ABERGAVENNY Town have one more game left before a nervous wait to see whether they keep their status in the Floodlighting and Electrical Services Ardal South East League, reports STUART TOWNSEND.
The Pennies and Abertillery Bluebirds could not be separated on Friday night as they played out a goalless draw at the Pen-y-Pound Stadium.
But with both teams really needing the three points to pull away from the drop zone, it proved a repeat of the reverse fixture three weeks earlier at Cwm Nant Y Groes, with neither side able to break the deadlock.
Abergavenny Town striker Curtis Methven's header from a 10th-minute free-kick into the penalty area was saved by Bluebirds goalkeeper Andrew Hargreaves before Hishi Lama went close for Town with a 20-yard free-kick.
The visitors responded when Ben Taylor shot across the face of goal in the 19th minute before Richard Crees' header came back off the bar from a corner two minutes later.
Harrison Reynolds next drove towards the Bluebirds' penalty area in the 33rd minute but could only direct his shot straight into the arms of Hargreaves, before Crees went close with a header seven minutes later from another free-kick.
Abergavenny's last opportunity of the first half then saw Dylan Davies' effort from the edge of the penalty area blocked following Methven's cross from out on the right.
After the restart, Lama's header four minutes into the second period from a cross on the right was turned over the bar by Hargreaves.
Pennies substitute Charlie Davies then cut inside from out on the left but was unable to keep his effort on target as Aber pushed for that elusive opener.
Mackenzie Chadwick's 66th-minute volley was deflected behind for a corner before Hargreaves was rescued by one of his defenders 13 minutes later, after dropping a quickly-taken free-kick before seeing the ball cleared off the line.
Substitute Keane Royal's 85th-minute shot on the turn was pushed behind by Hargreaves before Bluebirds substitute Alfie Shaw was played through right on 90 minutes only for veteran custodian Ashley Morris to make a crucial save to keep the Pennies on level terms.
Town had the final opportunity to win the game in stoppage-time, a clearance from Morris headed into the path of Methven, but the former Bluebirds striker fired over from the edge of the penalty area.
Abergavenny welcome bottom side Treharris Athletic in their final fixture on Friday night (April 18), with both teams desperate for the three points.
The Pennies, fifth from bottom five points above the drop zone, will then face a nervous wait hoping the teams below them with games in hand can’t find enough points to overhaul them.
Elsewhere, Blaenavon Blues lost 1-0 at home to mid-table Undy, but stayed sixth courtesy of second-placed Chepstow Town downing seventh-placed visitors Brecon Corries 4-1.
The game was won with a wonderful 25-yard left-footed strike from the right by Undy's Daniel Jarman just before the hour mark, their win securing league safety.
Blues dominated possession in the final quarter and got the ball in the net from a goalmouth scramble only for it to be ruled offside, with Alex Berrow's opportunity also superbly saved by the Undy keeper.
Goytre kept their hopes of a top-three finish alive with a 2-0 win away to Treharris, Dan Paul set up to score the first by Chris Hajgato six minutes into the second half before providing an opening for former Newport County starlet Alfie Young to add the second on 71 minutes.
The win leaves them fifth seven points behind third-placed Caldicot with four games in hand.