Ground: Latham Park

Newtown AFC 2-0 Barry Town United

Two injury time goals in each half from Joe Kenton fired Newtown up to third in the JD Welsh Premier League.

Both sides were looking for a win to take them within a few points of the summit, and it was Newtown who prevailed in a tight affair.

Joe Kenton capitalised on a defensive blunder on half time to volley home, before the striker broke in second half stoppage time to secure the victory.

 

Sam Phillips was given his first start since the opening day, as Chris Hughes made one change with Steve Leslie dropping to the bench.

It was billed to be an entertaining clash with both sides among the in form outfits in the league.

The sides were trying to play attractive stuff from the off, with the visitors retaining the ball better in the opening ten minutes.

The first chance fell to the Robins, as Mike Lewis denied Ben Bailey his first Robins goal when he tipped over his goal bound header from a Craig Williams corner.

The chance led to Newtown having a spell on the front foot as Nick Rushton had a shot blocked, with Kenton inches away from getting on the end of a Phillips toe poked cross.

Both sides were enjoying spells of possession, but were cancelling each other out with Dave Jones hardly tested in the home goal.

Ten minutes before the break the Robins were handed a chance on a plate to take the lead, but the play was pulled back in strange fashion.

Lewis’ goal kick was short and Rushton intercepted with a defender getting back to clear for a corner.

However referee Kevin Parry pulled it back for an apparent rolling ball on the goal kick, to the disgust of the Robins bench.

Neil Mitchell, fresh on the back of his 200th Robins WPL appearance and player of the month nomination tested Lewis, but it was Barry who had the best chance late in the half.

A through ball caught Newtown cold with Drew Fahiya running through, but the winger’s last touch was too heavy and Jones smothered the danger.

Just as it looked as if the half was petering out, the Robins broke from a Barry corner and grabbed a half time advantage.

A corner was cleared and a ball pumped forward, and as Lewis misjudged the bounce Kenton capitalised and lobbed the keeper to give his side the lead.

Fahiya went close twice early in the second period, the second time blazing over from a good position in the area.

Hughes then introduced Leslie from the bench, and he went close soon after coming on as he had a volley blocked, before firing one over.

Barry were beginning to build up some momentum as they searched for a leveler and were inches from getting one 15 minutes from time.

Momodou Touray’s cross almost found Kane McLaggon but Jones raced off his line to scupper the chance.

Then almost immediately Newtown nearly added a second, but Mitchell headed Callum Roberts’ cross over the bar.

Barry continued to press, but Newtown’s rearguard held as firm as they have all season.

And in the 92nd minute they snuffed out an attack and allowed the attacking players to secure the game.

Leslie found Kenton who drove into the box, before smashing the ball beyond Lewis and in to make it four wins in four and send Newtown into the top three.

Newtown 1-0 Penybont

A first half penalty helped Newtown get through a tricky second round tie against a plucky Penybont outfit.

Ethan Jones missed a penalty before tapping home the re-bound to give the Robins a half time lead.

In the second period Newtown failed to put the game to bed, and the visitors went close to levelling late on but Newtown hung on.

Chris Hughes opted to mix his squad up for their second game in four days, and ahead of a long trip down to Llanelli on Friday night.

Dave Jones, Ben Bailey, Neil Mitchell, Steve Leslie and Nick Rushton were all rested, as Jojo Harries, Jack Perry, and Tom Goodwin were handed their first starts.

Jones and Sam Phillips were also recalled to the first 11.

Newtown began brighter against their inform Welsh League opposition, with Alex Fletcher volleying wide from a tight angle in the opening moments.

It was clear they would have the majority of the early possession, as Penybont were willing to sit in and soak up the pressure.

And they did that with success early on, as the Robins failed to any joy when pressing for that final killer pass.

Despite the lack of possession, Penybont had the first quality opening but they failed to capitalise on a Robins error.

Phillips conceded possession and a through ball saw Marcus Griffiths go one on one, but he failed to get a shot off.

