Briton Ferry Llansawel climbed out of the JD Cymru Premier relegation zone with a 3-1 victory away at Cardiff Met on Boxing Day.
Met were the better side in the opening stages of the contest and got their reward in the 18th minute when Tom Vincent met Lewis Rees’ corner with a looping header into the far corner of the net.
However, the Archers’ lead only lasted seven minutes as Ferry teenager Caleb Demery followed his superb strike against TNS with another stunning effort from distance that beautifully dipped over Alex Lang.
It was two experienced substitutes who won the game for the visitors in the second half, with Tom Walters coming off the to score almost immediately, latching onto Corey Hurford’s through ball and clinically tucking away an effort into the bottom corner.
Luke Bowen then joined the action and sealed victory in the 83rd minute as he was unmarked at the back post to head home Kian Jenkins’ free-kick delivery.
Victory for Ferry meant that Flint Town United slipped into the bottom two following their 7-2 derby day drubbing at the hands of Connah’s Quay Nomads.
The Nomads scored six times in a stunning first half, with Flint captain – and former Nomad – Harry Owen turning the ball into his own net in the 21st minute.
A mix up between Silkmen defender Isaac Lee and goalkeeper Jack Flint allowed Callum Bratley to finish into an empty net three minutes later, before the midfielder fired superbly beyond Flint from the edge of the box to make it 3-0 before the half hour mark.
Rhys Hughes added his name to the scoresheet two minutes later after playing a neat one-two with Bratley, before Florian Yonsian got Flint on the board with a close range finish after George Ratcliffe could only parry Elliott Reeves’ shot.
However, the Nomads were immediately back in control as Hughes sent a stunning strike into the corner from distance, while Noah Edwards completed a rampant first half display by scoring at the second time of asking after Flint had saved his initial effort.
A seventh Nomads goal arrived just after the hour mark as substitute Tyler Berry calmly slotted home from Ben Maher’s square pass, before Yonsian netted another Flint consolation with a well-taken flick past Ratcliffe.
The Nomads are now just two points behind sixth-place Caernarfon Town, who suffered a 5-2 defeat against The New Saints at The Oval.
It was a frantic opening five minutes, with Jack Bodenham heading TNS into the lead before Louis Lloyd calmly finished past Connor Roberts to equalise. Jordan Williams latched onto Dan Williams’ ball over the top to restore the Saints’ advantage in the 11th minute, but Caernarfon again found a quick leveller as Zack Clarke fired into the bottom corner.
Bodenham forced the ball home from close range for his second of the afternoon shortly before half-time and TNS then took control of the game after the break.
Two goals in as many minutes from Ben Clark wrapped up victory, as he teased the Cofis defence and picked out the bottom corner with a sumptuous finish, before curling past Hari Thomas from the edge of the box.
Craig Harrison’s side remain one point behind league leaders Penybont, who came from behind to secure a 2-1 win over Barry Town United at Jenner Park.
Bont were made to rue a couple of early missed chances as Barry took the lead in the 22nd minute courtesy of captain Kayne McLaggon, whose deflected effort found its way past Adam Przybek.
Rhys Griffiths demanded a response from his side at half-time and they equalised just after the hour mark when Nathan Wood’s cross into the box was met at the back post by Chris Venables, who guided a header in off the underside of the bar.
Bont’s winning goal arrived in the 71st minute as Clayton Green accepted an invitation to shoot from outside of the box and fired beyond Liam Armstrong to complete the comeback against his former club for Bont’s first win at Jenner Park since March 2021.
Cardiff Met’s defeat meant that Haverfordwest County leapfrogged them into third place with a 2-0 win away at Newtown.
The Bluebirds had not scored in their previous three matches in all competitions, but Ben Fawcett opened the scoring after just 10 minutes at Latham Park as he coolly controlled Rhys Abbruzzese’s looping long ball into the box and rounded Newtown goalkeeper Samuel Ussher to finish into an empty net.
Fawcett’s goal remained the difference between the sides for the majority of the match until Haverfordwest were presented with the chance to double their lead in the 71st minute when Ussher fouled Dan Hawkins in the box. Abbruzzese stepped up from the penalty spot and calmly roll the ball home.
Tony Pennock’s side have now all but confirmed their place in the top six, while it is just one point in the last seven games for Newtown who find themselves only two points above the relegation zone.
Bottom-of-the-table Aberystwyth Town kept just their second league clean sheet of the season in a goalless draw with Bala Town at Park Avenue.
Lakesiders forward Joe Malkin had a glorious chance to put his side ahead early in the second half as he had a close-range effort denied by Aber captain Jack Thorn.
Bala goalkeeper Joel Torrance later pulled off an incredible double save, firstly making a diving stop to keep out Louis Bradford’s powerful header before quickly reacting to deny Thorn on the rebound at full stretch.
Boxing Day results in full:
Barry Town United 1-2 Penybont
Cardiff Met 1-3 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Aberystwyth Town 0-0 Bala Town
Caernarfon Town 2-5 The New Saints
Connah’s Quay Nomads 7-2 Flint Town United
Newtown 0-2 Haverfordwest County
