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DRUIDS QUALIFY FOR THE EUROPA LEAGUE
An outstanding season for The Ancients was capped off yesterday with qualification for the Europa League!
Cefn Druids secured the win after James Davies’ first half strike saw off Cardiff Met at the Rock.
Davies’ goal capped an excellent first half from the home side, who could well have been further in front were it not for some resolute defending from the visitors, as well as a number of saves from keeper Will Fuller.
Met started the game very brightly, with Eliot Evans, Jordan Lam and Adam Roscrow all looking sharp on the ball. Rhydian Morgan had the game’s first chance, firing over from 25 yards when the ball fell to him.
Druids then settled into the game, with Davies and Arek Piskorski beginning to look dangerous. Davies had the home side’s first chance, meeting a dangerous Pritchard cross at the back post which Morgan blocked.
The rebound fell to Alec Mudimu, his shot saved by Fuller, before Davies had another effort which Morgan blocked.
The striker made no mistake five minutes later though. Piskorski got to the byline and crossed for his strike partner: Fuller saved his initial effort, but Davies poked in the rebound to put the home side in front.
It was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, despite the best efforts of Morgan, who a minute later forced Michael Jones into a good one handed save. Piskorski then fired just wide, before team mate Naim Arsan was forced into a last ditch tackle seconds later to deny Rsocrow.
The Druids front two continued to trouble the Met defence. Davies should have made it two just after the half hour, after Pritchard slid a lovely through ball to him, but Fuller was out very quickly to make an excellent save.
Eliot Evans then had Met’s best chance of the half, finding space inside the box after a great cross from Lam but he could only fire over.
The visitors controlled large periods of the second half, but failed to create too many clear cut chances to test Jones in the Druids goal, largely thanks to some solid defending from the home side. Sub Chris Baker looped a header wide, while Arsan just beat Roscrow to a teasing Dan Spencer cross which the forward looked set to get on to.
A big chance for Met came ten minutes from time when Neil Ashton brought down Evans on the edge of the box. Kyle McCarthy tried to go low with the free kick, but clipped the heels of the Druids wall. Met pushed men forward towards the end, but Druids held on to seal victory and book only their second ever European campaign.
Cefn Druids 1-0 Cardiff Met Druids Scorer: James Davies 16’
Attendance: 779
Referee: Nick Pratt
