CARDIFF MET scored a late winner to come away from Park Avenue with a 1-0 win over Aberystwyth Town on Saturday (Sept 11).
Emlyn Lewis’ 89th minute effort deflected past Man of the Match Gregor Zabret to earn all three points for the Met.
The Black and Greens came into the game in good heart following last weekend’s 9-0 Welsh Cup win over Aber Valley, and Jamie Veale sent a free kick past the post early on for the home side.
Zabret then parried a low shot by Adan Roscrow out for a corner. Jon Owen had to come off with a hamstring pull on nine minutes, before Zabret denied Tom Davies and Lewis Rees in quick succession.
Harry Franklin headed wide from Matty Jones’ corner and as Aber’s prominent playmaker become more involved in the best of Town’s creative play he attracted repeated heavy challenges from the visitors, which resulted in Franklin being carried off with a nasty knee injury ten minutes before the break.
Town’s Raul Correia had a shot blocked for a corner, then at the other end Rees sent in a great cross which evaded three Met players.
Sub Alex Darlington warmed Alex Lang’s gloves with a twenty yard effort, Harry Owen had a shot blocked for Met, and Zabret made another good save to deny Roscrow, before palming Owen’s shot over, and in truth the home team were probably glad to reach half time goal less after a 45 when the visitors created more goalscoring chances.
Owain Jones had an effort blocked, then sent another wide early into the second half, and a Jamie Veale 25 yard snapshot cannoned agonisingly off the post for Town with Aber inches away from taking the lead.
Jack Rimmer sent in a useful cross gathered by Lang, and another Veale effort deflected for a goal kick with Aber looking good.
Matt Chubb’s renowned long throw routine reared its head for Met with Aber clearing his repeated flings into the area, though Joe Evans did flash an effort past the post to show Met were also capable of creating chances from open play.
Home defender Louis Bradford came desperately close to converting right on the goal line from Matty Jones’ free kick, then Correia created an opportunity for Sam Phillips to volley over.
Roscrow then went on another fine run before drawing a great save from his nemesis Zabret, and Rees headed wide with the visitors finishing strongly. Zabret astonishingly touched another Met effort over the bar from point blank range, and Aber survived again.
At the other end Owain Jones flicked over from Veale’s corner, then Zabret saved from Tom Price and Owen in quick succession.
The visitors’ pressure finally paid off when Lewis swivelled in the box to send in a shot which took a big deflection off a home defender to beat the heroic Zabret in goal.
