MAGPIES BOUNCE BACK

Costcutter League round up.

Reigning champions Cardigan Town bounced back from their league cup semi-final defeat in the week to beat Bargod Rangers by 4-1 at the King George.

The Magpies who were edged out by Crannog in an entertaining semi-final under the floodlights at Lampeter were too strong all over the park but the Parc Puw men who are looking likely candidates for relegation, battled throughout.

Rangers who are a shadow of the team that were still in with a chance of winning the championship this time last season, matched the Magpies for long periods but they were eventually overhauled with Ewan Jones netting twice for the hosts. Further goals from Neil Evans and Tom Gardner steered Town to a comfortable win in the end. Rhydian Davies fired home from the penalty spot to claim a consolation goal for Bargod.

Llandysul who pre-season were tipped in these pages to lift the title, moved to within five points of securing the Norman Llewellyn Memorial Trophy after they comfortably disposed of Dewi Stars at Parc Tir Y Dref.

Chris Davies and his men, who are still unbeaten, now only have to win two games to capture a prize that has eluded this riverside club for 68 years. They can even afford to lose two matches although their current form makes this very unlikely. If Llandysul defeat Bargod at home a week on Saturday and Newcastle Emlyn lose at Cilgerran, Llandysul will be champions.

The Swallows who meet Waterloo Rovers in the semi-final of the J.Emrys Morgan Cup this week, got off to a perfect start against the Stars when Dean Jones blasted home from the penalty spot two minutes into the game after Lewis Jones had been upended.

The Stars though settled well after this hiccup and weren’t overawed at all and deservedly equalised with a good finish but they were not level for long as Dean Jones scored again to make it 2-1. Further goals followed as Llandysul took a hold on the match when Adrian Hazelby calmly finished the first of his four goals just a few minutes before the break.

The second half was one way traffic and became a bit of a procession as Hazelby made it 4-1, skipper Ian Barrett added another for 5-1 with a bullet header on the hour and the game was all over. Two more goals from Hazelby took his tally of the season to 23 but the plucky young Stars side kept battling and they were awarded a penalty, but keeper Jon Durbridge denied the Stars with an absolute top draw save,

With just two minutes remaining substitute Matthew Newbold rounded the keeper to make it 8-1 to take Llandysul to just one goal short of a century of league goals for the season.

Aberaeron Reserves pulled seven points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over visitors Cilgerran Rovers at Cae Sgwar but the seasiders are not out of danger yet as their rivals below them have two games in hand. Ianto Evans secured the all-important third goal for the black and ambers

Lampeter were held to a 2-2 draw against Felinfach and their chances of finishing runners-up behind champions-elect Llandysul are beginning to look very slim. On target for the milkmen were Kieron Boyes and Eilir Evans.

In Division Two Aberporth were unable to raise a side to take on leaders Ffostrasol whilst the only other match scheduled between Pencader and Llanboidy was also postponed.

The quarter final tie between St Dogmaels and Newcastle Emlyn in the Cwpan Goffa Dai Dynamo was postponed once again, this time due to construction work on a perimeter wall at the School Field in St Dogmaels. The tie will now be played this Saturday.

In the opening round of the South Cards Cup Maesglas inflicted another heavy defeat on division two strugglers SDUC by 11-0. Regular keeper Graham Keen was given a rare opportunity to play out and he managed to poach a perfect hat-trick with a goal from both feet and a header. Others to cash in on some poor defending were Dan Jones Billy Myers and Keiran Harman, all with two each and Sion Lewis and Aaron Hopkins. David Clark replied for the visitors who only turned up with ten men and that included the bus driver!