A BREAKAWAY injury time goal ensured a flattering 3-1 scoreline for Port Talbot at Park Avenue, but defensive mistakes and a failure to make their pressure count left Aber’s hopes of qualifying for the top six hanging by a thread.

Two goals midway through the first half by Jonathan Hood and Kostya Georgievsky left Aber chasing the game, and after Cledan Davies had pulled a goal back with 19 minutes to go, they were hit with a sucker punch when Chris Jones broke away from an Aber set-piece to score their 94th minute clincher.

Successive home defeats against Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Port Talbot mean that the Seasiders remain eighth in the table, with one game to go until the league split.

New signing from Penrhyncoch, Jonathan Evans, went straight into the starting line-up, along with the returning Rhys Griffiths, as Aber looked to boost their top six hopes.

Evans had the first shot saved by ex-Aber keeper Steve Cann, but in a desperately open game the visitors went close as James Loveridge shot straight at Mike Lewis from a good position, and Chris Jones also fired a shot just wide from distance.

An excellent break up the right by Geoff Kellaway then led to Chris Venables attempting an audacious lob, but Cann just about managed to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Evans then burst through to lob the ball over Cann, but was called offside - but two goals in five minutes ultimately cost Aber the game.

Georgievsky sent over a left wing cross which fell to Hood at the far post, and his scuffed shot trickled just inside the post for the visitors’ opening goal after 17 minutes.

Five minutes later, Cann gathered the ball from an Aber corner, and his long kick found Georgievsky, who got the better of Craig Williams to place the ball through the legs of Lewis for the second goal.

Aber looked to hit back as a Craig Williams cross was headed just wide by striker Griffiths, and Venables saw a free kick cleared, before the ball found its way to Evans who saw his shot come back off the post.

Lewis had to parry another effort from Hood wide, and despite more late pressure Aber could not make the breakthrough before half time.

Aber came out firing in the second half with sub Cledan Davies sending in dangerous crosses, and Griffiths heading agonizingly wide.

Lewis made a brilliant save to deny Loveridge in a one on one, but Evans had another shot cleared off the line, before Venables fired over, and Antonio Corbisiero shot wide.

Finally, with 19 minutes to go, a long kick from keeper Lewis went straight through to Cledan Davies, who touched the ball past Cann to reignite the Seasiders’ hopes.

Further pressure saw Lee Surman fire over from a promising position, and then nobody was able to connect with Kellaway’s brilliant cross.

Evans saw a half volley clear the crossbar, Venables had a shot blocked, and then in injury time Griffiths headed the ball into the net, but it was disallowed for offside.

In the fourth minute of injury time Aber threw everyone forward for a free kick, including keeper Lewis, but Talbot broke quickly and Chris Jones beat Corbisiero on the goalline to fire into the exposed net.

ABERYSTWYTH TOWN: M Lewis, A Corbisiero, S Jones, L Surman, G Kellaway, C Venables, C Williams, S James, J Evans, L Jaques (C Davies 46 minutes), R Griffiths. Substitutes not used: W Thomas, J Rimmer, T Jones.

PORT TALBOT TOWN: S Cann, J Parry (R Kostromin 61), J Clarke, J Jones, M Long, P Fowler, C Jones, J Hood, K Georgievsky, M Rose, J Loveridge (J Hartson 83). Sub not used: C McFenton. Attendance: 204. Referee: Lee Evans.