Swifts strong in second half (From Western Telegraph)

Swifts strong in second half

Saundersfoot Sports 2 Monkton Swifts 5 Referee: Paul Lloyd

Four goals in a ten-minute period early in the second half, gave Monkton Swifts entry into the last four of the Senior Cup as they outlasted a Saundersfoot Sports side which had utilised its home advantage to the full in the first half to take a deserved one-goal lead into half time.

At that stage there was a sniff of a cup upset as the Sports showed why they are front runners in the Second Division title race and were just about good value for their slim lead - but then striker Ian Rome and big defender James Archer grabbed a goal brace apiece before Steve Davies added his second goal for the Sports, and Paul Lacey slotted the fifth to ease the Swifts into the semi-final draw.

The Sports were clearly motivated by their management team of Phil Jones and Alan Brindley, with Jones playing wide on the left and creating early tension in the Swifts back four as his side took a third minute lead.

The goal stemmed from neat work at the back by Peter Rattenbury and Andy Williams before midfield dynamo Dale Elms threaded the ball through for Steve Davies to rifle his shot past Wayne Reynolds in the Swifts goal.

The rest of the half was tight as neither side could take total control, with Peter Rattenbury marshalling the home defence and James Archer and Chrissie Manning doing the same for the Swifts.

There were half chances at either end but Craig Reardon kept a clean sheet for Saundersfoot and Glider Reynolds saw to it that there were no further mishaps for the visitors.

But the scoresheet changed quite dramatically after the interval as the Swifts raised their game a gear as Rob Tweed took control of the midfield alongside Paul Lacey and Paul Web, with Martin James acting as the chance creator with his trickery wide on the right.

James set up the first Swifts goal with a ball played into Ian Rome, who rifled his shot into the top corner almost before Reardon had any chance to react - and then another James cross was headed in at the far post by Carpet Archer.

Rome grabbed his second soon afterwards with a far post head, inevitably from a James delivery and Archer scored from the spot after James had been upended in the box, his spot kick straight down the middle giving the Swifts four goals in less than ten minuets.

To be fair to Saundersfoot, they showed why they are top of the Second Division as they tried to claw their way back - and their efforts were rewarded when Steve Davies popped up in a goalmouth melee and did well to place his shot through a thicket of players and past Reynolds on its way to the top corner.

But the Swifts had the final say when James again put in a strong run and slipped the ball inside to Paul Lacey, who slammed home his shot from 12 yards to set the seal on a good away win for Benno Jones boys, who now play Fishguard Sports or Hakin United for a place in the final.

Saundersfoot Sports: Craig Reardon: Andy Williams (Steve Badham); Peter Rattenbury; Simon Brace; Paul Thomas: Darren Umanee; Dale Elms; Russell Evans; Phil Jones: Steve Davies; Rob Beynon.

Monkton Swifts: Wayne Reynolds: Daniel Harts (Brian Nicholas); James Archer; Phil James; Chris Manning: Paul Webb (Terrence Kingdom); Rob Tweed; Paul Lacey; Martin James: Ian Rome; Barry Dilworth.