JD Welsh Premier League
Friday 17th August
Aberystwyth Town 1-4 Cardiff Met
 
Aberystwyth Town suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of Cardiff Met at Park Avenue on an evening where nothing seemed to go right for the black and greens. Goals from Eliot Evans (16, 38), Sam Snaith (42) and Chris Baker (65) gave the visitors a four-goal advantage before Wes Baynes (66) pulled one back for the hosts with an excellent low volley.
 
Aber named an unchanged outfield side from last week's win over Llandudno, with the only change coming in goal where Terry McCormick replaced the injured Leigh Jenkins. It was visitors Cardiff Met who started the game the sharper, as Will Evans tested McCormick, before Aber registered their first shot on goal with Declan Walker’s low effort straight at goalkeeper Alex Lang. But the hosts were struggling to come to grips with the visitors shape and mobility, and on 16 minutes they took a deserved lead when Will Evans played in Eliot Evans who struck a low left-footed shot into the bottom right corner to make it 0-1. Try as they might, Aber seemed unable to respond as the visitors made it difficult to create any clear cut chances with their rigid and organised defensive shape. On 30 minutes, Ryan Edwards showed a glimpse of brilliance before whipping a dangerous cross into the penalty area but goalkeeper Lang dealt with it expertly. Then, on 38 minutes the visitors doubled their lead as Matt Neale headed the ball across the penalty area where it fell kindly for Eliot Evans to tap home his second goal of the evening for 0-2. On 42 minutes came the real sucker punch – as the hosts look to make it to half time with a 2 goal margin to make up, Met further extended their lead when Sam Snaith latched on to a loose ball before rounding McCormick and tapping into an empty net for 0-3. Aber were shell-shocked and needed the half time whistle.
 
Rather than let their heads drop and become discouraged, the hosts came out for the second half with more purpose and intensity as they fought to find a way back into the game. Local lad Mathew Jones and Joe Phillips began to control more of the midfield areas, and on 53 minutes Ryan Edwards fed Declan Walker who’s low effort went inches wide of the post. On 60 minutes, substitutes Nashawn Blake and Jack Rimmer replaced Paulo Mendes and Phillips to try and add some impetus, but on 65 minutes Met grabbed their fourth goal of the evening to completely kill the game. Chris Baker stole the ball in midfield before seeing his shot take a huge deflection and land in the bottom corner of the net to make it 0-4. The goal summed up the type of luck Aber had been getting all evening, but on 66 minutes came the shining moment of Town’s performance as Ryan Edwards chipped a pass towards Wes Baynes, who struck a superb half volley across goal and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-4. The home supporters sensed the smallest glimmer of an epic comeback, but the visitors regained control of the game immediately and almost added a fifth goal as Evans went close to grabbing his hat-trick. On 80 minutes, substitute Geoff Kellaway almost pulled another goal back as his front post flick was well saved by Lang in goal, but it wasn’t to be as Aber fell to defeat at the hands of a well organised and clinical Cardiff Met side.
 
After such a good start to the season against Llandudno, it was a disappointing night for the seasiders at Park Avenue. Nevertheless, credit must go to the visitors who were defensively solid and clinical in attack. Aber’s new team will have learnt more again from last night’s defeat, and will hope for redemption as they look to get back on track with a positive result away at Connah’s Quay Nomads next Friday evening. 

Teams:
Aberystwyth Town: McCormick, Baynes, Lee Jenkins, Wollacott, S.Edwards, Phillips, Walker (C), Jones, R Edwards, Ahmadi (Subs: Blake (60), Kellaway (74), Rimmer (60), Williams, Rowe)

Cardiff Met: Lang, Lewis, McCarthy (C), Edwards, Rees, Neale (68), Baker, W Evans, E Evans, Spencer (84), Snaith (52) (Subs: Swindlehurst, Thomas (68), Owen (52), Bowler (84), Williams, Aalto) 

Attendance: 255 

Aberystwyth Town are pleased to announce the signing of experienced Welsh Premier League goalkeeper Terry McCormick. Terry has made a total of 179 appearances in the league for Bala Town, Connah’s Quay Nomads and Rhyl, and will go straight into Friday’s squad to face Cardiff Met in place of local goalie Leigh Jenkins; who’s recovering from injury after being taken off against Llandudno last weekend.

New signing McCormick started his career with Tranmere Rovers before moving to Marine, and then on to Congleton Town who play in the North West Counties League. He moved into the Welsh Premier League with Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2008 and went on to make over 50 appearances in all competitions between 2008 and 2010. He then joined Bala Town in 2011 and helped guide the Lakesiders to the Europa League play-off final.

After his spell at Bala, he moved on to Conwy Borough before moving back to Connah’s Quay in July 2013 – and was named in the Welsh Premier League Team of Phase One for the 2013/14 season. Terry has also spent time playing for Flint Town, Rhyl, Brickfield Rangers, Runcorn Town and Ashville FC.
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Everyone at the club would like to welcome Terry to Park Avenue, and you can see him in action on Friday evening as Aber take on Cardiff Met at Park Avenue. The club would also like to take the opportunity to wish goalkeeper Leigh Jenkins a speedy recovery after it was confirmed he suffered a hairline fracture on his shin during last weekend’s victory over Llandudno, an injury that will hopefully see Leigh back in action much sooner than first feared.

Aberystwyth Town Football Club are delighted to announce that young starlet Lee Jenkins has signed a 2-year contract with the club. At just 16 years of age, Lee is one of the club’s most promising talents, and has already broken into the first team squad – making his full JD Welsh Premier League debut in Town’s home victory against Llandudno last weekend.

