Llanelli Town closed the gap on JD Cymru South leaders Briton Ferry Llansawel to just three points following a 3-1 victory over Taffs Well at Stebonheath on Friday night.
Well-timed headers from Joe Hopkins and Sean Cronin opened up a two-goal lead for Llanelli on the half hour mark.
Sam Johnson swapped the Reds for the Wellmen last month, and he had a perfect opportunity to net against his former side from the penalty spot, but Reds goalkeeper Scott Coughlan denied the striker.
The visitors did half the deficit and get themselves on the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time through Jack Fox’s cool strike, but Lee John’s side were too strong in the second half as Josh Allen’s brilliant chip from distance secured all three points to stretch the Reds’ unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions.
Ammanford moved up to third in the table with an impressive 3-1 victory away at Baglan Dragons, whose five-game winning streak came to an end.
Ellis Williams scored his first ever JD Cymru South goal as he reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the box and calmly slotted home in the 17th minute, before Tristan Jenkins marked his 100th appearance for Ammanford by setting up in-form striker Lewis Reed for his side’s second of the afternoon.
Gruff Harrison’s side were rewarded for their pressure once again midway through the second half as Williams grabbed his second of the afternoon.
An 81st-minute for Ammanford defender Liam Samuel did allow the Dragons to score through Tom Randall, but ultimately the damage was already done as the visitors secured their fourth successive league victory.
There was an eight-goal thriller at Parc Ynysderw on Saturday afternoon as Pontardawe Town and Goytre United played out a 4-4 draw.
Six goals were scored in a chaotic final 20 minutes of the first half. A clinical strike from young Lithuanian forward Artiom Legavec broke the deadlock before goals from Jordan Edwards and Dafydd Owen put Goytre ahead. However, the home side got back on level terms courtesy of a Dan Paul own goal.
Another teenage sensation for Ponty, Rio Booth, put his side back in front in the 43rd minute, but home spirits were hindered once again as Jordan Edwards completed his brace to level the scoreline heading into half time.
The only goals in the second half came late in the day as an unmarked Keane Watts edged the visitors ahead once more, only for Joe Lloyd to equalise four minutes later with a brilliant effort from distance.
Cambrian & Clydach Vale were the biggest winners of the weekend as they triumphed 6-0 over Abergavenny Town, who are still rooted at the bottom of the table.
Liam Eason built on his stellar performance against Briton Ferry last weekend as he netted a brace in between strikes from Tim Parker and Cameron Keetch to give Vale a comfortable four-goal lead at the interval.
Keetch began the second half in the same way he finished the first – by finding the back of the net and joining Eason with two goals to his name. Academy starlet Jacob Jones added a sixth in the 76th minute to inflict a fourth consecutive defeat on Abergavenny.
Cwmbran Celtic ended their three-game losing streak by defeating Afan Lido 2-0 at Celtic Park.
Alex Bonthron latched onto Tom Meechan’s long ball into the area and the striker made no mistake from close range to give the home side a crucial lead on the half hour mark.
The attacking duo combined again in the 79th minute, but this time it was Bonthron assisting and Meechan scoring for his eighth goal of the season as Celtic climbed up to tenth in the table and moved six points clear of the relegation zone.
JD Cymru South results
Llanelli Town 3-1 Taffs Well
Baglan Dragons 1-3 Ammanford
Cwmbran Celtic 2-0 Afan Lido
Pontardawe Town 4-4 Goytre United
Cambrian & Clydach Vale 6-0 Abergavenny Town
