Aberystwyth Town 3 Newtown 1
JD Cymru Premier
ABERYSTWYTH Town bounced back with a deserved 3-1 win over Mid Wales rivals Newtown with goals from Niall Flint, Rico Patterson and Johnny Evans enough to seal the deal, with a solitary response from Josh Locke not enough to affect the result.
Despite a really poor result last week, Aber's loyal supporters stood by the Seasiders, with over 400 turning out on a cold November Friday evening, and the players rewarded them with a first half performance of vim and vigour.
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Patterson had a low shot saved in the first minute, then a Liam Walsh cross was gathered by Sam Ussher in the visitors’ goal.
The hosts took a deserved lead on 13 minutes when Flint controlled a clearance with a masterful touch, advanced on goal and unleashed a low left footed attempt which trickled under Ussher.
Rhys Davies sent in another dangerous corner for Aber, and then Dave Jones at the other end had to be alert to punch clear a dangerous corner from Zeli Ishmael.
Around the half hour mark Flint was fouled about 25 yards out, and Patterson stepped up to curl a sumptuous free kick into the far corner,to double the lead.
Locke fired over again, but with Aber's front three pressing relentlessly and causing mistakes at the back a third for Aber looked more likely, and another Walsh cross saw Harry Arnison go close with an overhead kick.
It was to be expected that Newtown came back into things and having switched from a back five to a back four they dominated possession for longer periods in the second half and reduced the arrears on 66 minutes when a corner from Ishmael was worked to Locke in the middle of the park and his low effort scrabbled under Jones for a goal which had Green hearts in mouths.
Jones pulled out an amazing left handed diving save to deny Aron Williams a curler, then on the break Flint drew a cynical foul from the already booked Roberts, but the referee relented from a second card.
Aber finished strongly with Arnison firing just over, then Evans was denied by a superb save from Ussher, but in the next move Walsh went on a swashbuckling run down the right, and his cross was fumbled by Ussher to Evans, who stabbed home from close range and celebrated wildly in front an enraptured Nark's Corner.
This was one of those fantastic Friday nights Park Avenue delivers every now and then, and the resilient hosts under Interim Boss Dave Taylor have moved off the bottom and to within a point of Flint in tenth place at the half way point of the season.