REPORT: CAERPHILLY ATHLETIC 2-3 ATFC
Aber Town thrilled a veritable horde of supporters at Ystrad Mynach yesterday afternoon with a 3-2 win away to promoted Caerphilly Athletic, sending them up to second in the Novira Cymru South after six games.
A superb start saw Aaron Williams score on 8 and 19 minutes, and the visitors looked totally in control, only for Finley Skiverton (49 and 76 mins) to level. The Seasiders were not to be denied however, and super sub Tarran Hollinshead popped up with a winner four minutes from time to send the Black and Green tifosi into raptures.
After a week off due to Rali Ceredigion, the visitors tore into the game from the start, attacking incessantly and thrillingly. Big Aaron Williams was twice denied by Cassius Tanhai at the near post, and Dan Owen fired over with barely two minutes played. A testing cross from Owen was spilled by Tanhai for Williams to clip just wide, but soon afterwards Owen sent in another great effort, which Tanhai touched to Williams, and he made no mistake from five yards.
Tom Evans sent in a right wing cross which Dillon Browne nodded just wide, and Rhys Hughes burst through but his effort was deflected for a corner. Then another goalbound shot from Owen was touched home by Williams, and Aber looked to be totally in control. Elliot Humphries, for Caerphilly, brought a comfortable save from Luke Evans in Aber's goal from a free kick, but a brilliant first half saw Aber excellent value for a two-goal lead.
Football experts will tell you two-nil is a dangerous lead, and so it proved. Skiverton brought a brilliant right-handed save from Evans in Aber's goal just after the break, Drew Perrett curled over, and then a ball into the box found Skiverton unmarked, and he smashed home to halve the deficit.
Liam Reed kept Evans busy with two half chances, then the Rhayader man denied Perrett. Frustratingly, Skiverton nodded home from Will Toms' corner, and the game was level with just a quarter hour to go.
Then came a super moment with two subs combining for the winner. Pressing down the left flank, James Smallwood played a brilliant ball between two defenders, and a chance opened up for the fleet-footed Hollinshead, who curled the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner for the third!
Captain Liam Walsh was then sent off for a second yellow card, and Aber had three minutes, plus eleven minutes of injury time, to survive. Hollinshead danced through again and almost picked out Williams, and Aber survived a number of free kicks, with safe hands Luke Evans again fielding an effort from Connor Hanford in injury time, as Town held on for a very significant win.
Victories come in all shapes and sizes, and this was a complicated one, but the three points, which will so please Manager Craig Williams, now set up a huge game at Park Avenue a week on Friday at home to league leaders Pure Swansea.
Before that, however, the Black and Greens open their Welsh Cup campaign away to Menai Bridge Tigers next Saturday, with a 2pm kick off. See you up North!
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