Bargod 1 v 0 New Quay
Bargod Rangers have lifted the League Cup for the first time since 1971 following a 1-0 win in a tight and tense game with New Quay.
The difference between the sides was a Shaun Leonard winner in the 80th minute after he powered his way past New Quay’s defence to calmly finish following Owain Thomas’s through ball. It was enough to win the game for Bargod and to elevate Leonard above a number of his team-mates, several of whom played very well throughout the afternoon, to also win the man of the match award.
Although Leonard had himself squandered a couple of half-chances during the match, scoring opportunities were few and far between over the course of 90 minutes so when the deadlock was broken, another goal seemed unlikely.
In the first few minutes there were half-hearted appeals from Bargod for a penalty when the ball seemed to hit a New Quay arm in the box. Shortly afterwards Chris Atkinson broke through the excellent Bargod defence to reach the by-line and provide a decent ball across the face of the goal. But there was nobody there. It was the story of New Quay’s afternoon.
Leonard made and wasted a couple of further chances for himself but never troubled Sam Bertie in New Quay’s goal. David Evans and Craig Richardson tried their level best to get the ball to Atkinson in the Bargod box but the Rangers’ defence was solid. Just before the goal, Leonard missed two other chances when he headed wide from a probing cross to the far post. He then hit the post with a snapshot from just outside the box.
Although ten minutes remained on the clock when the goal went in, there seemed little doubt at the time that it would prove to be the winner.
The result was a fitting tribute as Bargod had sadly lost club treasurer Glanville ‘Goss’ Evans who passed away during the season. There was no better way to honour Goss than to win the Cup and to dedicate the win to him. Congratulations to them.
The victorious Bargod team with the League Cup.
Bargod lift the cup.