CSKA Sophia Gardens 3-4 Cardiff Central

CSKA Sophia Gardens started their Cardiff Combination League Stage 1 Group B campaign with a disappointing 4-3 loss to Cardiff Central at Trelai Park.

The game was highly-anticipated for a lot of players and fans with it being 534 days since the last competitive match for the club. It was also the first competitive fixture for the club in the Saturday league system.

Things could not have started much better for CSKA with just 3 minutes gone when striker Cai Mckenzie scored to give the red team a 1-0 lead. Even at that early stage, CSKA had squandered a couple of chances so it was a goal that had been coming.

It was a dominant spell from CSKA that would continue for the remainder of the first half. One-on-ones, open goals, and other gilt-edged chances came and went as CSKA continued to spurn opportunity after opportunity to extend their lead. Meanwhile, Cardiff Central were still posing a threat at the other end but a solid CSKA defence was dealing with their attacks effectively.

As the first half drew to a close, the lead was finally doubled. Mckenzie was picked out once again but his controlled shot deflected off the far post. Fortunately, right winger Chris Lusted was there to pounce on the loose ball to make it 2-0. Scoring the second goal just before half-time was surely the killer.

At half-time, CSKA talked about the danger Cardiff Central still posed with the second goal likely to give them a rocket up their backsides. A resurgent opposition was now anticipated but given the amount of chances CSKA had already had there was a feeling that if they could get the next goal that would be game over. However, if Cardiff Central got that next goal then it would change the momentum.

Cardiff Central started the second half like a renewed team. A higher tempo saw them immediately put pressure on the CSKA back-line. It was pressure that CSKA struggled to deal with and were clearly not ready for.

It was only a matter of minutes into the second half when Cardiff Central got that goal they had been looking for. Myles Brock was the man to get the goal that would prove to have a huge impact on the game.

CSKA were then denied what they felt was a clear penalty. Rich Hamlett found his way into the box before being brought down by the Cardiff Central defender. It had looked initially that the ref had blown his whistle and pointed to the spot. After treatment was given to Hamlett it was then declared that he had been adjudged to have dived and a free-kick was given to Cardiff Central.

There was a double blow for CSKA that then came as Cardiff Central scored the equaliser just moments later. Curtys O'Sullivan whipped in a dangerous ball from a corner that swung straight into the far left side of the CSKA goal.

The momentum continued to swing in Cardiff Central's favour but CSKA slowly started to pull the game back. It wasn't long before captain Ed Lewis put CSKA back into the lead to make it 3-2. A lovely ball from Hamlett from the right side picked out Lewis who shook off the Cardiff Central defender to run around the keeper and finish from a tight angle.

Absolute scenes ensued as it felt CSKA had ridden a wave of Cardiff Central pressure and got the goal that would finally see them off. Unfortunately, CSKA showed that attitude would play a decisive factor in the outcome of this game.

Cardiff Central once again started to impose themselves on the game as CSKA slipped into poor habits with ill discipline, awful decision-making, and wasted possession. These issues eventually told as Cardiff Central scored from another corner to make it 3-3. Another threatening ball by O'Sullivan was whipped in at the near post and CSKA failed to deal with it with the ball somehow ending up in the net in shocking fashion.

Frustrations began to tell for CSKA as the pressure of surrendering their lead so late began to tell. Mistakes across the pitch became prevalent and the inevitable happened when a ball over the top found Cardiff Central striker Ross Johanson who finished calmly past Jamie Hall in the CSKA net to make it 4-3 with just a couple of minutes remaining to seal the win.

CSKA Manager Steve Day said "It's a tough result to take. I felt we were so dominant in the first half and we should have been out of sight by half-time but repeatedly being caught offside and missing key chances has prevented us from doing that. We said at half-time that they were lucky to only be 2-0 down but we needed to make sure we scored that next goal in the second half otherwise they'd have their tails up and it would create a dangerous atmosphere in the game. What happened? We took our foot off the pedal and they got that next goal.

"Fair play to Cardiff Central. Our profligacy in the first half gave them a chance to get back into the game and they snatched at it with both hands. They dug in and clawed their way back to go on and get a deserved win. I feel sick after that display because we only have ourselves to blame. We said before the game how disrupted our pre-season and registration process has been but that's no excuse for this display. We had enough quality out there to get the win and the chances we created showed we should have done that. Wastefulness up front, a lack of urgency in the middle, errors of slack concentration at the back, and general inferior attitude and desire to win the game has cost us. It's a brutal lesson to learn but the lads will have to learn it otherwise it's going to be a very difficult season.

Day added "Result and performance aside, it was great to be back playing competitive football and I appreciate all those lads that played and came to watch today making the effort to attend the game when work, family, and other commitments had to be sacrificed."

CSKA Starting Line-Up

GK: Jamie Hall

DR: Max Lapit

DL: Huw Williams

DC: Owen Lewis DC: Owen Kingsbury MR: Chris Lusted

ML: Ed Lewis (c)

MC: Louis Boston

MC: Sam Byrne

AM: Rich Hamlett

FC: Cai Mckenzie

Subs: Arron Ackerman, Cory Mackay, Frazer Richards, and James Joyce

Goals: Cai Mckenzie, Chris Lusted, and Ed Lewis

Assists: Cai Mckenzie and Rich Hamlett

Three Stars: