AS well as a place in the next stage of the J Emrys Morgan Cup pride was also on the line as holders and Costcutter League champions Cardigan Town hosted Cambrian Tyres Aberystwyth League leaders Dolgellau at King George V Playing Field.

After a pulsating tie it was the Magpies who edged it 2-1 and earned a home quarter-final against the winners of the Llandrindod Wells versus Lampeter Town fourth round tie.

Many of the visiting contingent felt they were hard done by in not disposing of the holders but whilst Dolgellau were a very useful outfit and had their chances on the evidence of the 90 minutes Town just about deserved the passage.

It was a humdinger of a tie from start to finish with a great deal of the play confined to the middle of the field where there were a number of intriguing duels.

Although it was a first-rate all-round team effort that gave the Magpies victory special mention could be made of veteran sweeper and skipper Steve Blackford who had a blinder and set up the winning goal with 12 minutes remaining.

The Gwynedd visitors went ahead after 19 minutes when a cross into the middle was met by David Edwards who headed past Casey Walters.

Goalkeeper Darren Walters kept his side ahead with two superb stops to deny John Lumb and Dylan Davies before the Magpies squared matters when the Lumb Davies combination again caused the visitors problems and midfielder Davies fired into the bottom corner.

Dominic Thomas rattled the crossbar for the visitors before they had a defender sent off for a foul in a one-to-one situation.

With 17 minutes left on the clock the outstanding Blackford’s pinpoint cross was met by defender Alun Gotrel Williams and there was just no stopping his bullet header.

LLANDYSUL caused an upset when knocking out fancied NEWCASTLE EMLYN on their opponents’ own Parc Emlyn stamping ground where the Swallows prevailed 2-0 after extra time.

There were chances at both ends during the 90 minutes and also in extra time but it was the visitors who came up trumps with goals by Ian Barrett and Daniel Jones.

Last season’s beaten finalists CRANNOG are also through after a hard-earned but deserved 4-2 win over Meifod from Powys and will visit the winners of the Llanfair Utd versus Penparcau tie in the quarter-final.

Quarter-final draw: Cardigan Town v Llandrindod Wells/Lampeter Town; Dewi Stars v Llanrhaeadr/Forden Utd; Llanfyllin Town v Llandysul; Llanfair Utd/Penparcau v Crannog.

BARGOD RANGERS extended their lead at the top of Division One to four points with a comfortable 5-0 away win over basement boys PENCADER.

The league’s leading marksman Robbie Jenkins led the way for the Parc Puw high-flyers with a well-taken hat-trick and midfielder Dion Phillips bagged a brace of goals.

Rangers are likely to face a far sterner test this Saturday when they visit Cardigan for an Easter Monday League Cup quarter-final clash with the holders.

Goal-scoring ace of the weekend was Gethin Hunter of LAMPETER RESERVES who hit six goals as his side thrashed NEWCASTLE EMLYN RESERVES 9-0 in a Division Two game at North Road.