by Robert Jones
Date: Wednesday 14th March 2018 (15:15)
Venue: Cardiff Met Cyncoed Campus
THE BUCS Championship Cup semi-final lived up to the billing, as the tense and fiery encounter saw Cardiff Met end USW’s season with a 2-0 victory at home.
USW came into the game after an inspiring penalty shootout victory in the quarter finals vs Durham University. The 2016 champions were looking to reclaim the Championship Cup, but Cardiff Met delivered a superb display at home to advance and subsequently end USW’s season.
The match-up was a game of two halves, USW adopted the same strategy as they did last week against Durham which was to hold firm and frustrate their rivals. Cardiff Met were not able to play their style of football for large parts of the first half, which was lacklustre to say the least.
The first 15 minutes was extremely tense, both sides were trying to out-muscle their opponent with multiple crunching tackles and words being exchanged between both sets of players. Cardiff Met did start to get the upper hand in the game around the 15-minute mark, with the first real opportunity coming 20 minutes in. Centre back Emlyn Lewis had the first sight on goal with his header drifting just wide from a corner.
This led to dominant spells of possession and 12 minutes later, Cardiff Met thought they had taken the lead when a sublime run from winger Harry Owen, who showed great ball control down the left-hand side, produced a low cross which was finished off by Adam Roscrow only for the linesman’s flag to be raised for offside.
With chances few and far between USW had their first real sight on goal when a long ball from goalkeeper Ashley Morris went over everyone, only for Louis Gerrard to be one-on-one with the keeper but a last-ditch tackle from defender Lewis saved Cardiff Met’s blushes.
The second half was the complete opposite of the first as both teams came out flying, USW firstly started to be a bit more expansive with their play and it seemed to work as they pressured the Cardiff Met defence into consecutive free-kicks. The first came from 30 yards out with Gerrard’s attempt resulting in the game’s first shot on target, his attempt was comfortably collected by Dan Evans.
Two minutes later another foul – this time it was from 20 yards out. Kane Owen stepped up, and his left-footed shot rifled just over the crossbar which had the keeper scrambling to his right.
Cardiff Met then started to build momentum as in the first half; Joe Evans brought down Adam Roscrow leading to a free kick for Cardiff Met, Roscrow stepped up and was denied by a fine save by Morris to keep the score level.
Cardiff Met continued to have large amounts of possession with USW defending well, but the turning point was when striker Dan Spencer was introduced, he had an immediate impact on the game.
He was wreaking havoc down the right-hand side, and that was to be the downfall for USW. His Rory Delap-style throw-in was deflected by defender Tyrell Webb to the back post, where unmarked Jordan Lamb netted the opening goal with a diving header.
Soon after the goal, Cardiff Met were on the attack and threw Spencer on the right side again as his cross was intended for Roscrow, who missed the ball and the chance to double their lead.
With 10 minutes left USW were pushing men forward which led to a Cardiff Met counter attack from a corner, it was that man again Spencer who was put through on goal with only Morris to beat. Morris however produced a magnificent save to keep USW in the tie.
The pressure was too much for USW however, as Owen who was arguably man of the match for Cardiff Met produced a superb cross which was headed home by Spencer for a well deserved goal and victory for the home team.
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