​​ECFA League:

Coleg Gwent Crosskeys 1sts 2-3 Pembrokeshire College 1sts

A brace of goals from Ben Fawcett and a Jack Wilson strike gave Pembrokeshire College a winning start as they travelled to Risca United for their first ECFA League game of the season. 

The first 20 minutes saw both sides seeking each other out and the Pembs defence of Geoff Pepper, Llion Williams, Tyler Page and Leon Luby - with Nick Jones behind them in goal, kept a decent shape and good discipline.

The first scoring opportunity came 21 minutes in when Lewis Nicholas played a delightful ball through for Fawcett to run onto, but he dragged his shot across the face of goal.

But on 27 minutes, the pressure paid off when Fawcett slotted in Jack Wilson, and he fired beyond the reach of the Gwent keeper to find the net. 

Gwent could have levelled four minutes later when a high ball in went over the head of the advancing Jones, but a covering Williams cleared the ball off the line.

They also hit the post before at the other end, Pembs did the same when Rowan Nicholson teed up Fawcett, who also hit the woodwork.

But Pembs doubled the lead when Williams played a delightful ball through to Josh Thomas, who combined with Wilson to set up Fawcett to score.

Just before half time Nicholas had a shot saved by the home keeper - and early in the second half Tyler Page almost made it three when his shot cannoned off the front post.

But Gwent upped their game again, with Jones forced into a terrific double save before the home side pulled one back from a goalmouth scramble.

The pressure was mounting on the visitors as Gwent swept forward relentlessly, and were it not for the heroics of Jones who made another brilliant double save, they would have equalised.

But Pembs weathered this storm and on 69 minutes, they countered as Lewis Nicholas who made a strong run, beating two opponents before his superb bye line cross was met perfectly by Fawcett to restore the two goal cushion.

It was still a nail-biting last few minutes for the visitors after Gwent pulled it back to 3-2 with two minutes left, but they held on for a superb first win of the season.

Pembrokeshire College squad: Nick Jones, Geoffrey Pepper, Llion Williams, Tyler Page, Leon Luby, Jay Power, Jack Wilson, Josh Thomas, Rowan Nicholson, Lewis Nicholson, Ben Fawcett, Joe Evans, Kai Roberts, Tyler Worrall, Jonathan White.

Pembrokeshire College Football Academy are, as always, indebted to their main sponsors Valero.