ABERYSTWYTH Town’s interim manager Wyn Thomas felt that fortune was against his side as a hat-trick from ex-Seasider Mark Jones, including two penalties, saw Carmarthen twice hit back to secure the spoils at Park Avenue on Saturday.

Aber had lead twice through well-taken goals by Rhys Griffiths and Geoff Kellaway, but never really hit the heights of the previous weeks’ three-match winning run - and the visitors capitalised fully on Griffiths being shown a red card on the hour to secure a crucial victory.

“It’s disappointing”, said Thomas after the game. “The players did very well, they worked hard for each other, but we are disappointed with the goals we conceded. Football can be very cruel.”

After wins over Port Talbot, Rhyl and Haverfordwest, an unchanged Aber went into the match in good heart, whilst Carmarthen were playing only their second game in six weeks.Neither side looked capable of creating any serious attacking threat in the early stages and it was not until the 16th minute that Lewis Harling fired a 15 yard shot just wide of the goal.

The visitors increasingly stepped up their pressure and Kyle Bassett turned smartly to fire a crisp close-range strike narrowly wide.

On 25 minutes, the visitors appealed for a penalty when Bassett appeared to be brought down by a lunging tackle from defender Stuart Jones - but their shouts were waved away.

Carmarthen kept their composure and when Liam Thomas headed the ball back to Harling, he saw his 15 yard effort fly just wide of goal.

Despite some promising approach play, Aber had been unable to trouble the home defence - but they then snatched the lead on 42 minutes.

Jonathan Evans lifted a long cross from the right over to the far side of the penalty area to reach Craig Williams, who sent the ball back into the goalmouth, where Rhys Griffiths leapt above Dwaine Bailey to powerfully head home.

After the interval Carmarthen forced a series of corners and were rewarded in the 51st minute as Harling played the ball across to Jones, who expertly swept it beyond the reach of Mike Lewis and into the far corner of the net.

Harling then saw a close-range looping header sail narrowly over the bar, and moments later Morgan’s cross drifted wide of the far post.

Then on 61 minutes, Aber received a major setback when big striker Griffiths received a second yellow card for kicking out at his close marker Bailey, and Aber were down to 10 men.

Within three minutes, however, Aber were suddenly back in front - and again Williams was the creator as he sent in a dangerous cross to Geoff Kellaway, who turned superbly under pressure from Jordan Knott, before striking a smart angled drive past keeper Lee Idzi.

Carmarthen responded immediately with the impressive Harling cutting inside from the left, before firing narrowly too over the crossbar.

From the ensuing corner-kick Dave Vincentt’s header crashed against the bar, but Knott pounced on the loose ball and his cute back-heel beat keeper Lewis for the equaliser.

Ten-man Aber battled on, but on 80 minutes Knott’s 20 yard volley was deemed to have been handled inside the box by Chris Venables, and Jones confidently converted the spot-kick.

The Seasiders threw players forward, but were increasingly vulnerable at the back - and when Bassett’s brilliant cross-field found Jones in the clear he raced into the penalty area.

Aber keeper Lewis came out off his line and brought him down - and the striker stepped up to score his second spot-kick down the middle, to complete a hat-trick against his old club.

ABERYSTWYTH: M Lewis, A Corbisiero, C Davies (R Batley 84 minuutes), S Jones, L Surman, G Kellaway, C Venables, C Williams, S James, J Evans, R Griffiths. Unused substitutes: R Stephens, J Rimmer, T Jones, L Jaques, N Blake, K Owen.

CARMARTHEN: L Idzi, D Sheehan, J Knott, D Vincent, D Bailey, K Bassett, C Morgan, L Harling, M Jones, L Thomas, C Hanford (L Prosser 70). Subs: D Thomas, G Fearn, J Kirkwood, J White. Att: 189.