Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Friday 1st January 2016 (ko 2.30pm)
Aberystwyth Town v Haverfordwest County

Aberystwyth Town will be delighted to have an early opportunity to put last night's disappointment behind them when they host West Wales neighbours Haverfordwest County on Friday, for a New Years Day Derby. The Black and Greens' home defeat to Carmarthen came as a bit of a shock after Ian Hughes' men had gone on a run of promising results, but the good news is Aber's Top Six fate is still in their own hands, and three wins from their last three games will guarantee a place in the elite, even if other results go against them.

Luke Sherbon had to sit out last night's game with a groin injury but Rhys Griffiths may be back for Friday's encounter, with Town looking for a positive result to put themselves right back in the mix. Haverfordwest County gave Aber a decent game last Saturday at the Conygar Bridge Meadow and considered themselves unfortunate to come away with nothing, so although the visitors are currently propping up the Dafabet WPL, the Seasiders know they will have to work very hard to earn a good result.

The match is being sponsored by our Friends and Neighbours from Bow Street FC, and a large Bank Holiday Crowd is expected to have the turnstiles whirring at Park Avenue. Admission has been reduced to £5 for Adults, £3 Concessions and Free Entry for Kids, and the game kicks off at 2.30pm. Make it Your New Year's Resolution to Support the Black and Greens through to the Top Six!

Aberystwyth Town FC's DIGS League Liason Officer Jed Woodcock provides atfc.org.uk with an exclusive DIGS Mid Season Review.

An exciting first half of the Digs season has seen 308 goals scored in 47 Digs games, across three leagues and three cup competitions. Only one team haven’t scored yet this season, with newcomers Expected Toulouse still struggling to find the back of the net. The current race for Digs Top Goalscorer is tied between Josh Owen-Jones (Ivory Toast) and Ynyr James (CPD Y Geltaidd) who have both scored ten goals this term, with Rob Evans (Tekkerslovakia) hot on their tails with nine goals.

Five teams have managed to go into the Christmas break remaining unbeaten: CPD Premiership Stars, We Hate Ben FC, Tekkerslovakia, Goal Diggers and Ivory Toast. Of those teams, only CPD Premiership Stars and Tekkerslovakia have won every game they’ve played in, with We Hate Ben drawing against Kadabra and Goal Diggers and Toast drawing in the Aber Town Cup Group Stage.

CPD Premiership Stars kicked off the season with a memorable 4-3 win against CPD Y Geltaidd to lift the Thai Pham Memorial Shield in front of a 250 strong crowd at Park Avenue. A game full of passion and drama saw both teams take and lose the lead in normal time, with the scores level at 3-3 going into extra time. Bedwyr Jones scored what proved to be the winner for CPD Premiership Stars late on. Credit must be given to part time keeper William Jones who provided a fantastic last minute one handed save to keep CPD Premiership Stars in the lead, and help them lift the Shield.

Four teams have already progressed to the Quarter Finals of the Aber Town Cup: CPD Y Geltaidd, Aberzaijan, We Hate Ben FC and Ivory Toast, in the wettest conditions this season has seen. The remaining fixtures still to be played from the First Round are:
CPD Premiership Stars vs FCLMA
Tekkerslovakia vs SH Pandas
Inter vs Goal Diggers
Aberconda vs Panthers

The Consolation Shield has seen just one game go ahead with AUFC Freshers being the first team moving into the Quarter Finals after beating newcomers, Tigers FC 11-2 on the Astro.

In the Bundesliga, Tekkerslovakia sit two points clear at the top of the league with six points from two games. A much-improved Shakhtar sit in second place with four points. FC Beaver prop up the table having lost both their games, against Shakhtar and third placed Inter. The three teams in the league that are yet to play a league game are Panthers, Goal Diggers and Aber Kadabra.

In La Liga, AFC Gwatch surprisingly sit at the top of the table after picking up five points from three games, including a heavy 11-0 thrashing of bottom of the table Expected Toulouse, which puts them ahead of second place Aberzaijan on goal difference. The two teams still to play any games in the league are SH Pandas and Forest, who have both had very different fortunes in the Aber Town Cup.

CPD Y Geltaidd seem to be scoring for fun in the Premier League as they top the league with three wins from three, having scored 26 goals and only conceding two goals. Toast sit three points behind in second place with two wins in two. Freshers, CPD Premiersip Stars and We Hate Ben are all still yet to play any league games, whilst AC ALSOM sit at the bottom of the table.

Coming soon ...vote for your Ffigar DIGS Team and Player of the Month, on atfc.org.uk!

Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Tuesday 29th December
Aberystwyth Town 1 Carmarthen Town 2

Two goals from Luke Cummings earned hard working Carmarthen Town a victory over below par Aber at Park Avenue this evening. Chris Venables had given the Black and Greens the lead with a 39th minute penalty, but the Orangmen's right winger popped up in the 44th and 53rd minutes to seal the win, with Aber unable to respond.

