Chris Venables’ late header gave Penybont a famous 2-1 victory over The New Saints at the SDM Glass Stadium on Friday night.
Billed as the biggest game of the season so far between the league leaders and reigning champions – both unbeaten heading into the match – it was a contest that did not disappoint.
Penybont opened the scoring after only 13 minutes as Clayton Green headed home from Mael Davies’ cross for his third goal in four league games, but Adam Wilson’s clinical finish on the stroke of half-time drew TNS level.
Veteran forward Venables came off the bench in the 79th minute and grabbed the winning goal just six minutes later, producing a superb header to meet Nathan Wood’s delivery which send the home crowd into bedlam.
Wilson thought he had equalised again for Saints in stoppage time, but his strike was ruled out for offside as Penybont held on for their first ever victory over TNS. It was a first league defeat for Craig Harrison’s side since February 2023.
Bont remain three points clear at the top of the table ahead of second-place Cardiff Met, who earned a 2-1 home win against Connah’s Quay Nomads on Saturday thanks to an Eliot Evans brace.
Evans opened the scoring with a composed finish after 11 minutes, only for Elliott Dugan to fire the Nomads level midway through the first half with his second goal in as many games.
However, Evans restored Met’s lead with what proved to be the winner nine minutes into the second half as he controlled the ball on the edge of the area before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top corner.
The Nomads nearly drew level again within a matter of minutes, but Declan Poole’s strike from the edge of the area was denied by the crossbar. It is now three consecutive league defeats for Billy Paynter’s side.
Briton Ferry Llansawel got their first point on the board as Kian Jenkins’ equaliser earned a 1-1 draw against fellow newly-promoted side Flint Town United at Old Road on Saturday.
Both goalkeepers were on top form throughout the afternoon, with Flint’s Jack Flint making a superb triple save in the first half and Ferry’s Rhys Wilson producing multiple one-one-one stops.
But it was the Silkmen who broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when Elliott Reeves volleyed home from Ben Hughes’ lofted ball into the box.
Ferry were staring down the barrel at a seventh consecutive defeat but found the equaliser in the 74th minute when Jenkins met Ricky Lee-Owen’s cross at the back post and guided a header into the bottom corner.
Bala Town came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against Newtown at Maes Tegid on Friday night.
Aaron Williams opened the scoring after just 10 minutes as he superbly controlled Zeli Ismail’s cross and fired a half volley past Joel Torrance, before Ismail was the provider again nine minutes later as his delivery was headed home from close range by an unmarked Jason Oswell.
Aeron Edwards scored for the consecutive game to halve the deficit in first half stoppage time, poking the ball home in the midst of a goalmouth scramble.
Bala then found their equaliser in the 80th minute when Dan Malone’s corner was headed home by captain Nathan Peate, who scored his first competitive goal in almost a year to rescue a point for his side.
Haverfordwest County returned to winning ways in style with a 3-0 victory away to Aberystwyth Town on Friday night.
Following a goalless first half, the breakthrough arrived six minutes after the break as Ricky Watts latched onto Kyle Kenniford’s defence-splitting pass and calmly slotted home beyond Dave Jones.
Ben Ahmun grabbed his third goal of the season to double the lead for the Bluebirds on 57 minutes as he produced a smart finish from Alaric Jones’ cross.
Tony Pennock’s side were gifted a third goal in the 70th minute as Aber defender Louis Bradford turned the ball into his own net from Ben Fawcett’s delivery. Haverfordwest are now back up to third in the table.
Nothing could separate Barry Town United and Caernarfon Town as they played out a 1-1 draw at Jenner Park on Saturday.
It was a lively start to the match with Ollie Hulbert hitting the post with a curling effort from the edge of the area, just moments before Caernarfon took the lead through Louis Lloyd in the 10th minute.
Paulo Mendes won the ball in midfield and played in Adam Davies, who slid the ball through to Lloyd to calmly poke home for his second goal of the season.
However, Barry were back on level terms barely a minute later as Caernarfon failed to deal with a long ball upfield, allowing Hulbert to square for Sam Snaith to finish from close range.
Weekend results in full:
Bala Town 2-2 Newtown
Penybont 2-1 The New Saints
Aberystwyth Town 0-3 Haverfordwest County
Barry Town United 1-1 Caernarfon Town
Briton Ferry Llansawel 1-1 Flint Town United
Cardiff Met 2-1 Connah’s Quay Nomads
