Cefn Druids 1

Jd Welsh Cup

A MATTHEW Jones hat-trick against struggling Cefn Druids eased Aberystwyth into the next round of the Welsh Cup.

It was a good time to play the visitors who parted ways with their manager in midweek.

Niall McGuinness was appointed as the long-term successor to Bruno Lopes and penned a two-year contract but his time at the club has been brought to an end.

He left the club bottom of the table having lost all six of their opening games in the Cymru Premier.

No matter the opposition it was still an impressive performance by the Black and Greens following their Nathaniel Cup disappointment against Cardiff Met last Tuesday.

Aber now go to Saltney Town in the fourth round.

Manager Antonio Corbisiero said: “It was a massive result for us. The boys were very professional from the start.

“We were expecting a tough game. They are in a bit of a bad way at the moment with their manager leaving on the Thursday but we turned up and did the job.

“I’m very pleased for Matty for scoring the hat-trick as he works hard on things.”

Looking ahead to a tough test at The New Saints on Friday nigh, Corbisiero went on to say: “We can take a lot of positives going in to TNS on Friday night. It’s obviously a really tough game in front of us but we’re full of confidence and will be looking to get a positive result against them.”

Jones became the third Aberystwyth Town player to notch a hat-trick in this season’s Welsh Cup following Harry Franklin and Owain Jones’ exploits.

With Corbisiero naming an unchanged starting 11 from the side that defeated Newtown in their least league outing, Aber started the game brightly and carved out two good opportunities in the opening minutes, both falling to striker Raul Correia.

The former Bala man dragged a shot wide after a good interception from Jamie Veale inside the Druids half before some great work from Jones and Jack Rimmer saw him miss the target by a matter of inches.

The pressure was mounting and the Druids buckled on 17 minutes, keeper Gregor Zabret starting a swift counter attack which saw Owain Jones chip the onrushing Michael Jones in the visiting goal.

The Seasiders doubled their tally on the half hour, Jones from the spot after danger man Correia was felled by Pavel Vieira. And with almost the last kick of the half, Jones bagged his second with a thunderous strike from 25 yards after a half-cleared corner.

The Ancients pulled one back with 10 to go as Ben Wynne rolled the ball home from close range and they sensed they could push for the most unlikely of comebacks. But it gave the Black and Greens more space to attack with Jonathan Evans going close before the same man earned a late penalty, to give Jones his hat-trick goal.