With influential midfielder Luke Sherbon ruled out through injury, 16 year old Jack Rimmer got his first WPL start, and Aber opted to play with the benefit of a blustery wind in the first half. Jamie Reed saw an early shot blocked, and then Geoff Kellaway sent a shot straight at visiting goalkeeper Lee Idzi from a good position before Ross Stephens flashed a volley just wide after exchanging passes with Venables. Aber were denied a penalty claim when Reed was felled in tyhe area, but then back came Carmarthen, and Lewis Harling blasted over from an excellent position on the right. Kellaway again found Idzi with a shot, before home keeper Mike Lewis did well to deny Cummings twice in close succession, by rushing off his line to gather, then pulling off a good save. A bad tempered period ensued before Stephens again tested Idzi with a low shot, but six minutes before the break Aber broke the deadlock when Reed was bundled down in the box, and Venables scored with a brilliant pen. Reed hit the side netting from the right but then a minute before the break the ball came to Cummings on the right edge of the area and he unleashed an excellent strike into the top corner to equalise for the visitors, and deflate the home side. Although chances had been created by both sides, the first half was in truth rather an untidy affair and a stalemate was probably the correct outcome.

The visitors enjoyed the wind advantage in the second half and although Reed had another attempt blocked soon after the restart, Carmarthen took the lead eight minutes in when Cummings again unleashed a cool low volley into Lewis' bottom corner from out on the right, and Aber were really up against it. Black and Green inspiration was in short supply on the night, and Lewis again had to come out well to deny Liam Thomas, who fired wide minutes later. At the other end Aber sub Cledan Davies played Reed into a good position but he too found Idzi's gloves, and in the last five minutes Stuart Jones won a header which allowed Reed to sent an overhead kick agonizingly against the crossbar. Venables had an injury time shot cleared for a corner but Carmarthen held out well, and on the night were the only side deserving of three points.

Tonight was a disappointing performance by the Black and Greens, who now know they surely need to win at least two of their last three home games to make the Top Six this season. The good news is that the first of these games comes in just three days time, as Aberystwyth host Haverfordwest County for a New Year's Day derby, which kicks off at 2.30pm. See you next year!

Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Tuesday 29th December
Aberystwyth Town v Carmarthen Town

Having consulted a mercifully clement weather forecast for the next 36 hours, Aberystwyth Town will be confident that the thrice postponed Dafabet WPL match at home to neighbours Carmarthen Town can finally be played tomorrow, and with Aber hitting a run of good form the game could not come at a better time for Ian Hughes' men. Town's last three games have provided three vastly different scenarios and settings, so the Black and Greens have had to show different qualities and sides to their game to emerge with seven vital points. Most importantly they have conceded just one goal in three games, which has given Town's attacking players a platform to display some clinical finishing at key times. Hughes' men now know that eight points from their last four games will, as things stand, guarantee a Top Half Finish to the season.

Saturday's win at Haverfordwest could never be described as a classic, but in the circumstances it will certainly count as a big result for Aber and Jack Rimmer's first ever goal for the Black and Greens which won the game has already achieved legendary status amongst supporters. Rimmer made a big impact off the bench and with a few bumps and bruises apparent within the squad he can be expected to play a part again tomorrow evening.

Town Assistant Manager Wyn Thomas told atfc.org.uk yesterday: “We know we’ve got the players, we’ve got the attitude, it’s about delivering week in week out now. It’s not going to be easy. The other teams are strong. Hopefully the lads can pick up on the positives from Saturday’s performance, pick up a couple of clean sheets and get a few more goals as well.”

Carmarthen for their part ended a run of poor results with a 3-0 win at Port Talbot on Saturday, and with some games in hand they do still have an outside chance of challenging for a Top Six place themselves, however anything other then a win at Park Avenue tomorrow will surely rule out that scenario.

Kick off tomorrow is at 7.45pm, and Admission will cost £6 for Adults, £4 Concessions and £1 for Children. With an additional fixture sneaked in right in the middle of Yuletide, if your boss didn't give you a Christmas Bonus then we at Aberystwyth Town will! See you down the Park tomorrow. 

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how you win, it’s about getting the win and today was certainly a case of the latter for Aberystwyth Town, writes Club Media Assistant Matthew Wallace. In heavenly conditions for sailors and a heavy surface underfoot, Town battled for 90 minutes and came out with the all important three points thanks to a rather fortuitous goal from 16 year old Jack Rimmer twelve minutes from time.

“The boy has got bags of ability. He’s still very young and got lots to learn but we will nurture him here at Aberystwyth Town and allow him to play as many games as possible.” Assistant Manager Wyn Thomas stated after the match.

As for the youngster himself, who doesn’t celebrate his 17th birthday until March, he sheepishly admitted that the back of the net wasn’t the intended target for the strike.

