JD Cymru South

Abergavenny Town FC 0 Cambrian & Clydach Vale 2

ABERGAVENNY Town held out for 50 minutes with 10 men before succumbing to two late goals and another sending off in the dying minutes.

Having lost 6-0 away to Cambrian & Clydach Vale in JD Cymru seven days earlier, the Pennies were determined to give a better account of themselves against the same JD Cymru South outfit a week later under the Pen-Y-Pound lights on Friday.

But things became much tougher 10 minutes before half-time when Blake Tovey was shown a straight red card.

Yet with Town No 1 Josh Winstone (right) in fine form with a man-of-the-match performance between the sticks, Aber were still level pegging with no score entering the final six minutes of normal time.

Pushing forward, the Pennies even had hopes of pulling off an unlikely upset with a late winner.  

But attack suddenly turned to stretched defence when a lightning counter saw a long ball over the top down the right, which was crossed into the box to a Cambrian striker on the edge of the box. 

Aber’s defenders couldn’t get close enough as the ball was pushed left and Liam Eason fired home unmarked from the edge of the goalmouth.   

It was a hammer blow for the Pennies after staying all-square for so long.

But worse was to follow when 10 became nine within a minute of normal time to play, when skipper Joe Cashman was dismissed for a second bookable offence.    

Somehow the referee found an age of injury time as well, with Eason grabbing his and Cambrian’s second eight minutes into stoppage time.

Near neighbours Goytre were also supposed to play the same night four miles down the road at ir Penperlleni ground in the Ardal South East League, but a waterlogged pitch saw the clash with Chepstow Town postponed. 

Ross Hancocks hit another hat-trick though as Nantyglo won 5-2 at home over Machen in front of a decent crowd to strengthen their hold on third place in Gwent Premier One, Tyson Mochan and Lewis Francis with the other goals. 

But fourth-placed Crickhowell were just pipped 3-2 at home by third-placed Pontypool Town in GP2.

There was only one winner when top met bottom in North Gwent Premier, league leaders Brynmawr tonking Garnlydan 10-1 to go five points clear.

Liam Davies and James Watkins both fired hat-tricks, backed by a brace for Damien Watkins and goals for Rob McKenzie and Scott Evans. 

Clydach Wasps 2nds secured a four-point cushion on the Gwent Central One dropzone beating basement hosts Race 2-0 thanks to goals from Harrison Hughes and Charlie-Lewis Prosser. But Nantyglo 2nds were beaten 7-1 at home to Tredegar Town Dev in North Gwent Reserves.  

Goytre host Treharris Athletic Western this Friday night (March 1), while Abergavenny Town will go again in a derby at Cwmbran Celtic on Saturday (March 2).

Other games on the Saturday include – Trethomas Bluebirds v Blaenavon Blues, Clydach Wasps v Lucas Cwmbran, Rhymney v Nantyglo, Pontnewydd United v Crickhowell, Fields Park v Brynmawr United, Forgeside v Clydach Wasps Res, Pontnewynydd v Crickhowell Reserves, Blaenavon Blues 3rds v Pontnewynydd Res, Cwmffrwdoer Sports Reserves v Usk Town Res, Panteg Reserves v Forgeside Reserves.