IT was a week of mixed fortunes for Aberystwyth Town as they followed up the euphoria of their 5-0 midweek win at Carmarthen Town with a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Cardiff Met last weekend.

A Geoff Kellaway hat-trick gave Matthew Bishop’s men a very timely boost on Tuesday, after four heavy defeats, but a wonder strike from Chris Baker brought them back down to earth on Saturday.

“I thought it was a poor goal from our point of view, we’ve switched off and haven’t dealt with it very well,” reflected the Aber manager.

“I’ll have a look at it before I point any fingers, but I’m bitterly disappointed with the goal really.

“Take that goal away and we’d have come away with the point.

“It was disappointing because it one was step forward on Tuesday, and now it’s two steps back again.”

Aber were boosted last week by the signing of keeper Chris Mullock on loan from The New Saints, but with forward Luke Borrelli suspended, Aber also lost Kellaway through injury last weekend.

Bishop said: “We’ve got one or two injuries, and Geoff has had to come off with a thigh problem.

“He wanted to give it a go, but it wasn’t right, and after six minutes we’ve had to make that change.

“We had to manage Sherbs (Luke Sherbon) throughout the game as best we could, and Luke Borrelli wasn’t available, which I think was a big miss for us from Tuesday.”

He added: “We had chance in the first half, Sherbs has hit the crossbar but we just couldn’t finish off.

“One goal was always probably going to decide the game, and unfortunately for us, it was for them.

“I still think we could have got something out of the game today.

“But we were poor in the final third. The energy and spark we had on Tuesday wasn’t there, and now we’ve got to find a way back.”

With three wins and six defeats in the league, Aber need points.

They complete a challenging run of 10 consecutive league matches away from Park Avenue with a ‘home’ fixture against The New Saints at Newtown this Saturday.

With anticipation growing for the first game on their new 3G pitch on Friday, 14 October against Rhyl, Aber also travel to Haverfordwest in the Nathaniel Cup on Tuesday.

“It’s going to be difficult for us against TNS again, we’ll see where we are in training and try to get a few people back,” said Bishop.CARDIFF MET 1 ABERYSTWYTH TOWN 0

CHRIS Baker’s spectacular 62nd minute looping volley was enough for Cardiff Met to claim their win, and it was a rare moment of quality in a low key match which brought Aber back down to Earth after Tuesday’s heroics at Carmarthen.

Already missing the suspended Luke Borrelli, Aber were dealt a tough blow after just six minutes when midweek hat-trick star Geoff Kellaway was forced off with a thigh injury - but they still looked the better side before the break.

Chris Jones turned to set up sub Blake Davies, but his shot went wide, and Jonathan Evans cut inside to shoot over, before captain Luke Sherbon, who was playing through the pain of injury, rattled the bar with a sumptuous volley.

At the other end Davies headed Charlie Corsby’s effort clear, but back came Aber as Jones sent a thrilling free kick fizzing just over.

Sherbon too saw a header cleared off the line, and Evans tested keeper Will Fuller with a low strike.

Just before the break a lovely move by Met saw Adam Roscrow screw his shot wide, and Aber ended the half ahead on points, but level on goals scored, nil-nil.

If Aber fans harboured a niggling feeling that their side might regret not scoring when they were on top, they were proved right in the second half as Aber’s levels dropped.

Roscrow brought a save out of keeper Chris Mullock with a low strike from out on the right, but then sub Baker found some space out on the left edge of the area and curled in a right footed pearler, which lifted over Mullock and into the net to open the scoring.

In response, Chris Jones galloped down the left, but Fuller parried his shot for a corner, before Ricky Watts also tested the home keeper.

Mullock made an excellent save to deny Roscrow, who looked certain to score, and John Littlemore also tested the Aber keeper’s handiwork with his looping header.

At the other end Jones sent a 25 yarder wide for Aber, but Mullock still needed to show good agility to deny Jordan Lam’s left footed strike as Christian Edwards’ side held firm for a third straight win.

CARDIFF MET: W Fuller, J Letori, K McCarthy, B Woolridge, E Lewis, B Bowler (C Baker 52), D Spencer (E Evans 55’), W Evans, A Roscrow (J Littlemore 70), C Corsby, J Lam. Subs not used: L Black, C Willis (gk).

ABERYSTWYTH: C Mullock, R Watts, W Bell, J Clarke, G Kellaway (B Davies 7), L Sherbon (S Rodon 85’), G Walters, R Wollacott, J Evans, K March (K Georgievsky 79), C Jones. Subs not used: L Coyle. Attendance: 412..