2023 Has been one of the best years for Cwmbran Celtic during their 11 seasons in FAW tier 2. They finished season 2022/23 in 8th place and have maintained that position at the half-way stage of the current season.
This season in the league the games have been incredibly tight, apart from the 3 draws, only one goal separating the teams in the other 12 games.
P W D L F A Pts
HOME 15 4 7 4 27 25 19
P W D L F A Pts
AWAY 15 7 1 7 35 29 22
P W D L F A Pts
TOTAL 30 11 8 11 62 54 41
We have had no problem finding the net, scoring in 31 out of 35 league & cup games, but we have only had 2 clean sheets out of 35. Not helped by the loss of central defenders Andrew Hewitt (with his job in New Zealand) and Jordan Meaney (retired). New recruits to the squad in 2023 were central defender Harrison Lewis and goalkeeper Iwan Hooper. We lost Josh Rippon at the end of last season to the USA but he returned to the fold in October. Josh Hinwood returned from a brief stint at Croesyceiliog and has secured a regular place in the squad. Also back with us is Alex Bonthron after his spell at Southern League Merthyr Town .
We have achieved some memorable away wins. 2-1 at Briton Ferry Llansawel, their only home league defeat of the season. 5-1 at Taffs Well where Lewis Iles scored 4 goals, and two successive wins at Cambrian & Clydach, always a tough place to get a result.
Earlier in the year we reached the quarter finals of the Welsh Cup for the 2nd time in our history before going out to the eventual winners The New Saints. In January we knocked out perennial giant killers Penydarren BGC away from home. This season was not so good – we were knocked out of all 3 cup competitions at the first attempt.
Some Stats
Most appearances in 2023 (league & cup) 33
Andrew Larcombe, Tom Meechan & Lewis Iles
Most goals in 2023 (league & cup)
19 Lewis Iles; Alex Bonthron 15
Alex has scored 9 goals in the last 7 successive league games of the year, and he finished the year equal top of the Cymru South goalscorers chart with 15 along with Luke Bowen of Briton Ferry. Tom Meechan is way out in front in the Cymru South assists this season with 12 making an incredible total of 19 for the year.
Finally, a big thank you to our management duo James Kinsella & Matthew Williams, along with Paul Evans at Afan Lido and Gruff Harrison at Ammanford, they are the longest serving management team in the Cymru South stretching back 94 league & cup games over 4 seasons to January 2020.
John Stockwell