Dafabet Welsh Premier
Saturday 18th Match
Airbus UK Broughton 4 Aberystwyth  Town 2

Despite taking an early two goal lead Aberystwyth Town succumbed to another defeat at the Airfield yesterday afternoon. Strikes from Geoff Kellaway (10 minutes) and Mark Jones (22 minutes) appeared to have put the visitors in the driving seat but back came Airbus through Ryan J Edwards (37 and 69 minutes), Steve Tomasson (46 minues) and Jonny Spittle (71 minutes) to claim all three points.

On a soggy day the under pressure visitors started well with both Kellaway and Jones sending in dangerous right wing crosses. With Aber passing the ball well the chances were coming, and Kellaway was called offside just before his shot went wide. Then on ten minutes the breakthrough came when Luke Borrelli's shot deflected to Kellaway who snaffled up his eight goal of the season from close range. Malcolm Melvin was close to converting a second, and Jon Owen had a left wing cross saved: and although Tony Gray had a dangerous shot deflected for a corner, the Black and Greens were on top. Steve Tomasson glanced a right wing cross over the bar but then back came Aber with Kellaway again causing havoc down the right. Halfway through the half Phil Baker surged into the box and his shot was tapped home by Mark Jones for a deserved second. Still Aber kept coming with Owen sending in a ball across the face of goal, before dancing through the entire Airbus midfield and back line only to be denied by keeper Shaun Pearson at the last minute. The game seemed entirely at Aber's mercy with Airbus yet to get a shot on target: but then  disaster struck as Ryan Fraughan's ball in caused consternation in the box and Ryan J Edwards tapped home and easy goal for 1-2. Jones set up Kellaway down the middle but Pearson again saved well and Town were full value for their lead at the break.

Unfortunately the contrast between the halves was astonishing and, for Town fans,utterly devastating. Airbus had equalised within 60 seconds as Tomasson turned up at the far post to convert Fraughan's corner. Reece Deakin put in a right wing cross which Gray almost converted, and then a lengthy delay ensued as the unlucky home keeper Shaun Pearson was stretchered off. Mullock denied Glen Rule and a point blank effort, and then Fraughan went close with a free kick. The hosts were on top now and Tomasson had a goal disallowed. Lee Healey saw a powerful shot blocked for Aber but the Wingmakers took the lead when Ryan J Edwards' hopeful cross dropped in under the bar at the far post for the lead. Two minutes late Spittle headed home a fourth and Aber's astonishing collapse was complete. Melvin, Owen and Healey went close for Aber through nine minutes of injury time, but in a hugely open game Airbus also peppered Mullock's goal with Gray twice, Ryan Edwards and Gray again pressing for a fifth. The scorelaine remained at 4-2 though with Airbus gaining the most unlikely reprieve from the relegation trap door.

After such a dominant first half such a capitulation had Aber supporters tearing their hair out, and the side must cure themselves of this habit very quickly if they are to retain their place in the Dafabet Welsh Premier League. Aber's next match comes on Saturday at home to Cefn Druids (ko 2.30pm).

Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Saturday 18th March (kick off 2.30pm)
Airbus UK Broughton v Aberystwyth Town

Aberystwyth Town supporters will be looking for a huge response from their Team on Saturday after last weekend's devastating  
4-0 defeat at home to Newtown.

The Black and Greens came within inches of equalising in an engrossing contest against the Robins but then two goals conceded and a sending off in four minutes condemned Aber to a defeat which probably ends all hope of a UEFA Europa League Play Off spot for this season. Points are now needed to secure Town's WPL Status and this quest starts at the Airfield on Saturday.

Assistant Manager Wayne Jones, in conversation with Aber Town's Youtube Channel over the weekend said: "We'll have a fully fit squad (barring Luke Sherbon). Our detail and our preparation has to be on the money and if we acquit ourselves well there's no reason why we can't get a result up there."

Captain Luke Sherbon will be suspended after seeing red on Friday but Manager Matthew Bishop otherwise has a full squad at his disposal and having beaten Airbus three times already this season there are grounds for optimism. An away win would guarantee an 11th place finish for Aber and could in fact relegate the Wingmakers depending on other results, but Town's focus will be solely on themselves and their own situation.

The Coach leaves Park Avenue at 10am and a return trip to Deeside will cost just £10. Your Team Needs You!

​Wales was celebrating on Friday night. The victorious cries of rugby supporters echoed around the principality into the early hours of the morning thanks to a famous victory over Ireland, writes Club Media Assistant Matthew Wallace. But this wasn’t the case in Aber as celebrations couldn’t be further from the lips of the Park Avenue faithful, management team and playing squad following a devastating 4-0 reverse to local rivals Newtown.
 
