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Successive wins for Ancients
Cefn Druids secured its first back-to-back wins of the Dafabet Welsh Premier League season as Nathan Peate and Ashley Ruane gave them a 2-1 win over Aberystwyth Town.
Peate got his first goal for the club in the first half before Ruane got his second in as many games early in the second, which proved to be the winner after John Owen scored for the visitors just before half-time.
Both sides went into the game with unchanged sides following their wins last weekend and it was Druids who came close to breaking the deadlock early on.
Goalkeeper Chris Mullock attempted to clear the ball for The Seasiders in the third minute, but Ruane was quick to close down the kick and the ball started to go goalwards, but was cleared to safety by a recovering defender.
Ruane again caused problems for Aberystwyth as he capitalised on a moment’s hesitation in the defence. He managed to get on to a loose ball on the byline and cross it over first time with the outside of his boot towards Mike Pritchard, only for Ryan Wollacott to react quickest and clear behind.
On the quarter of an hour mark Druids again came close to taking the lead when Jordan Barrow’s shot from 30 yards took a wicked deflection and land just wide of Mullock’s right hand post.
From the resulting corner by Corey Roper, the ball beat everyone before bouncing up into Adam Hesp at the far post, catching him by surprise, and go behind.
But it was from a corner that gave Druids the opening goal.
Again it was from Roper’s flag kick on the left – after it was his deflected shot that led to the corner – that flew to the far post and Peate was able to rise highest and powerfully head home from six yards.
The goal sparked Aberystwyth into life as an attacking force and, in the 27th minute, a dangerous corner from the left took a slight touch off a Druids player to go behind for another corner.
From their third corner in a short space of time Luke Sherbon was denied by a point blank deflection as his header looked destined for the roof of the Druids net. The timely home interception sent the effort over the bar.
Mullock was almost embarrassed in the 32nd minute when he beat Ruane to an attempted through ball. His sliding clearance only fell as far as Naim Arsan inside his own half and, spotting the open goal, tried his luck. However the effort drifted harmlessly wide.
Three minutes before the break the visitors drew level when Owen capitalised on Matthew Eckersley’s miss and slotted the ball through the oncoming Jones’ legs to see the ball creep over the line via the inside of the post.
It could have been better for the visitors in the last minute of the half when Arsan gave the ball straight to Owen, but his shot from 25 yards was easily gathered by Jones.
Druids retook the lead within 90 seconds of the second half getting underway.
Barrow’s long ball found Peate in an advanced position. He was able to hold up the ball and square it to Ruane who ran on to it from 12 yards out to make no mistake.
The lead was nearly doubled in the 57th minute when Roper found Pritchard 25 yards out. His shot was parried by Mullock. Roper was quickest to react but could only fire over the bar under pressure.
Four minutes later Druids came close to adding to the tally again when Arsan’s free-kick was only cleared as far as Eckersley and his effort went narrowly wide.
The Ancients should have got a third in the 67th minute when Kyle Parle put through a perfectly weighted pass for Ruane to run on to. Through one-on-one with Mullock, the former Druids stopper stayed big and saved the striker’s effort.
A minute later Peate came close to getting his second of the game as he met Arsan’s corner from the right at the far post but could only divert the effort narrowly wide.
Aberystwyth pushed for an equalise in the closing stages, which included over seven minutes of added on time after several injuries, but the Druids defence remained largely resolute to make it two wins out of two.
Cefn Druids
Michael Jones, Kyle Parle, Adam Hesp, Matthew Eckersley, Jordan Barrow, Stuart Cook, Michael Pritchard (Fisnik Hajdari 90+3), Nathan Peate, Naim Arsan, Corey Roper, Ashley Ruane (Steve Blenkinsop 80). Substitutes not used: Ellis Healing, Jonathon Taylor, Filippo Casaretto (gk).
Booked: Arsan 44, Roper 89.
Aberystwyth Town
Chris Mullock, Dylan Rees, Cledan Davies, Sam Rodon (Kurtis March 83), Jamie Crowther, Luke Sherbon, John Owen, Luke Borrelli, Ryan Wollacott (Geoff Kellaway 72), Malcolm Melvin, Dafydd Jones (Kostya Georgievsky 57). Substitutes not used: Jack Rimmer, Chris Jones.
Booked: D, Jones 24, Sherbon 89, Rees 90+2
Attendance: 204 Referee: Mark Petch
Cefn Druids 2 Nathan Peate 18 Ashley Ruane 47
Aberystwyth Town 1 John Owen 42
