JD Cymru Premier
Friday 23rd December Haverfordwest County 3 Aberystwyth Town 1 On a rainy night in Pembrokeshire Aberystwyth Town ended up on the wrong end of an exciting game, with hosts Haverfordwest prevailing by three goals to one. Jordan Davies tapped in their first goal on ten minutes and onetime Seasider Leigh Jenkins nodded home a second in the 24th minute. Louis Bradford tapped home a response eight minutes before the break, and Aber pressed hard in the second half for an equaliser only for Ben Fawcett to settle matters with five minutes to go. With Aber facing their second away match in three days, Steff Davies, Harri Horwood and Harry Arnison returned to the starting eleven, and after an even start with Jenkins going close, Jack Wilson crossed for Davies to tap home at the back post, and County were ahead. An entertaining match prevailed with Horwood’s dangerous cross caught by Lee Idzi in the home goal, and Sam Phillips seeing abgoalbound free kick saved by Idzi. Jamie Veale, Ioan Evans and Jordan Davies saw shots saved by Lewis Webb in Aber’s goal, and then Steff Davies fired over from a narrow angle in response. Then came a crucial moment when a long throw from Haverfordwest’s left wing found the head of Jenkins, and he back flicked the ball over Webb’s head to double the lead. Jordan Davies then surged through and smashed the ball against the crossbar to keep Aber in it, and then in the 38th minute the Seasiders halved the lead. After a corner the ball feel to the industrious Iwan Lewis, and his low volley was touched in by Bradford, who scored at the Bridge Meadow for the second season running. Steff Davies then had a shot blocked, Horwood had another free kick gathered by Idzi and the teams went in at 2-1. Jordan Davies lobbed over a few seconds into the second half, then Arnison did the same after good work from Niall Flint. Lewis then sent a volley wide, and more promising crosses came from Phillips and Jonathan Evans, with Aber passing the ball around nicely and looking good for an equaliser. Sam Litchfield and Louis Bradford were looking strong at the back when Haverfordwest counter attacked, and Webb punched clear a cross from Wilson. Alex Darlington came on to try and unlock the County defence and had a shot blocked after some trickery almost immediately. Jack Thorn then picked out Darlington at the back post, and his low shot somehow contrived to stay out by rebounding off Lee Idzi for an agonising let off for County. Lewis had a chip into the box caught by Idzi, as Aber pressed again, but the hosts were threatening too as sub Elliott Dugan again tested Webb’s hands in a break through. Then with just five minutes to go and the game hanging in the balance, Jordan Davies found space down the right wing to cross for Fawcett to tap home a third, and the contest was settled. Steff Davies had two defiant attempts repelled and Lewis crossed for Jonathan Evans to fire over, and the game was sadly done. Three consecutive defeats on the road have dampened Aber’s top six ambitions, however the opportunity to revive the team’s fortunes comes around quickly – and the Sesaiders host Newtown in their next JD Cymru Premier match on Boxing Day Monday, with a 2.30pm kick off. We wish you all a merry Black and Green Christmas and will see you at Park Avenue in two days time! JD Cymru Premier
Friday 23rd December (KO 7.45pm) Haverfordwest County vs Aberystwyth Town Aber Town's festive programme continues with another away trip tomorrow night, this time down to Pembrokeshire to face Haverfordwest County. Anthony Williams’ team put in a hard-working performance on Tuesday night at 2nd placed Connahs Quay, and the overall score line of 3-0 was somewhat harsh given the resolute way the depleted Seasiders went about their duties on Deeside. Focus now turns to Bridge Meadow and a Haverfordwest side that have had a mixed time of it recently. They won three matches on the bounce in early November, beating Flint and Airbus away before a home victory over Penybont, but have lost their last two matches away to Newtown and Cardiff Met Uni. This means that the Bluebirds currently sit in 8th position with 20 points - two ahead of Aber having played a game more. There will be plenty of Christmas reunions happening on Friday night with former Seasiders Ricky Watts and Elliot Scotcher joined at Bridge Meadow this season by Academy graduate Lee Jenkins, who was a member of Bari Morgan’s Development League-winning U19 team before progressing to the first team and playing over 70 matches, captaining the club on a number of occasions, and Jamie Veale, who spent the last two years at Park Avenue and netted a number of memorable goals in Black and Green. The Bluebirds are also now managed by former Aber gaffer Tony Pennock, who had a