Aberystwyth Town Cup: Sons Of Pitches 15-3 We Hate Ben

We Hate Ben restarted their cup campaign with their first match of 2010, having not played a competitive match since November. A resounding defeat was the result of the lack of match fitness and cohesion in the side as Sons Of Pitches tore them apart.

Alex MacDonald, back in the managerial hot seat for his first match since returning to duty, lined up with a 4-4-2 formation. With some notable missing players including first-choice goalkeeper Nathan Leach and the Man of the Match of the last fixture Adam Smith, the team also contained two injury-related changes.

The team looked notably nervous in the opening exchanges and Pitches dominated, with their slick passing movement from left to right in midfield and attack. The WHB midfield struggled to cope with their ability and this showed as the defence was constantly under pressure. This was telling as Pitches took the lead early on and doubled then tripled their lead with only fifteen minutes or so on the clock.

WHB looked to be in deep trouble then but James Peate managed to grab a goal back which for a brief period seems to spark the side out of their poor performance until Pitches scored again, adding two more before the break with a beleaguered WHB trudging off to face the music, 6-1 down after 45 minutes. James Naik made a couple of first-half saves and a goal line clearance from Dave Norbury keeping the score down.

After half-time WHB improved slightly with Cei Whitehouse being replaced with Dave Turvill, Jack Thomas moving to right-back and and Hywel Williams back to centre-midfield. James Peate's run was ended by a trip from the opposition, and Williams stepped up for the penalty to dispatch the ball coolly to the bottom right. WHB now had a bit more about them and looked to work the ball, but that all ended when the unlucky Dave Norbury, who apart from stand-in goalkeeper James Naik came out of the match with any credit, gave away a penalty. Naik dived the correct way but couldn't keep it out with his right hand. The look on the players faces said it all as the wind had been knocked out of them, and the team gave away eight second-half goals. Substitutions had been made but had little effect, while Williams provided very little consolation with his second.

After the game some fans have called for a change in management due to the result ending any dreams of a cup run and the abject nature of the defeat, but the club are believed to be willing to give MacDonald a chance to improve results - considering that this was his first game in charge against a team who have had a lot of recent success.

MacDonald was unavailable for comment after the match but is believed to horrified by the result and performance.

Team (4-4-2)

Naik - Whitehouse, Rees, Webster, Norbury - Edgerley, J. Thomas, M. Davies, Sermon - Williams, Peate.

Subs: (used) Shaw, Fleming, P. Thomas, Egbeyemi, Turvill (unused) None.

Goals: Williams 2 (1 Pen), Peate.

Man of the match: Naik