Hay St Mary’s turned on the style on Saturday afternoon as they defeated Aberaeron Town 8-1 at Forest Road to move to the summit of the MMP with Norman Lloyd Central Wales League (South) on goal difference from previous incumbents Llanilar, who drew 3-3 with Tregaron Turfs.

However, it was visitors from Ceredigion who opened the scoring in the first minute of the match, when Rob Snedden was caught in possession and Ianto ap Dafydd Evans took advantage to slot home past Ewan Peel in the home goal.

Hay St Mary’s looked to bounce back from the shock start as Jack Biggs fired wide of goal in the eighth minute before leading scorer Matty Tong had an effort on target blocked two minutes later following a cross from out of the left.

The Saints were back on level terms in the 11^th minute when Tong netted with a cool finish after being picked out by Snedden.

The former Llandrindod Wells striker nearly put his team ahead straight after the restart but fired wide of the target after being put through on goal.

Tong eventually doubled his personal tally after 20 minutes to put the hosts ahead with a low 25 yard effort that found the bottom corner of the net.

Home skipper Liam Mcanally headed wide of the far post from a 24^th minute corner before Hay St Mary’s extended their advantage two minutes later when Ricky Lynes saw his low 25 yard effort slip through the hands of Simon Tinney in the Seasiders’ goal.

Snedden tried his luck from around 30 yards on the half-hour mark before Callum Maddy went close from a similar distance two minutes later.

Tong completed his hat-trick in the 33rd minute after driving into the penalty area when played in on goal by the hard-working Curtis Bounds to hand his team a healthy lead.

Tong had a snapshot from the edge of the penalty area parried by Tinney seven minutes later before Lynes put the loose ball wide of goal from close range.

The opening period concluded with the Breconshire club nearly adding a fifth goal when Biggs saw his header from a 45^th minute blocked on the line to the relief of the visitors.

Hay St Mary’s extended their lead eight minutes into the second half when Lynes netted his second goal of the afternoon when a corner was only partially cleared by the Aberaeron Town defence.

The visitors had a rare sight of goal in the 58^th minute when home custodian Ewan Peel parried a 20 yard effort by goal scorer Evans before Endaf Williams drilled his ensuing effort wide of the target.

Tong saw a header cleared off the line from a corner eight minutes later before Lynes saw his close-range effort turned behind for a corner by Tinney, after running on to a Biggs through ball, before Liam Mcanally went close from the ensuing set-piece.

Evans pulled his shot from the edge of the penalty area wide of Peel’s goal in the 74^th minute as the Seasiders looked to gain some consolation from a tough afternoon at Forest Road.

Tong scored his fourth goal of the afternoon four minutes later, after being found by substitute Curtis Williams and cutting in from the right flank, before drilling a low shot past Tinney. Lynes was denied by the overworked Seasiders’ custodian in the 80^th minute before man of the match, Jack Biggs netted the goal that his outstanding performance deserved as he headed home from Lynes’ corner just a minute later.

Matty Meredith advanced into the Aberaeron Town penalty area two minutes later before striking a low shot past Tinney after running onto a through ball from the outstanding Biggs.

The former Llanidloes Town player thundered a shot on the turn against the crossbar in the 86^th minute before Tong nearly went nap in the final minute of normal time but fired wide of the target when through on goal

However, the Saints had already done more than enough to secure the points ahead of their bank holiday derby at Presteigne St Andrews.

Two late goals gave Tregaron Turfs a share of the spoils after trailing hosts Llanilar 3-1 on the hour mark.

Jamie Stuart gave Llan the lead on 25 minutes with Dylan Davies equalising 10 minutes later.

Stuart bagged his brace on the stroke of half time and they went further ahead through Osian Simpson Jones.

Ryan Davies pulled one back from the penalty spot on 73 minutes with Liam Jones completing the comeback in the closing stages.

Radnor Valley beat Presteigne St Andrews 8-0 on Friday evening.