brief spell at the Park Avenue helm in 2017 alongside Wayne Jones; memorably helping the club secure Cymru Premier status, before departing for a coaching role at Hull City. In the reverse game in October, Aber secured a 2-1 victory thanks to strikes from Harry Arnison and Jon Owen. Jordan Davies got one back for the Haverfordwest before Jonathan Evans was sent off, and the Black and Green endured eight minutes normal time plus eight minutes injury time to notch a third successive win at Aberystwyth University Park Avenue. This run has since been extended to five and the Seasiders will look to make it six on Boxing Day in the Mid-Wales Derby against Newtown. Bridge Meadow can be found by using Postcode SA61 2EX and tickets are priced at £7.50 for Adults / £5 for Concessions / Under 16’s free. Join us in Pembrokeshire for what promises to be a Christmas Cracker!! JD Cymru Premier
Friday 20th December Connah’s Quay Nomads 3 Aberystwyth Town 0 Two late goals put an unflattering gloss on what was otherwise a decent competitive performance by Aber Town, who eventually went down by three goals to nil away to Connahs Quay on a wintry night on Deeside. Onetime Black and Green hero Harry Franklin headed Nomads into the lead on 7 minutes, and Aber thereafter competed extremely well, before two very late strikes by Michael Wilde (90 and 90+3 minutes) changed the scoreline significantly in Quay’s favour. Aber’s on loan keeper Lewis Webb made a welcome return to the starting XI after a two month injury absence but after early territorial pressure from the visitors Webb was picking the ball out of the back of the net when Franklin nodded home Danny Holmes’ right wing cross for one nil. Charley Edge, then Louis Bradford both cleared George Horan efforts off the line in the same attack to keep Aber in it, then Edge then crossed at the other end for Bradford to send a goal bound header into Andy Firth’s hands for a first real shot across the bows. Jack Rimmer had a long range attempt saved by Firth, before Franklin was carried off with an unfortunate hamstring injury. Webb came out well to nullify a home attack, then gathered a free kick confidently, before John Owen pulled off a classic Cruyff turn down the left to leave Holmes floundering, only to be denied a cross by the assistant referee’s flag. Another shot from Rimmer drifted wide and Edge had a shot blocked with the Black and Greens threatening an equaliser, and Firth gathered another Aber attempt before half time to keep Nomads ahead despite a largely sluggish performance on a difficult surface for the hosts. The Seasiders’ loyal supporters clapped their side off at half time and were pleased again early in the second half when livewire Niall Flint sent a shot wide, and went on to dominate for a period, winning their tackles and creating half chances. Flint volleyed over from the edge of the area, then Horan had a shot blocked from a corner for Connah’s Quay, and as the game moved into the final quarter they did once again start to press. Josh Williams saw a dangerous corner cleared, then Webb denied sub Mike Hayes a goal on the line, but then an Aber breakaway saw Sam Phillips just unable to connect with a through ball, and the visitors were definitely still in the game. Hayes burst through but saw his shot pushed around the post for a corner by Webb, with Town defending well and threatening on the break. Jamie Jones came on to bolster the right back position and Hayes lobbed a ball over with ten minutes to go. Holmes denied Phillips another clear chance, and the Ryan Harrington sent in an audacious effort from the right wing which Webb collected calmly. Then with the game on a knife edge Wilde headed home from a right wing cross to confirm the points for Nomads, and repeated the trick from a similar move three minutes later to give the scoreline a harsh outlook from an Aber perspective. Performance wise last night was a huge improvement for Anthony Williams’ side who defended really well for long periods, and got well up the pitch on the counter. They did perhaps struggle slightly to create really obvious goalscoring opportunities, but had enough attempts to keep the game in the balance right until the nineteeth minute, before Wilde’s late intervention. Aber go again on Friday night at Haverfordwest County (ko 7.45pm), and your support would be very much appreciated on a dark evening in Pembrokeshire. See you there! The celebrations on the Aberystwyth Town Women bus were extensive on Sunday night. A 3-1 win away at Wrexham has seen them into the FAW Women's Cup semi-finals for the first time in 12 years! That's a long time in football. Back on 20th February 2011, the Seasiders lost 4-1 to Caernarfon at Bala Town, missing out on the chance to make it to the final. To put it