ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 3 FLINT 1

IT was a case of third time lucky for Aberystwyth Town as they ended a hectic week with their first Cymru Premier win under manager Gavin Allen, when beating newcomers Flint Town United at Park Avenue on Friday evening.

After a narrow defeat to Cardiff Met, and a battling midweek draw away at Penybont, Allen’s young side showed superb resilience to come from behind to claim the victory with goals by Jonathan Evans, Matthew Jones and Lee Jenkins.

Connor Roberts, signed on loan from The New Saints, and Harri Rowe came into the starting side, ahead of Alex Pennock and Rhys Davies, and the Seasiders made a positive start.

They had strong case for a penalty when Jamie Veale was felled in the penalty area, but referee Rob Kenny, making his first appearance in the Cymru Premier, was uninterested.

Steff Davies, again proving a real handful up front, created a chance when he expertly dummied a long goal kick, allowing former Penrhyncoch teammate Jonathan Evans to go one-on-one, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

At the other end, Mark Cadwallader’s free header dropped narrowly over the bar, but on the half hour, Evans stung the palms of John Danby - and from the resulting corner, the keeper punched the ball to Matthew Jones, whose powerful right-footed volley hit the net, only to be ruled out by the linesman’s flag.

To compound Aber’s misery, just a minute later, Flint took the lead as a long ball over the top caused problems, and as Lee Jenkins failed to clear the ball a defensive mix-up saw Connor Harwood get in to slot into the home net.

Aber had a glorious chance to equalise when a free kick was met brilliantly by the head of skipper Marc Williams, but his powerful header cannoned off the bar, and Lee Jenkins fouled, before he could get in the rebound.

A minute before the break, however, Jones crossed the ball in from the left to Evans, who weaved between two defenders on the edge of the box and superbly curled a left-footed strike into the top corner of the net - to rapturous applause from those watching from outside the ground, and from his Dad’s open-top bus.

Allen’s side then made a blistering start to the second half as Davies was played through, but somehow Danby blocked with his legs. The Seasiders then took the lead on 49 minutes, however, when striker Davies was brought down inside the penalty box by Ben Nash, and Jones’ cool spot kick sent the keeper the wrong way.

Aber continued to dominate, with Evans seeing his shot well saved, and Jones blazing over the Dias stand, before the best chance saw Evans play in substitute Adam Davies, who squared the ball to skipper Williams, but his shot rolled agonisingly wide of the target.

The hosts got their crucial third goal on 66 minutes when a free-kick from Mathew Jones was cleared back out, and with Louis Bradford coming back from an offside position, Jones’ up-and-under found Aberaeron lad Lee Jenkins to sneak in and slot into the bottom corner.

Jenkins put in a superb last ditch tackle to stop Mark Cadwallader from halving the deficit, and Connor Roberts produced a smart stop to hold onto a rasping shot, but there were half chances for Williams, Jones and Jack Rimmer as Aber held out for a well deserved victory.

ABERYSTWYTH TOWN: C Roberts, L Bradford, H Rowe (R Davies 79 minutes), L Jenkins, M Jones, J Veale, M Williams, S Davies (A Davies 56’), J Evans (G Jones 89’), G Owen, J Rimmer. Substitutes: I Hughes, A Pennock (gk), R Ricketts, J Saunders.

FLINT TOWN: J Danby, W Baynes, B Nash, B Burrows, R Foulkes, A Titchiner, M Cadwallader (M Blackwell-Jones 57’), C Bratley, M Russell (D Elsey-McHugh 46’), C Harwood, D Thornton (T Kemp 69’). Subs not used: A Jones (gk), K Smyth.

PENYBONT 1 ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 1

LOUIS Bradford scored on his debut as Aberystwyth Town picked up their first point of the season with a determined 1-1 draw away against Penybont at the SDM Glass Stadium last Tuesday evening.

The TNS loanee’s 46th minute strike cancelled out Nathan Wood’s first half goal for the hosts, and after going down to 10 men in unfortunate circumstances on 82 minutes, Aber held on for a point.

With centre back Sam Barnes pulling up in the warm-up, the revamped back five of keeper Alex Pennock, Jack Rimmer, Lee Jenkins, Louis Bradford and Rhys Davies had an average age of just 19.

Gwion Owen covered every blade of artificial grass from the first whistle as Aber started brightly, and an excellent piece of skill from ex-Hereford left back Rhys Davies saw him cross to the powerful Steff Davies, whose header went wide.

With Owen being scythed to the ground several times, Jamie Veale delivered an indirect free-kick into the Bont area, which was smartly cleared - but it was Penybont who took the lead after 12 minutes.

After giving away possession on the right, Aber were punished as Kane Owen crossed in for Nathan Wood, who fired home past Pennock from 25 yards out.

Bont began to take charge, with former Aber winger Kostya Georgievsky firing a rasping effort just wide, before a ball over the top found the on-rushing striker Wood, who got the better of Jenkins, but fired his half-volley wide.

Bradford and Rimmer were booked by referee Bryn Markham-Jones, who also waved away a strong penalty shout from the visitors as Jonathan Evans was caught in the box by goalkeeper Ashley Morris.

Just two minutes into the second half, however, Aber were back on level terms as a corner was nodded down by Steff Davies and 18 year-old Bradford pounced to volley through a crowded six yard box.

Davies saw a glancing header painstakingly miss the post to double the lead, but a knock on a Bont player required treatment and slowed Aber’s momentum.

The final 30 minutes was a rollercoaster, with Pennock making an excellent stop to keep out Wood’s volley from the edge of the box, whilst another headed effort from Davies didn’t quite find the net.

Aber were getting on top as skipper Marc Williams chipped the on-rushing keeper, only for Morris to recover well, but on 82 minutes Mathew Jones was wrongfully sent off for a ‘second’ booking for a challenge on Lewis Clutton, having not already been shown a yellow card.

Down to 10 men, Aber were forced to hold on through four added minutes, as Penybont increased the pressure with a series of set-pieces, and Wood came closest to snatching all three points when he fired across goal in the dying seconds.

PENYBONT: A Morris, K Owen, A Evans, D Jefferies, M Davies (L Clutton 1 minute), K Georgievsky, L Harling, N Wood, O Dalton, L Baldwin (S Snaith 57 minutes), C Davies. Substitutes, not used: R Wilson (gk), S Goodwin, B Borge, I Emanuel, R Griffiths.

ABERYSTWYTH TOWN: A Pennock, L Bradford, L Jenkins, J Rimmer, M Jones, J Veale, M Williams, R Davies (R Ricketts 74’), S Davies (H Rowe 72’), J Evans, G Owen. Subs not used: I Hughes, A Davies, J Saunders, G Jones.