CSKA Sophia Gardens 2-0 Thornhill AFC

CSKA Sophia Gardens pulled off one of the greatest results in the club's history in a 2-0 win at home against Cardiff Combination League Premiership side Thornhill AFC in the Milsom Harries Cup 1st Round.

The game saw the two teams go head-to-head on a glorious autumnal day with the sun shining. It only took 2 minutes for CSKA to strike an early blow. Winger Aiden Martin played in club top scorer Mckenzie who appeared to mishit his finish. Just as Mckenzie turned around scorning himself the ball had actually spun and found its way past the Thornhill AFC keeper and into the net.

Thornhill AFC reacted to going a goal down with the determination and pressure that was expected of a team at their level. CSKA rode their luck at times as Thornhill AFC failed to make a couple of openings count.

A weak call for a penalty was turned down by the referee who deemed the Thornhill AFC striker to be going down a bit easy under the challenge of CSKA keeper Alex Skinner.

As the match wore on, CSKA weathered the storm and it was themselves that got the next goal. A corner whipped in from Mckenzie on the left side caused chaos in the Thornhill AFC goal mouth and attempts to clear the dangerous cross ended up in the ball actually crossing the line.

What followed after this goal was more pressure from Thornhill AFC but the CSKA back-line began to really tighten up. Dogged tracking back from the CSKA midfield ensured they had numbers behind the ball at all times preventing their visitors from producing any clear cut chances.

The second half was very much more of the same. CSKA dealt effectively with the attacks thrown at them as Thornhill AFC pushed to try and get back into the game. These were separated by CSKA counter attacks but, again, Thornhill AFC's defence did a sterling job at keeping the score-line at 2-0.

It became clear as the game entered the latter stages that Thornhill AFC were losing heart and CSKA defended their lead with relative ease. There was even a chance late on for captain Jordan Lloyd to break free and add a third but the defender had given so much to the defensive cause that his legs couldn't push him on for the final 30 yards as the Thornhill AFC defence made up the lost ground.

The final whistle blew as the game wound down and CSKA had completed a victory that would go down alongside the likes of the 4-3 win over Barry Saints and the 2-1 victory against Rhiwbina Reems as one of the team's great results.

CSKA Manager Steve Day said "It was a fantastic display from the lads. We defended from the very front and even though the goals we scored weren't classic ones by any means we still scored at key moments.

"There was talk that the Thornhill AFC manager was bemoaning a number of his first team players missing but we also had 16 players from our squad absent. It shows how strong the depth to this squad has become and we can put any 11 players out there and they'll do the job needed to give a performance.

"I could not be more proud of the lads after today. Their defensive work from the front man to the last was imperious and the game management was spot on. The way they all played for each other showed how close this group has become and it proves there are exciting times ahead for this team."

CSKA Starting Line-Up

GK: Alex Skinner

DR: Frazer Richards

DL: Dec O'Neill

DC: Owen Lewis

DC: Jordan Lloyd (c)

MR: Aiden Martin

ML: Dan Carter

MC: Ed Lewis

MC: Sam Byrne

AM: Rich Hamlett

FC: Cai Mckenzie

Subs: Owen Kingsbury and James Joyce

Goals: Cai Mckenzie (2)

Assist: Aiden Martin

Three Stars: Dec O'Neill, Frazer Richards, and Jordan Lloyd