It started well for the Black and Greens. With Geoff Kellaway forcing a good stop from the visiting keeper early in proceedings, it looked like Bishop’s men could stop The Robins’ impressive run of form. But it wasn’t to be as a hat trick from Jason Oswell coupled with a header from Nick Rushton condemned Aber to defeat; a defeat made worse by the dismissal of Town skipper Luke Sherborn in the 58thminute.
 
“We’re all gutted.” Assistant Manager Wayne Jones told atfc.org.uk after the game. “We knew the consequences going into the game. It’s massive for ourselves. It was a below par performances. Again, we haven’t taken our chances early on which is something we’ve addressed but overall, very disappointing.”
 
A low key start to 2017 has seen Town slip to 10th place and in need of confidence boosting victories and points.
 
Jones stated “We were talking a few weeks back about finishing 7th but we have to be realistic in that now we have to be looking to finish 10th or above. We definitely don’t want to be in that bottom two, we’re a point above it and we go again next week to try and get away from it.”
 
Next week’s fixture against Airbus is a potentially season defining fixture. With Aber winning all three games against the Wingmakers this term, they will need to maintain that streak when they travel to Broughton next week.
 
“We train (on) Wednesday night before Airbus on Saturday. We’ll have a fully fit squad to choose from. Our detail and preparation has to be right on the money. We have acquit ourselves well and there’s no reason we can’t get a result up there.”

Watch the full interview with Wayne Jones on Aber Town's Youtube Channel here.

Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Friday 10th March
Aberystwyth Town 0 Newtown 4

Aber Town suffered a a heavy home defeat last night as a hat trick from Jason Oswell (39, 56 and 88 minutes) and a further strike from Nick Rushton (54 minutes) earned Newtown a four goal win. Black and Greens Captain Luke Sherbon was sent off on 57 minutes to compound the Seasiders' misery on a bad day at the office.

On a pleasant evening the hosts named an unchanged team and almost took the lead within the first two minutes as Luke Borrelli won the ball in midfield to release Geoff Kellaway down the right, and his low shot drew an excellent save from visiting keeper Jack Perry. A frenetic start to the game ensured an excellent atmosphere and the game developed into a good advert for the WPL. Borrelli curled a shot over the bar but then back came Newtown with Oswell knocking the ball over the bar from Craig Williams’ right wing cross. Oswell’s next effort was easy for home keeper Chris Mullock, and then Alex Fletcher fired wide for the visitors before that man Oswell again headed straight at Mullock. However with Mark Jones giving the visiting Centre Backs a nightmare with his presence up front, and the fleet footed Malcolm Melvin dancing around midfield Town were still pressing for a goal: Sam Rodon’s header just past the post from Melvin’s corner being their best opportunity. The visitors however were gradually asserting themselves and they made the breakthrough when Oswell finally found the net five minutes before the break from another Williams cross. Dylan Rees sent a long range volley over the bar but Newtown deserved to be ahead at half time having looked the more composed side.

The second half continued on a knife edge with Aber enjoying a few dangerous free kicks before Mullock denied Williams with a free kick of his own at the other end. Then came a disastrous four minute period which certainly cost Aber the game. A Melvin free kick led to an almighty scramble in Newtown’s box, and Borrelli was so unlucky to see his shot cannon off the post for a huge let off for the visitors. Less than 60 seconds later Boundford’s long throw off on the right was nodded on by Sutton for Rushton to finish with a low volley for 2-0, then two minutes after that Oswell’s quick free kick lobbed the home keeper for three. As if that was not enough, Sherbon was then sent off for a late tackle and Aber’s misery was unbounded. With the game won the remaining 33 minutes was a tough watch for home fans. Mullock did well to deny the aptly named Tom Goodwin after a nice move, but at the other end Rodon aimed a headed at Perry, sub Jon Owen surged down the left to create a chance for Dafydd Jones, with Perry again in the right place. Fletcher drew a super save from Mullock and Oswell missed a couple more chances before finally  grabbing an 88th minute hat trick by beating the offside trap and running in to curl home at the far post. Phil Baker surged to create another chance for Owen, before unleashing his own long range shot in injury time, but four minutes of madness just before the hour meant that the game was long gone, with Newtown looking certainties for the seventh spot on this form.

There is no getting away from the fact that this was an extremely disappointing home performance from the Black and Greens, and after such a resounding low next Saturday’s match away to Airbus UK Broughton can’t come soon enough. A big response is needed.