​Ceredigion-based Lee played a pivotal role in the success of Bari Morgan's u19's double-winning squad last season and has produced a number of impressive performances for Aber's development sides in recent seasons. Despite being just 16 years old, he already stands at 6 feet tall, and is a no-nonsense defender with a physical presence who also possesses the technical ability to play the ball to feet. 

Lee was selected to play for Wales' u18 School Boys side last season, where he excelled in the central defensive position against old enemy England. Having impressed with the first team in pre-season, Lee was rewarded with his first JD Welsh Premier League start last weekend and was absolutely outstanding in helping Aber’s back four keep a clean sheet against the North Wales outfit. After the game, he spoke to Aber Town’s Youtube channel about his league debut – an interview you can watch again here.

Everyone at the club is delighted to see local youngster Lee committing his future to the club, and we very much look forward to seeing more of him in action this Friday evening as Aber take on Cardiff Met at Park Avenue in the JD Welsh Premier League.

JD Welsh Premier League
Friday 10th August
Aberystwyth Town 1-0 Llandudno 

Aberystwyth Town got their 2018/19 JD Welsh Premier League season off to the perfect start as they earned a thoroughly deserved three points against Llandudno at Park Avenue on Friday evening. Declan Walker's sublime 15th minute strike was enough to see Aber to victory, in what was an impressive defensive performance from the black and greens - centred around young 16 year old debutant Lee Jenkins, which saw Aber home through ten minutes of injury time to kick off the new season in the perfect manner. 

Aber started the game on the front foot, playing with great intensity and tempo, with Declan Walker the first to test Llandudno's goalkeeper after just four minutes with a long range effort. Soon after, it was Joe Phillips' turn as he cut inside from the right flank and fired a shot narrowly over the crossbar. Then, on 15 minutes Aber got the breakthrough their early play deserved, as captain Declan Walker found space on the edge of the penalty area, before shifting the ball to his right and curling a magnificent effort into the top corner of the net to make it 1-0. He quickly ran over to the famous terraced corner of Park Avenue to celebrate with Aber's jubilant fans, and the hosts were off to the perfect start. Rather than sit back on their lead, Town continued to pepper the visitors goal, as Walker again found the net on 20 minutes only for the referee to disallow the goal for an infringement on the goalkeeper. On 25 minutes, winger Ryan Edwards whizzed down the left flank before cutting inside and seeing his shot go inches wide of the post, before Aber somehow failed to double their lead on 28 minutes as Rio Ahmadi and Joe Phillips saw their efforts saved by Llandudno's Shaun Pearson, before Declan Walker's rebound rattled the crossbar. The hosts were utterly dominant, with Ryan Wollacott and 16-year old centre back Lee Jenkins snuffing out any danger posed by the visitors' attacks. As half time approached, Aber again went agonisingly close as Ahmadi raced through on goal only to see his shot brilliantly saved on to the crossbar by the fingertips of goalkeeper Pearson, and the hosts would go into the break with a slender advantage. 

Aber started the second half in similar fashion to the first, looking organised and solid, with Paulo Mednes and Mathew Jones bossing the central midfield areas. On 52 minutes came Aber's first worrying moment of the game, as Toby Jones crossed for Mike Pearson who was denied by a superb last ditch block by Aber's Steff Edwards. However, Aber goalie Leigh Jenkins, who'd performed admirably up until that point, was caught between both players on their way down and suffered a nasty injury to his right leg - resulting in him leaving the field and striker Rio Ahmadi putting on the gloves to play as goalkeeper for the remaining 35 minutes. It would have been easy for Aber to panic at that moment, but instead they did the exact opposite as they continued to dictate the tempo of the game and threaten the visitors' goal, with substitute Nashawn Blake providing additional pace and power up front. Llandudno began to opt for a more direct route to goal, pumping long balls towards experienced centre forwards Mark Connelly and John Owen, but Aber's 16 year old centre back Jenkins, aided by Baynes and Wollacott either side of him, was unfazed as he dominated the physical battle. On 70 minutes, Nashawn Blake strode forwards before unleashing a swerving effort just wide of the post, before Mathew Jones' goal bound header was blocked by Llandudno full back Ieuan Hewitt as Aber looked to press home their advantage. Visitors Llandudno slowly began to crank up the pressure as the clock struck 80 minutes, with Danny Hughes volleying over before former seasider John Owen headed wide, but the men in yellow were standing firm. There were agonising groans from Town's vocal supporters as the fourth official indicated a minimum of 8 minutes additional time, as the visitors piled forwards in search of an equaliser. Kai Edwards headed wide in the final minutes before Mike Pearson's bicycle kick was well saved by striker-come-goalkeeper Ahmadi, and Aber saw the game out to earn a massive 3 points on the opening weekend. 

A huge victory for the black and greens under the circumstances, in what was the perfect start to the 2018/19 season. It was an exciting attacking performance matched by an equally impressive collective defensive display, and Aber must now build on that momentum as they face Cardiff Met at Park Avenue next Friday evening in front of the Sgorio cameras. 

Teams
Aberystwyth Town: Leigh Jenkins, Baynes, Wollacott, Lee Jenkins, S Edwards, Jones, Mendes, Walker, Phillips, R Edwards, Ahmadi (Subs: Rimmer, Kellaway, Rowe, Assi, Williams, Blake)

Llandudno: S Pearson, Hewitt, M Pearson, K Edwards, Zy Edwards, Webb, Hughes, M Williams, Jones, Connelly, J Owen (Subs: Roberts, Harry, Ze Edwards, Fosu-Mensah, C Owen)

Attendance: 284