MALKIN POWERS TOWN UP TO THIRD
JOE MALKIN turned into Bala Town’s end-of-year hero as he scored an overtime winner to enable his side to leapfrog visitors
Newtown and move up to third place in the JD Cymru Premier.
The game seemed destined to end in a 1-1 draw until Kieran Smith lofted a ball into the Newtown box in the 92nd minute more in hope than expectation.
Ryan Rogers chested it down on the penalty spot and somehow got the ball under control with two defenders on him.
He then laid the ball off to Malkin, who hit the deck as he stroked the ball home into the right corner past Andrew Wycherley. It was Malkin’s second goal of the game, and his first goals of the season, after he had levelled in the 74th minute.
Aaron Williams had taken his tally for the season to 19 in all competitions in two minutes into the second half and for a while that looked like being enough to earn the Robins something out of the game.
There were no goals in the game between
Cardiff Met University and Barry Town United in Cyncoed, while relegation-threatened Aberystwyth Town picked up a precious point at home against Haverfordwest County.
Both goals came in the first half with Harry Owen giving the home fans something to shout about with his effort int he ninth minute. The Bluebirds leveled in the 35th minute with a goal from Martell Taylor-Crossdale, his tenth of the season in all competitions.
There are three games today, with reigning champions
The New Saints
heading to Cae y Castell to face their closest rivals, Connah’s Quay Nomads.
There are nine points between the two sides at present, with the unbeaten league leaders and reigning champions also having a game in hand.
Penybont will be looking to build on their morale boosting 3-0 at Cardiff Met on Boxing Day when they welcome Pontypridd
United for a vital game. With two games left to play in Phase 1 of the season, they need to bridge a three-point gap to try to break into the top half of the table. The other game is at Colwyn Bay, where
Caernarfon Town are the visitors.
In the JD Cymru South, Afan Lido moved up to third on the back of a 5-2 home win over Trefelin.
It was a lot tighter than it seems from the scoreline as it was 2-2 up until the 84th minute.
Twice the visitors took the lead, with goals from Callum Saunders and Lewis Gibbs, but the Lido replied via Matt Beynon and Josh Webber.
Then came the late surge from the home team, who lost Liam Griffiths to a second yellow card in the 73rd minute.
Despite being a man down, Lido took the lead for the first time in the 84th minute and then added overtime goals from Owen and Webber to complete the job.
Cwmbran Celtic
took the lead three times at Cambrian & Clydach Vale before finally emerging with a 3-2 win.
The winner came from Alex Bonthron in the 87th minute, his 15th of the season.