Llanelli Town earned their first JD Cymru Premier win of the season as they came from behind to triumph 2-1 away at 10-man Briton Ferry Llansawel.
Ferry went ahead five minutes before half-time through Rio Dyer’s powerful half volley into the roof of the net, a lead they held deep until into the second half.
Morgan Bates’ red card in the 75th minute – for a high boot on Harrison Bright – would prove to be the hosts’ undoing as Llanelli drew level seven minutes later when substitute Danny Williams fired home at the back post after Ferry failed to deal with Tristan Jenkins’ corner.
It was another substitute who grabbed the winning goal for the visitors in the 86th minute, as Rio Booth headed home from Bright’s cross. Lee John’s side remain bottom of the table, but are now just a point adrift of safety.
JD Cymru Premier
There was also late drama at Ogi Bridge Meadow as Barry Town United snatched a 3-2 win against Haverfordwest County.
Ryan Kavanagh’s looping header from Ellis Williams’ cross put Barry ahead just two minutes into the second half, but Haverfordwest were level on the hour mark courtesy of Rhys Abbruzzese’s clever header on the rebound from Greg Walters’ blocked effort.
Barry substitute Ieuan Owen made an instant impact as he headed home from Robbie Willmott’s corner – with his first touch since entering the pitch – to restore the visitors’ lead in the 71st minute. However, Haverfordwest equalised again 10 minutes later when Corey Shephard guided the ball into the bottom corner from Dan Hawkins’ cross.
But it was Ben Margetson – who also scored in Barry’s last away win at Llanelli on the opening day – who popped up with his side’s winner in the 89th minute, heading home from Willmott’s pinpoint first time delivery.
The victory sees Barry climb back into the top half, while Haverfordwest have now lost four successive league games and remain in the relegation zone.
James Crole scored a hat-trick as Penybont stormed to a 4-0 victory over winless Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus.
Crole was gifted his first goal of the evening inside just seven minutes as he intercepted a tame back pass from Sam Jones and lobbed Kelland Absalom from outside the area with the Met goalkeeper way off his line. The striker doubled his and Bont’s tally in the 22nd minute with a clinical finish into the bottom corner from Noah Daley’s flick-on.
17-year-old substitute Ioan Phillips, who had been on the pitch for barely a minute, made it three just before the hour mark by steering home Crole’s low cross, before Crole completed his hat-trick on 79 minutes with a powerful first-time strike beyond Absalom at the near post.
Despite the defeat, the attendance of 738 was a record for a Cardiff Met home match in the JD Cymru Premier.
Table-toppers The New Saints made it four league wins in a row by triumphing 4-2 over Flint Town United at Park Hall.
TNS took the lead after just six minutes thanks to an outstanding goal from Jordan Williams, who controlled Ryan Brobbel’s clever flick-on and sent a volley into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Flint equalised on 27 minutes with a stunning strike of their own as Sidi Fofana produced a lethal finish into the top corner for his first goal in almost a year, but the hosts restored their advantage on the stroke of half time as Brobbel tapped home the rebound from Danny Davies’ saved effort.
Ben Wilson bagged his fourth goal in three games to extend the lad early in the second half and it remained 3-1 until the 82nd minute when Darren Stephenson pulled a goal back for Flint with a simple finish from Elliott Reeves’ square ball.
That set up a tense finish at Park Hall and Flint thought they had equalised when Reeves bundled the ball over the line from close range, only for the referee to blow for a foul on Saints goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd. The hosts ultimately sealed victory in stoppage time as as substitute Ken Charles slotted home his first goal for the club.
Second-place Caernarfon Town returned to winning ways as they secured a 2-1 victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads at the Essity Stadium.
Ryan Sears found the breakthrough for the Cofis with just 15 minutes on the clock as he fired home a loose ball from Sion Bradley’s free-kick.
The Nomads had the chance to level the contest when they were awarded a penalty in the 34th minute after Iwan Lewis was judged to have handled the ball in the box, but Zeli Ismail missed from 12 yards.
That would prove costly as Caernarfon doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark when Sam Downey volleyed into the roof of the net in the midst of a goalmouth scramble caused by another Bradley delivery.
Nomads substitute Max Woodcock, who had been on the pitch for just a matter of seconds, gave his side a lifeline with a superb curling strike – set up by Rhys Hughes’ back heel – that looped over Connor Roberts via the underside of the crossbar in the 76th minute. However, the Cofis saw out the closing stages to take home three points.
Bala Town became the first side to a win league game away at Colwyn Bay since July 2024 as they triumphed 1-0 over the Seagulls.
Bala goalkeeper Joel Torrance made some key saves for his side yet again, while Bay striker Jordan Davies had his dipping free-kick from distance denied by the post.
Despite the hosts’ constant early pressure, Hussein Mehasseb found the breakthrough for Bala three minutes before half-time as he headed home at the front post from Nathan Burke’s corner. That proved to be the difference between the sides as the Lakesiders completed the league double over Bay, having also won 1-0 at Maes Tegid in August – the Seagulls’ only other league defeat this season.
Midweek results in full:
Briton Ferry Llansawel 1-2 Llanelli Town
Cardiff Met 0-4 Penybont
Colwyn Bay 0-1 Bala Town
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1-2 Caernarfon Town
Haverfordwest County 2-3 Barry Town United
The New Saints 4-2 Flint Town United