Almost immediately Jones went close at the other end as Fletcher found him in the box, but Rhys Wilson palmed is effort over.

From the resulting corner the Robins did take the lead as Jay Denny’s header came off an arm, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Jones’ firm penalty was saved by Wilson, but came back to the forward who tapped the ball home.

Newtown went after a second with Phillips looking very lively in the middle of the mark, however they were just struggling to find that defence splitting ball.

A superb ball five minutes before the break from Phillips almost found Luke Boundford, but Kane Owen scrambled back to make a vital interception.

Penybont went close to an early equaliser in the second period, but a dangerous cross was cleared at the last second.

Then Newtown should have been two ahead as Jones had a shot blocked, before a Steve Leslie through ball sent the striker clear, and he cut inside only to be denied by Wilson.

With the game still at 1-0 Penybont were still in the game, and they had a penalty shout turned away.

They were beginning to ramp up the pressure just after the hour mark and getting into good areas but failing to find an end product.

The Robins were inches from wrapping the game up 20 minutes from time as a cross fell to Leslie, but his goalbound effort was hooked off the line.

Then seconds later Nick Rushton’s cross found Phillips, however he could only loop a header over.

Penybont were still coming forward as Curtis Hutson lashed high and wide, before a fierce Luke Borrelli drive was held by Jack Perry.

The went even closer with five minutes to go as Perry had to be alert to tip over a smart flick from Borrelli.

Late on Owen saw a free kick deflected as the Robins held on to secure their route to round three.

Newtown AFC 2-1 Cardiff MU

Two long range strikes in two first half minutes saw Newtown get back to winning ways and record their third home win on the bounce.

They made it hard for themselves though and fell behind early on as Sam Snaith glanced home a free kick after his 13 minutes.

But Alex Fletcher’s long range effort squirmed through the goalkeepers legs, before Neil Mitchell rifled in a belter two minutes later.

 

After two defeats on the bounce Chris Hughes made just one change as Luke Boundford came in for his first start of the campaign, replacing Joe Kenton.

Last week it was a horror show as the Robins conceded inside 52 seconds, and it didn’t take much longer for Met to go close in this one.

A cross went through the crowded box to Joel Edwards after just two minutes, but the defender blazed over.

The Robins were enjoying good patches of possession, but it was Met who looked the sharper going forward.

Elliot Evans found himself free in the box, but his deflected effort was tipped wide by Dave Jones.

Then the home stopper produced a top class save to deny a Will Evans volley from point blank range, with Sam Snaith blasting over the re-bound.

However Met were building up ahead of steam and did get their noses in front on 13 minutes.

Evans’ in swinging free kick was glanced in off the post by Snaith, for what was the first time the Robins had conceded at home this season.

It almost got worse five minutes later, but luckily Evans’ free kick went just over the Robins crossbar.

The dangerous Evans fired over again, before Newtown had their first sight of goal as Callum Roberts fired a set piece over the bar.

Then in two mad minutes, after hardly having a glimpse of a chance the Robins turned things right around.

They can count themselves quite fortunate with the first, as Fletcher’s long range effort from distance went straight through the legs of goalkeeper Esa Aalto.

Then with the next attack on 37 minutes Mitchell galloped forward and fire a rocket shot into the corner from distance, and this time Aalto could do nothing about it.

Fletcher’s dangerous cross nearly led to a third at the start of the second half, before the tide began to turn back in Met’s favour.

They were enjoying dangerous spells, and had a handball shout waved away.

Then from a left sided cross, Jones produced his second top save of the afternoon to deny a goal bound Emlyn Lewis header.

Mitchell had a speculative effort fly over, before he was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty after beating two men and going down in the box.

Then with just over ten minutes to go Met should have been level.

A cross found Chris Baker free in the box and he had time to turn and shoot from 12 yards, however he lacked composure and blazed over.

Will Evans then curled an effort over as the game crept towards stoppage time with the Robins lead still in tact.

But the Robins held firm, and good game management saw them see it out for the victory.