserves fixture against Abertillery Bluebirds falls foul of the weather.

The 1st Team’s hotly anticipated rematch against AFC Machen saw both teams locked in a stalemate this past Saturday, with the visitors denying the lads a precious 3 points.

The opening minutes of the match at the Woodland, a rearranged fixture from last September (which was abandoned in the latter stages following a multi-man scuffle), saw the Excelsiors start with promise and make several runs into Machen’s half.

An early attempt from Dafydd Phillips looked set to rattle the defence of the visiting team but their goalkeeper was on point for a majority of the match, rarely missing a beat and making some great saves from solid attempts.

The goalless deadlock ended with Jamie Laurent driving a goal over the line thanks to a penalty, following Machen bringing down a Tiger deep in the box, bringing the scoreline to 1-0. Not to be outdone, celebrations were short-lived as Machen mounted a counter attack that resulted in a free kick. Despite the initial effort being deflected, it would shortly find the feet of an opposition player, who managed to slot the ball past ‘keeper Dan Parsons and gain an equaliser of 1-1 going into halftime.

The second half saw Machen come out of the blocks with some gusto, attempting to push up the pitch whenever possible and throwing in some sharp tackles that drew the ire of the crowd in attendance.

The 1-1 scoreline hung ominously over the game for much of the remainder of the game, with the feeling that the levee could break at any time and result in an upset for the opposing side. One such highlight came from a slick corner in by Jamie Laurent, who commanded the attack from deep in midfield, but although his shot was on target, the follow-up header found its way into the hands of the man in the sticks.

Some personnel changes in the dying embers of the game sought to revitalise the attack, with Luke Lewis and Matthew Thomas taking to the pitch to relieve their tiring teammates. As the clock wound down, dependable defender Tyla Preece and powerhouse Rhys Whiteman both played their part at keeping the wolves from the door, with clearances that avoided a late Machen win. As the whistle blew, a tough slog for both teams who laid it all on the line signalled a single point to be had for both teams.

The 1sts now return to action tomorrow in a huge encounter against league leaders Ynysddu Welfare at Pontllanfraith 3G, with an 8pm kickoff pencilled in.

We can officially confirm that the Gwent County Senior Amateur Cup Final will take place at Ty Isaf Park, the longtime home of Risca United, on Saturday, May 5th.

Our opponents will be league rivals and Gwent powerhouses Ynysddu Welfare, who punched their ticket to the occasion after win over Brynmawr yesterday in a game that ended 4-1 after it came down to the wire and penalties were the ultimate decider.

Those in attendance will no doubt be treated to a great game between two teams who may respect one another off the pitch but who very much take off the gloves when the whistle blows. We’ll see you there.

A bitterly cold night at the 3G in Abertillery acted as the battlefield for the return fixture with Newport Corinthians.

The visitors struck first with a lightning bolt moment goal, scoring straight off the bat in the opening moments of the game and instantly mounting pressure on the lads. The pressure certainly didn’t ease in the early going, with Newport being more than aware of an opportunity to push on after their almost-instant goal.

The one-two combo of Jamie Laurent and Rhys Whiteman began the comeback assault, weaving in and out of the Corries offensive foray to create opportunity. Laurent would also make his way onto the scoresheet soon after, courtesy of an expertly taken penalty by the midfielder.

As the goal equaled the playing field, it appeared as though the 1st Team had found their groove against their foes, a fact never more evident than when Jamie Laurent chipped the ball up and over the Corries’ man between the sticks to drive the scoreline to 2-1 at the end of the first ’45.

The second half started auspiciously with Lewis Jones rattling off several free kicks into the attacking line of the Excelsiors, who came out of the blocks with renewed tenacity. The threat of counter-attack from the Corries posed a real issue for lads, who started to falter when the visitors pushed up through a miscommunication in midfield. A slick cross was met by the educated feet of a Corries forward who drilled the ball into the net and within mere moments, things were all square once again at 2-2.

The Excelsiors, spurred on by a very admirable crowd of freezing cold spectators, seemed poised to steal a final goal that would have no doubt put the game to bed when Lewis Jones’ superlative freekick found the head of his cousin Tyla Preece, but the dependable defender couldn’t get enough cranium to ball ratio to convert a goal.

As the clock ran down, Dafydd Phillips frenetic firepower was on display as the attacking winger clocked up some serious miles and attempted to break the deadlock from every angle. Luke Lewis too joined the party, as the striker came on for the final minutes of the game in an effort to put the nail in the Corries coffin.

The visitors would gamble one more time, as they put it all on the line in a countdown to extinction moment that saw goalkeeper Dan Parsons bested by the jammiest of finishes from the Corries. The exhaustion of the entire crowd on hand and sheer disbelief of Newport told the story of the game, as the team from the shadow of the iconic Transporter Bridge became the killer of giants in subzero temperatures, ending proceedings 2-3.

A tough slog resulted in a 2-3 win for the Excelsiors, as they turned over a gutsy Pill AFC away on the road.

The first half was dominated by end-to-end play, with both teams hungry to control the game after a scrappy affair at the Woodland in Cwmtillery. Both teams were well up for the challenge, with all pistons firing in the opening 20 minutes. Some big hits more akin to an NFL game were easy to find, as Pill attempted to take down the attackers in the Excelsiors setup, who responded likewise.

Pill were able to break the deadlock after taking advantage of a defensive slump to make it 1-0, which only served to invigorate the lads who looked certain to equalise early. Rhys Whiteman would heed the call, with a lovely bicycle kick after catching the end of a superb cross from Tyla Preece to stand things at 1-1.

The trifecta of Shaun Smith, Lewis Jones and Dafydd Phillips then shot into action, creating some fantastic football and photo-finish opportunities, continuing to mount the pressure on the Pill defence. A late tackle in the box led to Pill dropping a penalty, expertly taken by Jamie Laurent to push the Excelsiors into the lead at the end of the first ‘45.

The second half called for more of the same, with Pill desperately chasing another goal only to be headed off at the pass by another Dafydd Phillips effort. Giving another penalty away, Pill seemed poised to had their game put to bed but a good save from their man between the sticks stopped the Excelsiors charge.

With Pill’s goalkeeper being tested by a mounting offence, the home side took advantage of a downed Brett Morgan and fired another one away, to tighten the gap to 2-3 with minutes left. As the clock wound down, Pill pursued a point from an hellacious 90 minutes and piled the pressure on hoping for the Excelsiors back line to crumble but unfortunately for the Newport outfit, it wasn’t to be and the lads clinch 3 points at the referee’s whistle.