CSKA Sophia Gardens 4-4 Llanishen Wanderers

CSKA Sophia Gardens kick started their Cardiff Combination League Stage 2 Group E campaign with a thrilling 4-4 draw against Llanishen Wanderers in a 2:20pm BST kick-off this Saturday afternoon at Pontcanna Fields.

It was the first round of matches for the second phase of the league season. CSKA were coming into the game having achieved back-to-back wins and they were playing a Wanderers team that had won 3 of their last 4 competitive games. The game had initially appeared set to be postponed after confusion over a pitch booking and referee allocation. However, after a small delay to proceedings the game eventually went ahead.

The opening phases of the game made it clear that these were two very evenly matched sides. Llanishen Wanderers showing they were packed with an experienced and physical line-up with CSKA looking to use their pace and agility to undo the Wanderers back-line.

Both teams held strong and it felt like the game had the potential to go the distance without a goal as the two defences remained solid and resilient under the moments of pressure they both experienced early on.

CSKA were the team that eventually broke the deadlock. Owen Jones was played in from a ball over the top by centre back Jordan Lloyd before finishing low from the right edge of the area into the corner of the Wanderers net to make it 1-0. It was slightly ironic that for all the CSKA efforts to carve open the Wanderers back-line on the floor it was an aerial ball that breached the defence.

Wanderers were unfazed by that goal though and cranked up the pressure as they looked to get back into the game. It was only a matter of minutes later that a moment of misfortune in the CSKA back-line saw a ball from deep just skim over the top of the CSKA defence and the movement of the ball caught keeper Paul Jarvis wrong-footed. He could only spill the ball to prevent it from going in but the Wanderers player Roger Crowley was quickest to pounce on the loose ball to bring the scores level at 1-1.

The first half appeared to be winding down as both teams dug out a battle of attrition to try and get an edge. It was CSKA who would deliver a blow to their opponents on the half-time mark though. A corner from Sam Byrne was played low into Owen Jones who then found Lloyd who finished clinically to give CSKA a 2-1 lead at the break.

CSKA used the half-time break to emphasise the importance of the next goal and it was the home team who did exactly that to give themselves a 3-1 lead. A run from Cai Mckenzie down the middle picked out Jones down the right who picked out left winger Cory Mackay running into the box who finished with the outside of his right foot from close range.

It was a goal that felt vital and CSKA now simply had to protect the lead. Unfortunately, their game plan was thrown into disarray with an injury to left back Huw Williams. CSKA had already subbed off central midfielder Byrne for Ed Lewis so with Lewis moving to left back it was right winger Aiden Martin who dropped into central midfield with Jack Gibbs coming on out wide on the right and Dan Carter on out on the left for Mackay.

The tactical disruption was taken advantage of by Wanderers. A through ball found Mathew Nightingale and despite CSKA cries of protestation for offside the goal was allowed and the visitors had found a way back into the game at 3-2.

Things went from bad to worse for CSKA in a period of self destruction. A mazy run from the Wanderers midfielder found himself on the edge of the area just 10 minutes later. In an effort to block a clear shot at goal, Lloyd put in a last ditch challenge and the referee deemed there to be enough contact on the man and not the ball to award a penalty. Thomas Ryall stepped up and slotted the ball past Jarvis to level the game at 3-3.

CSKA were struggling to contain a Wanderers team that now had the momentum and as they adopted a more aerial threat there was a lot of pressure that the CSKA back-line needed to absorb as the ball just wasn't cleared enough with ball retention going out of the window.

This prolonged pressure eventually told as a goal mouth scramble from a Wanderers free-kick saw Jarvis pull off a double save only for Andrew Robinson to fire home the loose ball. It was a gut-wrenching blow with less than 5 minutes remaining of the game. CSKA had surrendered a two-goal lead with half an hour remaining and were now staring defeat in the face.

In a desperate effort to try and salvage something from the game CSKA cranked up the pressure and piled bodies forward. As the clock wound down, it seemed like time was running out. A robust effort from Tom Frowen and Jack Gibbs on the right side saw them dispossess Wanderers' scorer Robinson on the edge of his own area. The ball was half-cleared only for a Lewis strike from range to be blocked.

The ball was then picked up by Jones on the edge of the area who played it out wide to Carter on the left flank. He jinxed inside with a bouncing ball before delivering a cross into the box that found Mckenzie. The striker took the ball down beautifully on his chest before drilling a shot across goal and into the Wanderers net to level the scores at 4-4. The referee blew for full time just seconds after the restart.

CSKA Manager Steve Day said "Wow, what an end to the game. It's one that has produced a mixed set of emotions. We felt overall that we'd done enough to win the game but then the injury to Huw kind of put a spanner in the works which Llanishen Wanderers took full advantage of. We didn't do ourselves any favours by getting sucked into an aerial and physical battle at 3-1 up and that dodgy period allowed them to get those two goals to claw their way back into the game.

"Still, the effort and determination the lads showed to get the goal at the end was superb and I don't think we'll see a better take down and finish from a player this season than the one Cai pulled off for the goal. I think before the game I'd have taken a draw given their current form but given how we played and the fact we were 3-1 up it does feel a little disappointing to only get a point. That said, the manner in how the point was earned at the end makes it feel a little sweeter.

He added "I'm very proud of these lads. We were missing a couple of players who have been key performers recently and the lads that came in did very well. Once again, our substitutes did a brilliant job when they came on and played their parts in us getting that equaliser. This is a proper squad where everyone is playing their part and long may it continue. Ceri coming down to record highlights even though he's injured sums up the strong squad spirit. Our unbeaten run extends to three games now and we'll do everything we can to keep that going."

CSKA Starting Line-Up

GK: Paul Jarvis

DR: Chris Lusted

DL: Huw Williams

DC: Jordan Lloyd (c)

DC: Owen Kingsbury

MR: Aiden Martin

ML: Cory Mackay

MC: Tom Frowen

MC: Sam Byrne

FC: Cai Mckenzie

FC: Owen Jones

Subs: Ed Lewis, Dan Carter, Jack Gibbs, and Owen Lewis (not used)

Goals: Owen Jones, Jordan Lloyd, Cory Mackay, and Cai Mckenzie

Assists: Owen Jones (2), Jordan Lloyd, and Dan Carter

Three Stars: Cai Mckenzie, Jordan Lloyd, and Owen Jones