REVENGE IS SWEET FOR BAY BATTLERS

COLWYN Bay paid back Barry Town United for their 6-0 hammering in the JD Cymru North/ South League Cup final with a 2-0 home win to earn a place in the quarter-finals of the JD Welsh Cup.

In this battle of two second tier champions from North and South last season, Alex Downes gave the home side the lead in the 20th minute with a little help from Sam Hart and Dan Jones doubled the advantage five minutes before the break.

Barry tried to get a goal back, but they were thwarted at every attempt and went out of the cup.

The full line-up for the JD Welsh Cup quarter finals in the New year will see Briton Ferry Llansawel welcome holders The New Saints, Bala Town entertain Flint Mountain and Buckley Town host Connah’s Quay Nomads. The other game is an all Cymru Premier clash between Cardiff Met and Colwyn Bay.

Back in the JD Cymru Premier, it was a 26th game without defeat for Craig Harrison’s unbeaten defending champions The New Saints as they added to Penybont’s woes with a 3-0 win at Park Hall. It was the visitors’ sixth defeat in their last nine outings in all competitions.

Having earned their ticket into European football last season, Rhys Griffiths’ side have struggled with consistency this winter and now find themselves down in eighth place. TNS are six points clear of Connah’s Quay Nomads with two games in hand at the top of the table.

Jordan Williams scored in the first minute but were then forced to wait 80 minutes for another – Declan McManus coming off the bench to add a third, the Scottish striker’s first goal since August after battling back from injury.

The Nomads saw off bottom of the table Pontypridd United 3-1, with all the goals for the home side coming in the first side. Harry Franklin and Noah Edwards scored within six minutes of each other and then Jordan Davies hammered home his 20th goal of the season.

Ponty were all at sea at that stage, but to their credit put up some resistance in the second half to save face.

They even got a goal back from Clayton Green 10 minutes into the second half.

It was tight and tense at The Oval where Haverfordwest County bagged only their sixth league win of the season, three of which have come in the North. Where Colwyn Bay and the Nomads went, the Cofis followed as Rio Dyer’s 71st minute goal finally broke the deadlock.

Things got worse for the home side in added time when Dion Donohue picked up a straight red card.