Cardiff Met confirmed their JD Cymru Premier safety with a 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Bala Town at Cyncoed Stadium on Saturday.
Bala striker Cameron Ferguson continued his fine form to put his side ahead with 19 minutes on the clock as he ran onto Louis Hall’s cross at the front post and guided his header into the net from close range for his third goal in as many games.
Met found their equaliser six minutes into the second half as Jasper Payne controlled CJ Craven’s clipped ball over the top and slotted past Joel Torrance for his eighth league goal of the season.
Craven missed a glorious chance from just a few yards out and Adam Roscrow saw his corner directly denied by the crossbar, but the Archers eventually made their pressure count and completed the turnaround on the hour mark as Fumpa Mwandwe received Craven’s flick-on, sprinted into the area and finished neatly into the bottom corner.
Ferguson had a major opportunity to bag his second of the afternoon and bring Bala level late on when he ran onto Jacob Tarasenko’s cross, but he could only steer the ball wide from inside the six-yard box. The Lakesiders thought they had found a late equaliser when Ferguson’s shot deflected into the net off Liam Higgins, but the goal was ruled out as Higgins was deemed to be offside.
Met saw out the closing stages to earn back-to-back wins and confirm their JD Cymru Premier status for next season, while defeat for Bala leaves them five points adrift of safety with two games remaining.
JD Cymru Premier
Already-relegated Llanelli Town claimed their first league win since September with a 2-1 victory away to Flint Town United, who missed the chance to confirm their safety.
Llanelli took the lead on 26 minutes as Danny Williams made it goals in back-to-back games by meeting Brad Gibbings’ cross and sending a sweetly-struck volley into the far corner.
Reds goalkeeper Alex Pennock made important saves to deny Jack Thorn and Josh Jones from close range to keep his side in front heading into the closing stages. Pennock’s contributions proved to be key as captain Sean Cronin doubled the lead in the 83rd minute with a powerful finish from Karim Hussein’s headed lay-off.
Flint found a late lifeline in the fifth minute of stoppage-time as Ben Woollam steered the ball into the roof of the net from Jake Phillips’ corner, but Llanelli held on to end their 17-match winless run in all competitions.
Haverfordwest County moved three points clear at the top of the Play-Off Conference with a 1-0 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel at Ogi Bridge Meadow on Saturday.
Will Fuller made key saves to deny Haverfordwest duo Greg Walters and Corey Shephard from inside the area in the first half. However, the Bluebirds eventually found a way past Fuller as teenager Will Hughes, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, saw his cross-turned-shot fly towards goal and outwit Fuller, who was unable to prevent the ball from finding the net.
Ferry pushed for an equaliser, crucial goal-line blocks and clearances from Kyle McCarthy and Dan Hawkins ensured Haverfordwest boosted their Play-Off hopes and kept their sixth clean sheet in Phase Two.
Champions The New Saints returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Caernarfon Town at the Go Goodwins Stadium on Friday.
Saints took just 10 minutes to find the breakthrough as Jordan Marshall played a low ball into Dan Williams, who clinically sent his first-time effort beyond Hari Thomas at the near post. Ben Clark quickly doubled the visitors’ lead as Kyle Harrison’s attempted headed clearance deflected off the midfielder and directed the ball into the top corner.
Those early goals remained the difference for over 70 minutes, but Craig Harrison’s side fully put the game to bed late on as Dan Barton dispossessed Harrison inside the area, allowing Jordan Williams to retrieve the loose ball, round Thomas and fire home his 25th league goal of the season.
Barton then wrapped up a clinical display from the champions with his first goal for the club on 87 minutes as the substitute latched onto Ryan Brobbel’s through ball and slotted in from a tight angle. Saints can now look forward to lifting the JD Cymru Premier title on Good Friday.
Connah’s Quay Nomads and Barry Town United shared the points in a 1-1 draw at the Essity Stadium on Sunday.
Barry took the lead in style as talented youngster Ieuan Owen received Dan Barton’s short pass and curled beautifully into the top corner, leaving Connah’s Quay debutant Ryley Berry no chance of the save.
However, the Nomads improved in the second half and eventually found their equaliser with a well worked team goal as Callum West’s floated diagonal ball was brought down by Max Woodcock, who fired beyond George Ratcliffe and into the bottom corner to make it two goals in two games.
The Nomads had seven players aged 20 or under on the pitch for the final 15 minutes and still created the better opportunities. Perhaps the closest John Disney’s side came to a late winner was through Noah Edwards, whose low drive at the near post forced a diving save from Ratcliffe.
Nothing could separate Penybont and Colwyn Bay in a goalless draw at the DragonBet Stadium on Saturday.
Jordan Davies had a glorious chance to give Bay an early lead when he received Aeron Edwards’ through ball and raced through on goal, only to fire wide of the target from close range. George Hughes nearly scored directly from a corner shortly after, but his strike clipped the crossbar.
Bont goalkeeper Dan Higgs was on top form throughout the afternoon by making crucial saves to deny Davies and Ryan Astles from inside the area. The hosts nearly found a late winner through Owen Pritchard, but despite having time and space on his hands, he could only fire straight at Alex Brown from just 10 yards out. Bont are now winless in their last nine league matches, while Bay remain in third place.
Weekend results in full:
Caernarfon Town 0-4 The New Saints
Haverfordwest County 1-0 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Cardiff Met 2-1 Bala Town
Flint Town United 0-2 Llanelli Town
Penybont 0-0 Colwyn Bay
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1-1 Barry Town United
