IT was a happy return to Park Avenue for Christian Edwards as his Cardiff Met side consolidated their place in the top half in the Dafabet Welsh Premier League with a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Aberystwyth Town.

The former Swansea City, Nottingham Forest and Bristol Rovers defender, who played over 90 times for the Seasiders, as well as having spells as assistant and caretaker manager, has guided his enthusiastic team of students into a top six position at the first attempt.

Having already been consigned to the bottom half of the table at the league split, Aber’s spirits had been dampened in the pouring rain as Adam Roscrow gave the Met a very timely lead on the stroke of half time.

A Kyle McCarthy penalty sealed the win early in the second half, after livewire Jordan Lam had been felled in the penalty box, to condemn Aber to back-to-back home defeats in 2017.

Aber manager Matthew Bishop had made changes to his starting line-up, with new signing Jamie Crowther and local youngster Jack Rimmer being introduced into the midfield.

Early chances saw Aber shot-stopper Chris Mullock brilliantly deny Roscrow early on, but at the other end a spell of pressure in front of the Dias Stand lead to Luke Borrelli swivelling on a sixpence and sending in a low shot which bounced off the post.

A tight game between two committed sides was a good watch, without producing too many clear chances, but Mullock was again called on to deny Jordan Lam from close range.

A series of Aber corner kicks were cleared, and Borrelli then tried an audacious lob from almost 40 yards out, but his effort was blown off course.

Aber were also denied a crucial chance when Kostya Georgievsky was surely fouled in the Archers’ area, but the young flier was himself penalised, and then Jon Owen earned a good chance with an interception, but was denied at the last minute.

Town still had grounds for optimism as half-time approached, but then in injury time, up popped Roscrow from the right flank to blast home a cruel opener for Cardiff Met.

Small margins decide tight games and after Mullock had done well to tip over Elliot Evans’ free kick, Met got their key break on 53 minutes.

Lam went down in the left side of the area, under a challenge by Kurtis March, and Kyle McCarthy converted the spot kick to double the lead.

From this point on the visitors’ confidence visibly grew, just as Aber’s faded, with Roscrow firing over after a good combination with Charlie Corsby, before also heading a right wing cross wide soon afterwards.

Aber were finding it hard to test a defence that was well marshalled by local lad Emlyn Lewis, from Aberaeron, yet Rimmer had a shot charged down, and stand-in captain Ryan Wollacott sliced wide from a corner.

Borrelli also had an effort blocked for Aber, before Luke Sherbon, after stepping off the bench, brought a save from Will Fuller with a header.

Chris Jones was also introduced on the hour and he soon looked a threat as he forced a block, before Sam Rodon was also denied by keeper Fuller.

Met’s Lewis headed wide from a cross by Elliot Evans, who twice more tested Mullock in the closing stages.

At the other end Jones curled a shot over the crossbar for Aber, but this game was already well beyond them.

ABERYSTWYTH TOWN: C Mullock, C Davies, S Rodon, J Crowther, J Owen, L Borrelli, R Wollacott, J Rimmer (L Sherbon 61), K Georgievsky (J Crowl 90), K March, E Scotcher (C Jones 61).

CARDIFF MET: W Fuller, J Letori, K McCarthy, B Woolridge, E Lewis (L Black 90), J Barnett, E Evans, C Baker, A Roscrow (J Littlemore 71), C Corsby, J Lam (D Spencer 81’). Subs not used: G Emanuel, C Willis. Ref: I Griffith. Att: 343.