Caernarfon Town 1 Aberystwyth 4

JD Cymru Premier

EVERYTHING came together for Aber last night as they earned a huge 4-1 win away to third placed Caernarfon Town at the Oval.

First half goals from Johnny Evans (23 mins), Louis Bradford (28 mins) and Niall Flint (34 mins) had the Black and Greens in dreamland before the break, and despite Iwan Lewis’ 69th minute red card, Flint scored an amazing fourth goal with eight minutes to go before Zack Clarke reduced the deficit in injury time.

Aber went into the game on a run of nine straight league defeats, but started like they meant business, on the front foot.

A series of free kicks for both sides was repelled, with Darren Thomas and Morgan Owen both volleying over the bar for the hosts.

Then Evans was played through and went one on one with home keeper Hari Thomas, only to be agonizingly denied at the last.

Imperious Louis Bradford cleared a corner, then a super left footed ball over the top from Lewis found Evans, who made no mistake a second time, finding the far bottom corner from the right angle, and scoring a huge goal for the Green Army to savour.

Some more stout defending and Aber gained another opportunity, with a free kick down the left side.

Flint deftly lofted the ball into the box and Bradford beat Thomas to the ball to double the lead with a flicked header!

With John Owen turning on the Cruyff turns down the left you could see Aber were flying and before long Zac Hartley showed some trickery on the right edge of the box before drilling in a low cross which Flint snaffled up at the back post for a sensational third – and Aber fans were pinching themselves.

Evans had the ball in the net again minutes later but was frustrated by the offside flag, then Dave Jones pulled off two brilliant saves to deny Darren Thomas to one side, and Matty Jones to the other, and yet again Aber broke with Hartley finding Flint who was denied by a point blank save from Thomas, before Harry Arnison lobbed inches over the bar, and a brilliant half saw Aber three up at the break.

The visitors continued defending brilliantly and breaking with purpose after the break: Evans turned and fired just wide, before Arnison put in a cross which Flint sent just over the bar, and Rico Patterson broke from midfield for a stunning strike which Thomas touched onto the crossbar, a super save to be fair.

Then half way through the half the hosts finally had a chance to get back in it when Iwan Lewis was red carded for manhandling sub Adam Davies in the box, and a penalty was given.

However the former Aber man’s spot kick sailed over the crossbar and the stand, and the lead was intact.

Jones had to be at his brilliant best again minutes later to block a shot over on the left, and he also denied Clarke before Matty Hill spooned wide.

Then came an astonishing moment as the irrepressible Flint unleashed a huge effort from fully 40 yards, which lofted over Thomas and dropped into at back post, and Aber knew it was definitely their night.

On come Aber with Hartley unleashing sub Devon Torry down the right side, and he volleyed just wide, and as the rain came down the hosts pressed again.

Dave Jones and Bradford parried yet more corners, but with the board for four minutes going up Matty Jones crossed from the left for Clarke to nod home a consolation goal which changed nothing on the balance of the evening, with Aber the better team by a long way on the night and fully deserving a landmark victory.

The Black and Greens had been bemoaning bad luck prior to this game but there was nothing lucky about the performance, and credit must go to interim Manager Dave Taylor for implementing tactics which on the night allowed the players to show their best.

With team song “Season of the Sticks” blaring out of the away dressing room after the game, all of a sudden confidence has grown and Aber will look forward to Saturday’s Welsh Cup tester at home to Ammanford AFC with their tails up. Kick off is at the earlier time of 2pm. Onwards!