Pontypridd United scored two stoppage time goals to maintain their two-point lead at the top of Novira Cymru South with a dramatic 3-1 win over Caerau Ely at Cwrt yr Ala Road on Friday.Â
Pontypridd took the lead on 29 minutes as Ethan Edwards’ blocked effort from a short free-kick fell to Clayton Farrah, who slammed home the loose ball for his fourth league goal of the season. However, Caerau substitute Tim Parker levelled the scoreline midway through the second half as he headed in from close range after rising highest from James Williams’ cross.
It would be heartbreak for Caerau though, as Tom McClean’s foul inside the area allowed Jack Jones to convert from the penalty spot in the 91st minute and restore Ponty’s lead. The Dragons fully put the game to bed three minutes later as Jack Bevan ran onto Josh Stephens’ through ball and slotted past Harry Irving at the near post. Caerau’s frustration continued to grow in stoppage time, with substitute Jaden Bahumaid receiving a straight red card moments after Bevan’s strike.
Second-place Aberystwyth Town remain right behind leaders Pontypridd as Craig Williams’ side earned a 4-0 victory over Carmarthen Town at the LHP Stadium on Saturday.
Cymru Football TV cameras attended a Novira Cymru South fixture for the first time ever, and Aberystwyth instantly rose to the occasion by opening the scoring inside just eight minutes through Dan Owen, who headed home from Dillon Browne’s cross at the back post.
Aber captain Liam Walsh doubled his side’s lead early in the second half by steering the ball past Lee Idzi from Richie Ricketts’ free-kick before Browne dispossessed Tyler Aylward and played a square pass across to Aaron Williams, who sent his first-time effort into the bottom corner.
Williams wrapped up a convincing display from the Seasiders with eight minutes remaining as he beat Charlie Craig to reach Ricketts’ diagonal ball and watched his header bounce over the line despite Aylward’s best efforts to make the clearance. Aberystwyth’s perfect away record this season remains intact, whereas Carmarthen suffered four straight defeats for the first time since February 2023.
Pure Swansea climbed back up to third in the table with a 2-0 win over 10-player Cardiff Draconians at the Swansea Bay Sports Park on Saturday.
The Swans had a free-kick denied by the post eight minutes before half time, but they only needed four minutes of the second period to hit the front as Bradley Gibbings continued his fine form in front of goal.
Gibbings won his side a penalty in the 62nd minute when he was brought down inside the area by Dracs goalkeeper Harry Johnson, who received a straight red card for his foul. The visitors had no substitutions left to use, meaning outfield player Luke Gullick went inbetween the sticks, and he remarkably saved Danny Williams’ penalty to keep the scoreline at just 1-0.
Williams eventually redeemed himself with 75 minutes on the clock as the Swans forward scored his second league goal of the season. Jack Midwinter’s side are still unbeaten on home soil in the Novira Cymru South this season and remain just three points behind leaders Pontypridd with two games in hand.Â
Llantwit Major picked up a hard-fought point in their bid to move out of the relegation zone as Dan Martin’s late equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw against Trethomas Bluebirds at the CCB Centre on Saturday.
Levi Rees and the current Novira Cymru South top scorer Norton Ferreira both found the net to put the Bluebirds two goals to the good with just 17 minutes left to play.
Major substitute Jack Teisar was then sent off for a second bookable offence, which seemed to have significantly decreased the visitors’ chances of a comeback, but they were awarded a lifeline through Adam Roscrow’s converted penalty moments after Teisar’s dismissal.
Major pushed for an equaliser and it was Martin who popped up with the moment of magic required as the substitute, who had only been on the pitch just four minutes received Simon Prangley’s pass and curled beautifully into the far corner for his first ever goal for the club.
There was more late drama at the Evans Bevan Playing Fields as Toby Jones’ bagged a late winner to give Baglan Dragons a narrow 2-1 victory over Ynyshir Albions.
Ynyshir were reduced to 10 players shortly after the half-hour mark as Christen Bethell was shown a straight red card. However, it was actually the Buns who opened the scoring in the 64th minute as Scott Jones scored from the penalty spot.
That lead only lasted five minutes though, as Tom Randall equalised for Baglan with a calmly converted penalty of his own. The Dragons then eventually made full use of the numerical advantage with just one minute of normal time remaining as Jones leaped to meet Osian Williams’ teasing cross and guided his header beyond Ollie Withers to clinch all three points, ending Ynyshir’s seven-match unbeaten run in the league.
Ynyshir also received two more red cards following the full time whistle as defender Jago Norton and manager Craig Hopkins were both dismissed for two bookable offences.Â
Bottom side Llanelli Town picked up just their third point of the campaign as they played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Pontardawe Town at Stebonheath Park on Friday.
Jesse Meacock put Pontardawe ahead in the 17th minute, only for his fifth league goal of the season to be cancelled out immediately by Keiran Dawe, who opened his account for Llanelli.
Pontardawe had established a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes of the second half thanks to strikes from Ollie Nedza and Liam Samuel, but two clinical finishes from 17-year-old Karim Hussein saw Llanelli fight back to rescue a much needed point.
Afan Lido climbed into the top half with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Caerphilly Athletic at The Kit Arena on Friday.
It was a frantic start to the contest as Johden De Meyer gave Lido an early three minute lead before goalkeeper Exauce Dimonekene ensured that lead remained intact as he saved Fin Skiverton’s penalty for Caerphilly. A defensive mistake from Lido almost led to an equaliser for the visitors a few moments later, but luckily for Lido, the crossbar came to their rescue.
De Meyer produced an emphatic finish into the net via the underside of the crossbar to double his and Lido’s tally for the evening on 37 minutes. Liam Reed headed home from Josh Jones’ cross to half the deficit for Caerphilly in first half stoppage time, but Lido restored their two-goal advantage 11 minutes after the restart as Jack Pascoe fired past Cassius Tanhai at the back post.
Pascoe was denied his brace by the woodwork midway through the second half before Caerphilly pulled a goal back through Jack Darby in the eighth minute of stoppage time, but Lido survived that mini scare to take home all three points.
Nothing could separate Newport City and Treowen Stars in a 2-2 draw at the Newport Stadium on Friday.
Treowen forward Tom Hillman had a header cleared off the line in the opening stages, but it was his pass that set up Christian Davies for the breakthrough on 36 minutes as Davies found space for a shot inside the area and sent a low drive beyond Alex Harris.
Two close range finishes from Newport’s Mallachi Graham completed an impressive second half turnaround, but the Steelmen were denied their first home win in this season’s Novira Cymru South as 17-year-old Treowen substitute Iestyn Hassall, who had only been on the pitch for a minute, watched his strike deflect into the back of the net to bring his side level.
Novira Cymru South results in full:
Afan Lido 3-2 Caerphilly Athletic
Baglan Dragons 2-1 Ynyshir Albions
Llanelli Town 3-3 Pontardawe Town
Newport City 2-2 Treowen Stars
Caerau Ely 1-3 Pontypridd United
Pure Swansea 2-0 Cardiff Draconians
Trethomas Bluebirds 2-2 Llantwit Major
Carmarthen Town 0-4 Aberystwyth Town
