FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

With Costcutter League Division One championship hopefuls St Dogmaels, Llandysul and Newcastle Emlyn slipping up, long-time leaders Lampeter Town, who have overcome a few wobbles of their own, appear to be homing in on the title.

After 11 years in the hot seat Lampeter manager Terry Jones is retiring at the end of the season and the players are determined to see the popular boss go out on a high.

As title contenders and J Emrys Morgan Cup winners Newcastle Emlyn crashed 4-1 at second in the table St Dogmaels the pacesetters emerged 2-1 winners at third-placed Llandysul.

Town are five points clear of Saints with four games left, starting with this Saturday's home clash with Crannog when another maximum points haul would establish Jones's charges as overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy for the fourth time in the club's history and the first time in ten years.

After the visit of Crannog the leaders have away games against relegation-threatened Cilgerran Rovers and Ffostrasol and end the campaign with a big home game against Emlyn.

It was a tricky assignment for Town at Llandysul Park but the North Road side came through with flying colours to deservedly bank three points.

The visitors went ahead during the first half when central midfielder Marc Evans was first to react at a corner and powered a header past John Durbridge.

The Llandysul goalkeeper was again in top form as he pulled off two brilliant stops to deny Jason Jones but could do nothing to prevent midfielder Christy Gale netting a second Llandysul goal before Scott Thomas halved the deficit in the final quarter.

Eyebrows were raised when the score filtered through from School Field in St Dogmaels where Saints turned in a five-star showing in brushing aside form team Newcastle Emlyn.

The visitors went ahead early on but after that it was all about the Teifi Estuary villagers with every player in their ranks doing his bit to produce a first-rate team performance.

Midfielder Dion Phillips with a clinical piece of finishing nudged the Reds ahead but Saints were back on level terms before the interval when Dan Jones netted from close range.

Central midfielder Adam Williams put the homesters in front when volleying home from the edge of the penalty area and the same player made it 3-1 with a free kick that flew into the roof of the net.

Playing up the slope during the second period Saints were quite comfortable and when Rhys Jones set up leading marksman Louis Harding for the fourth goal it was game over.

Relegation-haunted Cilgerran Rovers and Ffostrasol put aside their league battles when Ffostrasol sprang a 2-1 win over the Coraclemen in a Cwpan Coffa Dai Dynamo Davies quarter-final tie at Parc y Dre and Cardigan Town of the Frist Division also reached the last four with a 6-1 win over Llanboidy of Division Two at King George V Playing Field.

The midweek Division One game between Aberaeron Reserves and visitors Llandysul at Square Field was abandoned after a serious injury to a home player.

Sixteen-year-old striker Sam Brammeld suffered a broken thigh and knee in an accidental incident soon after the start and was taken to Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

Everyone connected with the sport will join in wishing the popular youngster a speedy recovery.