Colwyn Bay moved to within a point of safety in the JD Cymru Premier with a crucial 1-0 win away at Aberystwyth Town on Friday night.
The Seagulls travelled to Park Avenue in desperate need of a victory following a run of seven consecutive league defeats and it was Matty Hill who was the hero as his 71st-minute strike from the edge of box deflected past Aber goalkeeper Dave Jones.
The New Saints made it 18 league wins in a row by narrowly triumphing 1-0 away at Bala Town on Friday night.
Maes Tegid was the last place where Craig Harrison’s side dropped points in September and the Lakesiders again provided a stern test which on another day could have seen them an earn at least a point.
Brad Young provided the game’s decisive moment as he finished off a swift counter attack late in the first half for his 16th league goal of the campaign.
A combination of Connor Roberts and the woodwork kept out Bala as they searched for a second half equaliser, while Joe Malkin had the ball in the net but the goal was a ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Second-place Connah’s Quay Nomads remain 17 points behind TNS following their 3-2 victory away at Newtown on Saturday.
Jason Oswell put the Robins ahead after just 10 minutes by netting on the rebound after Zeli Ismael hit the post, but Jordan Davies scored a pair of headers to put the Nomads ahead at half-time.
Jack Kenny gave the visitors a two-goal cushion when he met Eddie Clarke’s cross with a composed finish early in the second half, while Oswell’s second of the game six minutes later could not inspire a Newtown comeback.
Penybont twice trailed against Barry Town United but fought back to earn a 2-2 draw at the SDM Glass Stadium on Saturday.
Aiden Lewis coolly slid home his first JD Cymru Premier goal to open the scoring in the 19th minute and Bont were reduced to 10 men five minutes later as Chris Venables was sent off for an off-the ball incident.
The second half saw a flurry of three goals in 12 minutes, beginning with Kane Owen scoring from the penalty spot after Barry goalkeeper Luc Rees had fouled Keyon Reffell in the box.
Sam Snaith restored the visitors’ lead as he headed home against his former club from Rhys Davies’ cross, before Reffell levelled the contest again by poking home Owen’s looping free-kick delivery.
It was a case of déjà vu at Cyncoed Campus as Cardiff Met and Caernarfon Town played out a 2-2 draw, four weeks after their phase one meeting in the capital ended in the same scoreline.
It was a tale of two free-kicks in the first half, as Sion Bradley and Tom Price both scored superb efforts from dead ball situations to see the sides go in level at the break.
Eliot Evans put Met ahead in the 57th minute when he finished well from Sam Jones’ cross, but the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Jones was sent off for a heavy tackle on Morgan Owen.
The numerical advantage proved vital for Caernarfon, as they found an equaliser with six minutes left on the clock when Gwion Dafydd finished inside the box for his first goal since returning to the Cofis on loan.
Haverfordwest County and Pontypridd United had to settle for a point each in a 1-1 draw at Ogi Bridge Meadow on Friday night.
It was goalless when Luke Cummings was sent off on the half hour mark for a lunging challenge on Kai Whitmore.
Both goals then came in the space of seven minutes of each other towards the end of the first half, as Ben Fawcett opened the scoring with a composed finish past George Ratcliffe before Ben Ahmun pounced on a Zac Jones error to equalise.
JD Cymru Premier results
Bala Town 0-1 The New Saints
Haverfordwest County 1-1 Pontypridd United
Aberystwyth Town 0-1 Colwyn Bay
Penybont 2-2 Barry Town United
Cardiff Met 2-2 Caernarfon Town
Newtown 2-3 Connah’s Quay Nomads
