JOHN Owen’s 74th minute strike earned Aberystwyth Town their first home win of the season at Park Avenue, to lift Neville Powell’s men out of the bottom two in the JD Welsh Premier League on Friday night.

It was a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win for the Seasiders against a side that were unbeaten in seven matches and flying high in fourth position in the league table, with their manager Hugh Griffiths being named as the Manager of the Month.

Looking to build on their 2-1 win at Prestatyn six days earlier, Aber started brightly on a rain-swept evening, with Owen starting as the lone striker and captain Jonny Spittle coming back into the heart of the defence after missing last weekend’s win through suspension.

Malcolm Melvin and Ryan Wade both looked sharp in the opening stages as the Seasiders searched for the breakthrough, but it was their full back Declan Walker who went closest to opening the scoring.

After a marauding run down the right flank, Walker cut inside the penalty area and fired a low shot towards the bottom corner, but Druids’ keeper Michael Jones saved brilliantly with his outstretched leg.

The visitors were next to go close as first Ilan ap Gareth and then Ashley Ruane both forced fine saves from home keeper Chris Mullock, but midway through the half, Aber began to dominate possession.Walker got on the end of Ashley Young’s free kick, only to head over the bar, and Ryan Wade sent an inviting cross into the penalty box, which the energetic Matthew Jones was inches from connecting with.

At the start of the second half, Walker went close for a third time when he headed wide from a corner, and on 52 minutes the ball somehow stayed out of the Druids goal as Matthew Jones first saw his goal-bound shot blocked, and then saw his header fly inches wide of the far post.

Druids were restricted to very few chances as Aber’s Ashley Young and Malcolm Melvin marshalled the midfield, and the central defensive trio of Ryan Wollacott, Spittle and John McKenna snuffed out any dangers posed by the strike partnership of Ashley Ruane and Lewis Buckley.

It looked as if it might be one of those nights for Aber, but on 74 minutes they finally got the breakthrough they deserved.

Ashley Young lofted a free kick into the penalty area and after winning the first header, Owen volleyed home a left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the net.

The Seasiders continued to boss the game as Luke Borrelli tested keeper Michael Jones with a long-range shot, before both Wade and Owen caused major problems for the visitors’ defence with some weaving runs into the penalty area.

Powell’s men defended their lead brilliantly as Borrelli made way for Joe Phillips, and the game headed into the final five minutes. Druids tried their best to pressurise the home defence with long balls into the penalty area, but captain Spittle led the back line superbly as Aber held out for back to back league wins.

ABERYSTWYTH: C Mullock, D Walker, J Spittle, J McKenna, R Wollacott, M Melvin, M Jones, R Wade, J Owen, A Young, L Borrelli (J Phillips 90). Subs: L Jenkins, H Horwood, C Hobson, H Rowe, J Rimmer, L Doherty.

CEFN DRUIDS: M Jones, N Arsan, M Eckersley, N Peate, A Mudimu, A Ruane (A Piskorski 72’), A Simpson, I ap Gareth (J Davies 55’), L Buckley, N Ashton, R Pryce. Subs: K Parle, A Hesp, J Taylor. Att: 373.