into some context, on the day of that match, current striker Gwenllian Jones had only just turned five. But two of today's first-team squad were also in that side – Ffiona Evans and Kelly Thomas. “I remember the mud on the pitch,” says Thomas. “And I remember being made to have a team photo after losing the game, and not being very happy about it! “But also I remember that the excitement and the build-up towards the game was amazing. Women's football has come on in leaps and bounds since then. A programme for that match exists: it was something we'd never had before back then. And people were paying to come and watch. It was really quite exciting and something we hadn't experienced.” The 2011 team were under the management of Ray Hughes, still part of the coaching set-up at Park Avenue. “It'll be really nice to give something back to Ray,” says Evans. “He's been at the club 20-plus years, from day dot. If we get to a cup final, we can give him a thank you for all the hard work he's done.” And now Thomas has the captain's armband and is looking forward to leading her side out on such an important occasion. “We're very aware that fourth place in the league is still a possibility but we are very aware also that it is a massive ask of us now after some disappointing results this season,” she says. “To have a good cup run is a bit of positivity and is keeping the girls motivated. It's something we will really look forward to and be ready for when the time comes.” Standing in Aberystwyth Town’s way now are Briton Ferry Llansawel, top of the Adran South and enjoying a very fine season. Nobody is under any illusions about how tough the semi-final is likely to be. “Getting to the Welsh Cup semi-final is a massive achievement - only four teams left in the whole of Wales, it's something we're really proud of and it's been 12 years in the waiting,” says Thomas, adding: “I'm confident we'll give a better account of ourselves in this semi-final than we did last time.” “I never thought we'd get back to the semi-final,” admits Evans. “Twelve years ago feels like a lifetime. It feels like the last one was at the very start of my career - I was 21, now I'm 33. I'm looking forward to going into this semi-final with a whole different outlook, more experience under my belt, and hopefully a different outcome to last time. "It's a chance to make history in the club.” Connahs Quay Nomads vs Aberystwyth Town
JD Cymru Premier Tuesday 20th December (KO 7.45pm) After a disappointing result at The New Saints last time round, Aberystwyth Town have the chance for redemption with a visit to Deeside to face Connahs Quay Nomads. The Seasiders currently sit 7 points behind 6th placed Penybont, but have games in hand over Newtown and with 7 games still to play before the league splits, Anthony Williams’ men are still in the hunt for a place in the Championship Conference come mid-January. The quest for that all-important top 6 place continues tomorrow evening. Neil Gibson’s Nomads will provide stern opposition, having gone 9 games unbeaten since mid-September, winning 8 of those. Their last defeat came at Park Avenue in the reverse fixture, when Aber Captain Jack Thorn netted an 82nd minute winner after Harry Arnison had opened the scoring early in the 2nd half and former Seasider Paulo Mendes had equalised. Connahs Quay have also qualified for the final of the Nathaniel MG Cup, where they will face Bala Town as they look to retain the trophy, having beaten Cardiff Met on penalties to win last season’s competition. The Nomads top goalscorer this season is Mike Wilde, with the veteran goalscorer having netted 7 times since his return to Deeside following a season away at neighbours Flint Town United. Mike Hayes has netted 5 times, whilst Callum Morris has three goals to his name. The Green Army will be reacquainted with two familiar faces this weekend; both Paulo Mendes and Harry Franklin made big impacts during their spells in Black & Green. Mendes spent two years at Park Avenue, netting 9 times in 55 appearances before departing in 2020 for Caernarfon Town, moving onto Deeside a year later. Franklin netted 13 times in 50 appearances in all competitions having joined in January 2021 during the behind-closed-doors era, becoming a firm fans favourite the following season before moving onto Nomads in the summer. Deeside Stadium can be found on Kelsterton Road in Connahs Quay and the postcode for your sat-nav is CH5 4BR. The Green Army are needed to help the boys get back to winning ways, as the quest for the top six hots up! Sunday 18th December 2022 |
Gem Nesaf
|
Ebost / Email: AberTownFC@live.co.uk
|
© 2024 Aberystwyth Town Football Club. All Rights Reserved
|
Cyfeiriad / Address: ATFC Ltd, Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, SY23 1PG.
|