Bluebirds half a yard of the pace

The young Bluebirds pretty well matched their Welsh League opponents for skill, certainly matched them for spirit and commitment, but Pontardawe had the edge in experience and composure.

The young home side still left their more sympathetic supporters wondering just how potent a force they might be in the League of Wales once they have attuned to this higher level.

The defeat was disappointing and the fact that the Blues had few shots on target even more so, but it is important to look on the positives after this game. Two real positives were the outstanding displays in defence of keeper Peter Blain and centre half and skipper Gavin Rees. Blain covered a number of swinging, bouncing low shots immaculately, plucked corners and crosses out of the air beautifully and pulled off two blinding saves.

Rees, in front of him was tenacious and extremely effective in the tackle. Jamie Lonergan, who played the first hour, also looked a very composed defender.

Up front, the Bluebirds had their moments, with Marcus Taylor in particular looking a very good player and winning perhaps more of the ball in the air than any Blues striker this season. It was from two of his flicks-on in the first 20 minutes that the home side twice went desperately close when first Dylan Blain and then the endlessly energetic Matthew Price chased on to through balls and couldnt quite get the vital touch.

The nearest thing to a goal in the first half-hour was a free kick from 20 yards by exBluebird Martyn James, whose shot cannoned back off the post. James was an industrious presence all afternoon, without always quite finding his man, the real danger for Pontardawe coming from front man John Keveney.

Nevertheless, the first 35 minutes were poised quite evenly, with the deadlock only being broken at that time when Keveney broke on the right and his shot was parried on to the bar by Blain, to break rather kindly for Adam Washer to plant it in from close range. The young Blues can count themselves just a shade unlucky to have been down at the interval.

The Swansea Valley side did make a bright start to the second half and deserved their second goal after 53 minutes. This time it was Washer who broke on the left after a defensive mix-up before unselfishly squaring the ball to the better-placed Keveney.

The Blues were now up against it, but continued to press. Against Oswestry, they had tended to pump the ball over the top for Taylor and Price but on Saturday they played the ball nicely through the channels. Regularly they broke dangerously to the 18-yard line but at that point a mixture of over-elaboration and, to be honest, a lack of the rub of the green prevented anyone getting in a really dangerous shot.

The midfield, in the second half and earlier, had a mixed afternoon. Dylan Blain, playing at right wing back, had had a quiet first half. Should Mike Ellis consider playing him in the centre of midfield, maybe? - he is going to be a key player in the weeks ahead. But in the second half, he worked tirelessly to get himself into the game and showed some beautiful and dangerous control.

So: with two defeats so far, the cynics and detractors are already lamenting the departure of the Swansea squad. But that earlier side, for all their ability to play some lovely football against top sides, could be inconsistent and were regularly dumped out of the Cup by sides from lower divisions. Remember Halkyn United? It is the opinion of this reporter that the new Blues squad has considerable talent and potential and deserve a support and following which match their own commitment. On Saturday 24 November, they entertain Caersws (a side who themselves were last season playing ten local players). The kick-off is at 2.30 pm.