REDS BACK IN TITLE COMMAND
LLANELLI Town are back on top of JD Cymru South.
This win elevated them to top spot in the league table on goal difference from former leaders Briton Ferry Llansawel, who went down 2-1 at Ammanford.
Once again, Llanelli had to work hard before finally overcoming opponents who caused plenty of problems and were always in the contest.
Eventually, goals by Curtis Hutson Ethan Cann and Josh Allen saw them over the finishing line.
The visitors suffered a setback when goalkeeper Lewis Watkins was forced off injured and replaced by Alex McDowell after just seven minutes. Llanelli were first to threaten with Hutson firing over the bar, while McDowell got down at his near post to safely gather another Hutson effort.
It took 36 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, with the Reds forging into the lead when Allen played in Thomas Hillman whose effort came back off the base of a post before Hutson reacted first to drive home the rebound.
The visitors retaliated, and a surging run from deep by Lewis Iles ended with him firing just off target. And they went even closer when Scott Coughlan was forced to divert clear a well-struck free-kick from Thomas Meechan.
The hosts were ahead by a solitary goal at the break. But Hutson, who had received a knock in the first half, was replaced by Cann on the restart.
Celtic again went close to drawing level when Meechan saw his attempt roll across the face of goal before it rebounded off the upright and was scrambled clear.
Hillman was denied by some good defending in the box when he pursued a ball over the top by Josef Hopkins, while McDowell did well to keep out a shot from distance with Hillman directing the rebound over the top.
Celtic were still offering the occasional threat and levelled matters on 63 minutes when a break along the left culminated in Meechan finishing off the move with a superb strike past Coughlan.
Six minutes later the Reds edged ahead again through Cann, who was found by Danny Birch and skilfully turned before placing his finish into the bottom corner.
The visitors were still not finished and were on equal terms again in the 74th minute after an initial attempt had been hacked off the line, but led to referee Jordan Harman awarding a penalty, duly despatched by Alex Bonthron.
With time running out it appeared as if the home side were going to drop valuable points, before Allen became their saviour with a brilliant finish from an assist by Joe Hunt four minutes from time.
And despite the agony of having to endure eight minutes of added time, they clung on to claim the win.
Llanelli travel to meet Baglan Dragons on Saturday (2pm).
LLANELLI TOWN: Coughlan; Parry, Cronin, Delaney, Rees; Hopkins (capt), Hillman (Austin 88), Allen, Birch, Hunt, Hutson (Cann 46). Subs not used: Baker, Phillips (GK). CWMBRAN CELTIC: Watkins (McDowell 7); Bodenham, Connor, Hodges (Rippon 55), Lewis (Powell 76), Hinwood, Moss, Larcombe (capt), Bonthron, Meechan, Iles. Subs not used: Doolan, Maguire.
REFEREE: Jordan Harman. ATTENDANCE: 247.