Here is the roundup for all your Welsh footballing news in the English leagues!
Swansea City:
Luke Williams’ Swansea City lost in his first home championship game against former manager Russell Martin 3-1 on Saturday, outclassed and outplayed, there was nothing the Swans could do against an incredibly strong Southampton team who are looking to gain promotion back to the premier league at the first time of asking. Southampton started on the front foot early when Che Adams tapped in a rebound to put the Saints 1-0 up. Quarter of an hour later, the Swans found themselves 2-0 down after Will Smallbone crept into the box unmarked to tap into a gaping net. Swansea now with a mountain to climb, wouldn’t go down without a fight with Jamie Paterson giving the Swans some hope when he scored from a Liam Cullen cross around the. 40th minute mark giving the jacks some hope until former Swan Flynn Downes fired a striker into the bottom corner on the stroke of half time. A strong second half performance from the swans meant that the score stayed 3-1 and Russel Martin had a happy return to SA1.
Cardiff City:
Cardiff would travel to Plymouth on Saturday to play Ian Fosters Argyle who are doing well in their first season back in the championship. Cardiff would go 1-0 up here thanks to a goal from Perry NG who is turning out to be a standout player for the bluebirds however their lead wouldn’t last long after Ryan Hardie would equalise for Argyle. The score would remain 1-1 at half time with Bulut making an early changing bringing off South Wales Derby hero Ollie Tanner for Mahlon Romero. Plymouth started the second half strongly after Ryan Hardie would turn from assister to goal scorer for Plymouth after he finished a Morgan Whittaker pass of with a lovely strike on the 52nd minute. It would be Cardiff who looked like the side who would be closest to scoring next dominating possession until the 81st minute when ex Swan Morgan Whittaker would put the final nail in the coffin for Cardiff after he made the score 3-1 however it wasn’t Plymouth who made the headlines after the game with Cardiff Manager Erik Bulut threatening to resign from his role if he wasn’t backed by the board. Is Tan putting Cardiff in even more danger by not backing their best manager in years?
Newport County and Wrexham:
This week saw the two Welsh sides go head to head in League Two with Wrexham being the favourites here as they look to push for promotion to League One at the first time of asking. However things started off horribly for Ryan Reynolds boys when William Boyle was sent off for a horrible tackle in the 18th minute. Things would only go from bad to worse for Phil Parkinson’s men after Bristol City man Seb Palmer-Houlden would nod in a cross from Ryan Delaney into the top corner exiting the thousands of fans at Rodney Parade. This would be the only goal of a tight game with Wrexham wanting to dominate possession but would be hard when down to 10. Some expert saves from Arsenal GK Arthur Okonkwo would keep the score at 1-0 until full time and Rodney Parade would erupt into celebration looking forward to the giants that are Man United that travel to Newport next Sunday.
Merthyr Town:
The Martyrs are storming at the moment in the Southern League Premier South winning 5 out of their last 7 games losing one and drawing the other, however this week they would travel to Dorset to take on the struggling Dorchester. The martyrs who looked to be the favourites would go 1-0 up after Tom Handley prodded home at the back post. This would be the score going into half time with Paul Michaels men looking comfortable in second place. However the crowd at the avenue would get behind the Dorchester players as Olaf Koszela would tap in after a Will Fuller save to make the score 1-1, but only for 5 minutes as Alex John restored the martyrs lead with a wonder strike. It wouldn’t last for long as Koszela would equalise again for Dorchester with a volley at the back post but again, the score wouldn’t remain for long with Koszela completing his hat trick with the pick of the bunch after he lashed home a volley to give Dorchester the 3 points and would mean Merthyr travelled back to Wales with nothing, remaining in 3rd place.
Next Weeks Games (FA Cup)
Bournemouth v SWANSEA
Blackburn v WREXHAM
Harrogate v NEWPORT COUNTY
MERTHYR v Didcot