Ceredigion Costcutter League Round up
Division One
It was very much business as usual for league leaders St Dogmaels as they returned to winning ways following a lengthy spell out.
The Saints who had not played for five weeks understandably took time to settle and were forced to work hard, especially in defence against a strong Emlyn outfit but they were well worth their win in the end.
There were very few chances in the first half and the opening goal eventually came from an Emlyn mistake when a long ball over the top forced a collision between defender Steven Hicks and keeper Barry Edwards and the ball fell kindly to Pete Almond for a simple tap in.
The reds created a couple of half chances at the other end with front runner Dion Davies seeing a shot blocked on the line and the second chance he blasted wide.
The hosts enjoyed more possession in the second half but chances were again scarce but the Saints finally hit the target in the 75th minute when Louis Harding played a superb ball out to Jack Thomas on the right flank and he beat his man before he threaded the ball into the path of Almond for a second goal.
Emlyn grabbed a goal late on when Robbie Jenkins took full advantage of some good fortune when an attempted clearance from Aaron Williams fell nicely to him and he smashed the ball home and despite a late rally by the hosts the leaders held firm and saw the game out.
Lampeter rode their luck early on at Cae Dandre as a young Llanboidy outfit caused them plenty of problems and had it not been for some superb defending they could well have been a few goals down by half time. The home side though made the initial breakthrough with a goal from Celt Thomas Jones but Lampeter bounced back with two goals in quick succession from Gethin Hunter.
Visiting manager Terry Witts brought Scott Davies and Robert Slawoski on after the half time interval and Lampeter dominated the second half with Davies scoring the third and captain Marc Evans claiming the fourth.
Crannog produced the biggest win of the day after they fired seventeen goals past division strugglers Bargod Rangers. There were hat tricks for Marc Davies, Rhys Davies and George Colven and two apiece for Robbie Evans, Mike Glover and Steffan Jones as the Llangrannog men ran amok. Huw Owens was also on target for Crannog and to add insult to injury Rangers conceded an own goal. The visitors though could only muster seven players and they showed superb spirit to soldier on in the circumstances.
Two goals from Cardigan Town midfielder Owen Williams helped steer his team to a comfortable win over Aberaeron Reserves at the King George. Josh Mellor was also on target for a Town side that played some excellent football at times through the likes of Mellor, Tomos Toft and Ewan Jones.
Division Two
Dewi Stars who went top of division two for the first time at the end of the year, cemented their position with a comfortable win against a resolute and battling Ffostrasol side. However it took the Stars well over an hour to finally break down a well organised home side.
The visitors only led by a solitary goal at half time courtesy of a well taken free kick by Gethin Thomas, but it was his brother Ifan who took the honours in the last half hour with a well taken hat-trick- all three from headers.
Thomas doubled the Stars account when he rose to head home a corner from Guto Green and his second came soon after when he met a pin point cross from Tomos Jones. He then completed his hat trick of headers when Rhys Evans headed a Siencyn Jones corner against the bar and Thomas was first to react to the rebound to head home.
Ffostrasol got back into the game and from one of their attacks they were awarded a penalty which Twm Jones converted despite keeper Iestyn Edwards managing to get a hand to his powerful effort.
Ifan Thomas turned provider after completing his hat-trick when he released Oscar Cayo Evans who coolly slotted home to make it 5-1 and keep the Stars ahead of the pack but second placed Aberporth have a game in hand and Maesglas are chasing hard and it seems likely that the promotion battle will be between these three clubs.
Aberporth were held to a goalless draw by visitors New Quay but Maesglas managed to overcome the challenge of Llandysul Reserves by 2-1 and there was a win also for St Dogmaels Reserves who edged out Newcastle Emlyn Reserves by a single goal.
Division Three
Runaway leaders Crannog Reserves kept their impressive run going with a heavy defeat of Lampeter Reserves with Tony McDonald grabbing two of the goal for his team. Others to cash in were experienced campaigner Dylan Vaughan-Evans, Jordan Jones, Jordan Owen and Rhydian Roberts as the visitors ran out victors by 6-1.
In the second round of the Central Wales Cup there was no joy for Costcutter League clubs Llandysul and Ffostrasol as both were eliminated by opponents from the Mid Wales League.
Llandysul went down 5-0 against Kerry and Ffostrasol were beaten by 3-0 at Hay St Mary’s.