FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

Two major upsets in a week have thrown open the Costcutter Football League Division One title race involving three clubs.

Seven days after defeat of unbeaten Cardigan Town by Crannog there was an even bigger shock as league leaders and reigning champions St Dogmaels were brushed aside 5-2 by Lampeter Town.

Instead of Saints establishing themselves as red hot favourites to retain the title the championship race has been thrown open between the north Pembrokeshire villagers, Cardigan Town and Newcastle Emlyn.

When shrewd manager Jonion Evans took the reins at North Road at the start of the campaign players were made aware of the benefits of playing attractive football and it appears his philosophy has proved successful.

The Teifi Estuary high-flyers were without injured Adam Williams and Chris Morgan and could have no qualms about the result after being outplayed by a better side on the day.

A clinical finish by Jason Jones nudged Lampeter ahead and the same player doubled the advantage before half time.

Although striker Louis Harding bagged a brace of goals for Saints during the second period the homesters ruled the roost with further goals from Rhys Bowden, Liam Jones and Marc Evans.

Afterwards delighted Town manager Evans said: “I told the lads to go out and enjoy themselves and that’s what they did, playing good football.”

Although basement boys Aberporth have picked up six points they have had to forfeit them for failing to fulfil a fixture and also playing a suspended player, leaving the Airmen eight points from safety.

They did manage to win at the weekend when overcoming Llandysul 1-0 at Llandysul Park where Liam James netted the visitors’ goal.

In the other league encounter Ffostrasol and Llanboidy shared the spoils in an eight-goal thriller at Troed-y-Rhiw Park.

Headers by Jack Griffiths and Rhys Jenkins gave the visitors a two-goal advantage in the opening quarter but two strikes by Gwynfor Bowen saw Wanderers draw level before the interval.

Bustling former Cardigan Town striker Ewan Jones regained the lead for the west Carmarthenshire side before Iwan Jones made it 3-3 with a well-taken goal for Ffostrasol.

A bullet-like header from Cian Edwards nudged Wanderers ahead but a Ewan Jones headed effort ensured that Llanboidy would earn a point.

After pulling off a 2-1 league win over Cardigan it was another good day for Crannog who knocked the Magpies out of the Easter Monday League Cup with a 2-1 quarter-final win at the Urdd Centre.

In a niggly and scrappy encounter Town turned in another lacklustre performance and with a number of injuries at the club it is obviously going to require a huge effort this coming weekend when visiting Cambrian Tyres League leaders Tregaron in the J Emrys Morgan Cup.

The visitors were presented with the lead early on when home defender Steff Jones had the misfortune to put through his own goal.

Although Town squared matters towards the end of the first 45 minutes the coastal villagers would not be denied as a half-volley from Michael Bridges and a Brynley Morris free kick secured a semi-final spot.

Cardigan’s problems were compounded in the second half when vastly-experienced defender Steve Blackford was given his marching orders by referee Josh Townsend for a tackle.

Newcastle Emlyn faced a mammoth task in the Central Wales Cup round three in Powys when taking on holders Berriew and not surprisingly the Reds went down against a side two tiers above them in the Welsh pyramid system.

Despite the 5-0 scoreline Owain Thomas’s charges performed with credit against the classy Rhiewsiders for whom front-runner Andy Evans hit a hat-trick with the other goals coming from Joe Haycock and Niall Thomas.