A dark and dank night on the outskirts of Caerphilly was the battleground for the hotly anticipated reverse fixture with AFC Machen. With promotion still a possibility for the Excelsiors, pressure was one to once again win every remaining game and it was certain that Machen would not go quietly into the night.
The hosts started out on the backfoot, as the Excelsiors funnelled a barrage of offence in the opening minutes, sending more than one shot across the front of goal as warning shots. Machen found their groove soon after though, composing themselves well and breaking through the midfield in an effort to find any available space to progress up the pitch.
The thick and fast tackles became a staple of the game from the start, with Dafydd Phillips being taken down on the edge of the box early on in a show of defiance from a persistent Machen back line.
A great knock from the home team put some pressure back onto the Excelsiors but Tom Calver was in the right place at the right time to help divert the danger. Captain Brett Morgan then began the clean-up operation, commanding from the centre of the field and regrouping the troops, as Dean Morgan made an attempt at goal but was stopped by Machen before he was able to fire off the shot.
Soon after, a botched free kick from the 1st Team saw Machen break the back of the defenders and push through on the counter but an all-or-nothing rush from Dan Parsons kept the Excelsiors in the game. After stabilising the frenetic five minutes the hosts enjoyed in attack mode, wily midfielder Brett Morgan began to head up the lads’ own counter attack, firing off a shot that went just wide of the mark and again reminded Machen that the Excelsiors were here to gain points.
After a great corner kick in to midfielder Brett Alderson, he once again proved his worth in league encounters as he scored another pearler to propel the Excelsiors in front 0-1. The few remaining minutes of the first 45 minutes saw the lads turn up the ante to hungrily pursue a follow-up goal, putting the hosts on the defensive.
The second half began much as the previous 45 minutes had ended, with Excelsiors hitting the ground running from the get-go, highlighted by Dean Morgan’s sole-aim of scoring. However, try as he might, the experienced striker was unable to break free from the hounding defenders that piled onto him like a pack of dogs.
Much of the second half degenerated into a wild free-for-all, with the ball going from end-to-end and both teams jostling for position with only a single goal separating the two squads. Machen’s focus continued to be singular: getting an equaliser. That moment nearly came to fruition when a scarily-close cross in front of goal crossed the path of Dan Parsons, who deflected the shot and steered the danger away. Likewise, the Excelsiors took aim with a free kick that missed target and drew an exasperated groan from those in attendance.
However, the fans on the side wouldn’t have to wait long for a successful free kick, as the follow-up attempt shot straight and true into the bottom corner, easily beating the Machen goalkeeper and adding a vital goal to extend the lead to 0-2. With Machen disheartened and desperately trying to claw something back in the dying embers of the game, the hosts looked deflated and out of the running, which proved prophetic when the referee blew up shortly after and awarded the game and 3 precious points to the Excelsiors.
