After leading the JD Cymru Premier table toppers and Champions elect The New Saints for half of the game, thanks to Mark Cadwallader’s third minute header, Aber Town eventually succumbed as goals from sub Dan Davies (45+7 mins), Brad Young (penalty, 57 mins) and Josh Daniels (74 minutes) swung the game decisively in TNS’ favour at a chilly Park Avenue on Tuesday night.

Aberystwyth Town 1 The New Saints 3, JD Cymru Premier,

The club was delighted to see pupils of Ysgol Talybont leading the players out as mascots, and the youngsters were entertained.

The Black and Greens had two players suspended and two more ineligible, and Young had already had a shot blocked and Ben Clark fired wide when Aber’s Luca Hogan surged down the right wing to earn a corner, and Cadwallader was on the spot to nip in in front of his marker and nod home Alex Darlington’s cute corner, creating consternation in the Dias Stand!

This unexpected scenario guaranteed an away dominance of possession as the hosts dropped back deep to brilliantly defend the lead they had earned.

Dave Jones in Aber’s goal saved Dan Redmond’s low shot, then Clark went wide again and the rapid Adrian Cieslewicz turned on the afterburners but was denied by Jones for a corner.

Clark and Young were next to miss the target for TNS, with Aber’s belief growing, through the commitment of Akeem Hinds, Harry Owen, Louis Bradford and Liam Walsh across the back four.

Blaine Hudson headed over, then wide, and then the hosts threatened again from a Darlington delivery when evergreen Steff Davies saw an attempt blocked.

Jordan Williams headed wide, then brought another save out of Jones, who made another brilliant stop to parry Chris Marriott’s free kick to safety, but then right at the end of six minutes of injury time somehow the ball ran kindly for Davies to slot home from the right channel to equalise and deny Aber what would have been a super half time break.

The pattern of the second half did not change too much from the first: TNS completely dominated the play but made their numerically much fewer chances count.

Hudson sent another attempt wide but then the Champs got a big slice of luck when the ball hit Harry Owen on the arm in the box and a penalty was awarded.

Young buried the spot kick and now Aber were up against it.

Redmond had a shot blocked then Williams somehow hit the crossbar from close range, before Daniels ended the game as a contest by nodding in a near post corner from Marriott’s delivery.

Young Academy products Rhys Jenkins and Tom Mason made an impression when they came on, and Mason was nearly set up by Cadwallader and Owen Taylor in a rare chance for the homesters.

Next to come on were brothers Isaac and Reuben Pridmore, and Aber survived an onslaught of late pressure to restrain the champs to a 3-1 victory which they surely deserved on the balance of play.

Once again Lady Luck abandoned the Black and Greens who seem to have ended up with much less over the past four tough home games than they have deserved.

Town’s away form appears much better in 2023/24 so maybe Anthony Williams’ men will be glad to visit Cardiff Met on Saturday (ko 2.30pm) for a JD Cymru Premier game which always gets the Green Army singing.

Report: ATFC