BLAENAVON Blues secured a commanding 3-0 home win over bottom half rivals Abertillery Bluebirds to move eight points clear of the Ardal South East drop zone on Saturday.

A Blues player shields the ball under pressure from a Bluebird. Photo: Andrew Rees
A Blues player shields the ball under pressure from a Bluebird. (Andrew Rees)

Alex Berrow fired Blues in front just before the break, and two more quality strikes within five minutes of the restart from the influential Bailey Perry and then from youngster Brandon Williams put the hosts firmly in the driving seat.

Blues players celebrate a goal against the Bluebirds
Blues players celebrate against the Bluebirds. (Andrew Rees)

Victory lifted them to 11th, level on points with their opponents.

Heads you win as a Blues player jumps for the ball
Heads you win as a Blues player jumps for the ball (Andrew Rees)

Fifth-placed Abergavenny 1st XI weren't in action, but the FAW South East table-topping 2nds were brought down to earth by a 3-0 home loss to third-placed Cwmbran Celtic 2nds, all the goals coming in the second half.

Goytre's top team a place behind in sixth also had their feet up, while their 2nds also missed out 2-0 at home to second-placed Newport Corinthians on Friday night.

Elsewhere, mid-table Clydach Wasps enjoyed a thumping 5-0 home win over lowly Wattsville in the Gwent Premier top tier, Ben Sherman firing a brace, backed by strikes from Corey Paton, Rudi Richards and Nick Francis.

Brynmawr United fired a magnificent seven to dispatch visitors Usk Town 7-2 in the Gwent Amateur Cup, going 3-0 up in 23 minutes and then firing another four in 15 minutes either side of half-time.

Harvey Miles scored a hat-trick, with Rob Mackenzie, Damien Watkins, Lance Lewis and Liam Davies from the spot also on target, while Gene Gurie and Mark Davies scored Usk's consolations.

Nantyglo also won by the same score at home to Graig Villa Dino, six goals coming in the last eight minutes of play.

Glo led 3-0 at half-time, but didn't score again until the 88th minute which was followed immediately by a fifth and then two more in stoppage time.

The drama wasn't over, as the visitors then converted a penalty and added a second right from kick-off, with Glo's scorers Ross Hancock with a brace, Ross Davies, Dwain Hunt, Carwyn Dawkins, Jackson Thomas and Twm Maloney.

Crickhowell crashed out though, 2-0 at Pontypool Town, which proved the same score for their fourth-placed 2nds in Gwent Central 1 away to third-placed Talgarth Town.

Glascoed made it 10 out of 10 in Gwent Central 2 however, as they marched on at the top of the table with a 5-1 win away to Fairfield 2nds, Dawson Stubbs with a brace backed by strikes from Shane Davies, Kevin Andrews and Andrew Lewis.

But Clydach 2nds slipped from second to third after losing out in a 6-4 goal fest away to Prescoed, Kyle Cheshire and Ellis Owens both with braces.

Abergavenny Town 1sts will be back in Ardal South East action this Friday (December 6) under the Pen-Y-Pound lights when they welcome bottom two side Treharris Athletic Western.

Fixtures on Saturday (December 7) include – Chepstow Town v Blaenavon Blues, Undy v Goytre, Cwmbran Celtic 2nds v Abergavenny Town 2nds, Goytre 2nds v Caldicot Town 2nds, Coed Eva Athletic v Clydach Wasps, FC Tredegar v Nantyglo, Brynmawr United v Pontnewynydd, Crickhowell v Cwmcarn Athletic, Pontypool Town v Usk Town, Forgeside v New Inn Dev, Race v Crickhowell 2nds, Mardy 2nds v Forgeside 2nds, Prescoed v Glascoed, Usk Town 2nds v Pontnewynydd 2nds.