ABERYSTWYTH Town’s hopes of repeating last season’s run to the JD Welsh Cup Final ended with a 3-1 defeat to Nathaniel MG Cup winners Cardiff Met at Park Avenue - making it seven successive defeats for Neville Powell’s men.

Ryan Wollacott had headed Aber into a 15th minute lead, but it wasn’t enough for the Seasiders to prevail as goals from Will Evans on 27 minutes and Chris Baker on 64 turned the tables, before Adam Roscrow’s last minute goal saw the students through to the quarter-finals.

Playing in a new formation, with Mattie Jones and Declan Walker back in from suspension - and handing debuts to goalkeeper Callum Preston and centre back John Shaw, Aber had started strongly.

With Walker and Mattie Jones delivering good balls in from the flanks, the hosts took a deserved lead when Jones’ free kick was glanced home by Wollacott.

A second goal looked a possibility for Aber, but then came a hammer blow as a long ball forward found Evans in Aber’s box, and he turned his defender before smashing the ball low into the home net.

Back came Aber with Joe Phillips curling wide, whilst Walker had a shot blocked and Geoff Kellaway tested visiting goalkeeper Fuller with a low drive.

Evans knocked a ball over the top for Met in injury time, but Aber had made a positive first half performance, for which their 1-1 scoreline was scant reward.

A fairly quiet start to the second half ensued, and Phillips again fired wide, but then on 64 minutes the game’s momentum changed in a heartbeat when Roscrow’s right wing cross was too sharp for Preston, and Baker pounced on the rebound to put the visitors ahead.

Roscrow fired just wide, but back came the Seasiders as Walker hit the side-netting at the back post from Jones’ free kick.

The influential Roscrow then weaved through the home defence before coming within an inch of scoring, and then Preston did well to deny Rhydian Morgan when Met looked sure to score.

Paolo Mendes just failed to get on the end of Steff Edwards’ tempting ball into the box, and then on full time Roscrow followed up his own shot which came off the post to score the students’ third goal from a narrow margin to seal victory.

Aber were denied a penalty shout in injury time, but the result was a fair one based on the second half performances.

ABERYSTWYTH: C Preston, W Baynes, R Wollacott, J Shaw, G Kellaway (A Ruane 74’), P Mendes, P Ahmadi, D Walker, R Edwards (S Edwards 82’), M Jones, J Phillips (N Blake 65’). Subs not used: L Jenkins, C Morgan.

CARDIFF MET: W Fuller, D Rees, K McCarthy, B Woolridge, E Lewis, C Baker (D Phillips 78’), A Roscrow, C Corsby, W Evans, J Edwards, R Morgan. Substitutes not used: G Williams, L Black, T Parker, A Lang.

Attendance: 159. Referee: Cheryl Foster.