“It was a cross. I didn’t really go for the goal. I was looking for [Chris] Venables at the back post. The defender has come towards me so I’ve tried to whip it around him. It wasn’t a great pitch so it wasn’t a great strike, it wasn’t a duff but luckily it’s ended up in the back of the net.” he told atfc.org.uk.
Aside from that one astonishing moment, it’s a game that Sgorio producers will do well to edit a lengthy highlight package from. Despite Chris Venables hitting the woodwork twice and an excellent performance from the defensive unit of Mike Lewis, Lee Surman, Stuart Jones, Craig Williams and Sion James, not much will live long in the memory of those in attendance at the Conygar Bridge Meadow.

“The three points was vital. It took a crazy goal to win it. Defensively we were much better but the game wasn’t brilliant.  We did what we had to do. There were a few things missing which will hopefully be put right in time but the three points is the big thing for us.” Thomas told us after the game.

This fixture completes Aber’s away commitments until the mid season split. With four home games to come and with Connah’s Quay and Newtown both dropping two crucial points in the race for the top 6, Thomas knows that they will have to be at their best if they harbour any hopes of finishing in the top half of the league.

“We know we’ve got the players, we’ve got the attitude, it’s about delivering week in week out now. It’s not going to be easy. The other teams are strong. Hopefully the lads can pick up on the positives from today’s performance, pick up a couple of clean sheets and get a few more goals as well.”

Watch Matthew Wallace's post match interviews with Wyn Thomas and Jack Rimmer on Aber Town's Youtube Channel here.

Dafabet Welsh Premier League
Saturday 26th December
Haverfordwest County 0 Aberystwyth Town 1

16 year old Jack Rimmer's first ever senior goal for Aberystwyth Town won a tight Boxing Day Derby at the Conygar Bridge Meadow this afternoon, and earned the Black and Greens three crucial points which sets them up for four home games in a row, with a maximum of eight points needed now to guarantee a Top Six Place in 2015/6.

Manager Ian Hughes was forced to replace the injured Rhys Griffiths in the starting line up, but his replacement Geoff Kellaway scarcely weakened the first eleven. Starting with a strong wind behind them, Aber dominated possession in the opening stages, spending much of the opening twenty minutes camped in Haverfordwest's half, though in truth on a heavy and bobbly pitch chances were few and far between. Kellaway almost made a mark early on when he gathered a through ball on his chest, swivelled and sent a volley just past Craig Morris' left hand post. As time went on the hosts found their feet, though finding their way past the rock like Lee Surman in Aber's Central Defence was another matter, as the Swansea based stopper seemed to anticipate each move almost before it happened. The Bluebirds' chief threat throughout was Luke Borelli, and he sent in a shot from the left which was safely gathered by Mike Lewis in Aber's goal. Stuart Jones then got in just in time to snuff out another Borelli chance. At the other end Ross Stephens was felled on the edge of the penalty box and Chris Venables' cute free kick came off the far post to the chagrin of the visiting fans. Lewis had to be on his guard on another couple of occasions and then in injury time he parried over a Kieran Howard volley, before Borelli grazed the post from the next move, and Kellaway again went close flashing a shot wide from close range, before a slightly uninspiring half ended goalless.

Knowing they needed to improve to win, Aber started the second half strongly and Jamie Reed was soon testing Craig Morris in the Haverfordwest goal, who then also saved from a Craig Williams free kick. Minutes later sub Cledan Davies made a swashbuckling run down the left to the byeline before putting in a brilliant deep cross, and Venables again hit the woodwork, this time with a powerfully directed header. Haverfordwest were still contributing to a livelier half though, with Lewis again called into action to punch a Borelli free kick out for a corner, which he then gathered comfortably, typifying a composed performance from Aber's Number One. Venables was brought down on the edge of the area, and when his free kick fizzed just over the bar it was looking increasingly like a frustrating afternoon for the Black and Greens, but with twelve minutes to go, the crucial moment came. Sub Rimmer had only been on the field seven minutes when Kellaway laid the ball back over on the right hand touchline, and the young prodigy from Llanilar fired in a right footed cross cum shot from an improbable angle which swirled in the wind and zipped over Craig Morris' head before dropping into the net for an amazingly crucial goal. County piled forward for the last ten minutes, plus five injury time, and Wyn Thomas was brought on in anticipation of the wind assisted bombardment which lead to Lewis again saving from Declan Carroll's free kick and from yet another Borelli attempt from Borelli. However the backline of Sion James, Jones, Surman and Williams worked extremely hard to preserve a second consecutive clean sheet, which ensured another very important win for the Black and Greens.

The debate will rage this week as to whether Jack Rimmer's wonderful winner was a shot or a cross, but it matters not, as today's game in difficult conditions, was all about the result rather than the performance. Aber are now on a very promising run of form and will be looking forward to a good walk up for Tuesday night's rearranged home game against Carmarthen Town (kick off 7.45pm). It's a great time to be Black and Green!