The JD Welsh Premier League Phase II fixture list has been released, and just like in Phase I Aberystwyth Town will kick off their Play Off Conference campaign at Jenner Park, home of Barry Town on Saturday 3rd February. The last round of League fixtures will be held on Friday 27th April, when Town will host Newtown. The Black and Greens' remaining fixtures for 2017/8 are as follows: JANUARY Sat 27th (Welsh Cup Fourth Round) Cardiff Met (Away) KO 2.30pm FEBRUARY Sat 3rd Barry Town (Away) KO 4.15pm Fri 9th LLANDUDNO (HOME) KO 8pm Fri 16th PRESTATYN TOWN (HOME) KO 8pm Sun 25th Carmarthen Town (Away) KO 5.15pm MARCH Sat 3rd Welsh Cup Fifth Round Sat 10th Newtown (Away) KO 2.30pm Sat 24th BARRY TOWN (HOME) KO 2.30pm Sat 31st Llandudno (Away) KO 2.30pm APRIL Sat 7th Welsh Cup Semi Finals Fri 13th Prestatyn Town (Away) KO 7.45pm Fri 20th CARMARTHEN TOWN (HOME) KO 8pm Fri 27th NEWTOWN (HOME) KO 7.30pm MAY Sat 5th Welsh Cup Final Sat 12th UEFA Europa League Play Off Semi Finals Sun 20th UEFA Europa League Play Off Final Aberystwyth Town FC can confirm the departures of defenders John McKenna and Jonny Spittle, and the arrival of goalkeeper Adam Walters.
Centre back John McKenna played his last game for Town last Saturday before moving back to New Zealand, where he has been offered a full time work opportunity. He made 21 appearances for Town in 2017/8, scoring twice. McKenna's Centre Back partner Jonny Spittle informed the Club this morning that he will reject an extension to his current deal and will leave the Club when his Contract expires on Friday after 20 appearances and three goals. Aberystwyth Town FC thanks both players for their contributions and wishes them all the best for the future. Black and Green supporters should be reassured that the Club is in active negotiations with a number of replacements and that our defence will be strengthened before the end of January. Town have also signed goalkeeper Adam Walters from Aberystwyth University. Walters has previously been with York City, Selby Town, Barmouth & Dyffryn and the University side, and he will wear squad number 21. Aberystwyth Town are delighted to announce the signing of Central Midfielder Damien Allen from Bangor City. One of the most highly respected and prized midfielders in the Welsh Premier League, Damien originally signed for Nev Powell's Bangor City seven seasons ago and went on to become Club Captain, making 151 appearances for the Citizens and scoring 11 goals in the process. As a central midfielder he is known for making the central area of the park his own, via his uncanny ability to keep the ball when necessary, before dictating play with a killer pass at the right moment. Cheadle-born Damian came through Stockport County's Youth system and made 57 League appearances for the Hatters before a loan spell at Royal Antwerp. He then played 20 times for Morecambe before coming to Bangor via Halifax, Bury and Colwyn Bay. His signing is a massive boost to Neville Powell and his squad as they prepare for the Play Off Conference which begins in the first weekend of February. Everyone at Aberystwyth Town welcomes Damian to the Club and we wish him all the best for a successful period at Park Avenue. Aberystwyth U19’s have made a great start to the second part of the season after the Christmas break with two wins against Carmarthen away and Haverfordwest at home, writes Assistant Manager Iwan Roberts.
On what was a very cold evening in Carmarthen, the young Seasiders returned home with a 4-1 win. The first half was a scrappy affair, but Aber took the lead when Liam Doherty broke the offside trap and placed a good finish past the Carmarthen keeper. Aberystwyth had a couple more chances after to further the lead, but a lack of concentration from a throw in led to Carmarthen equalising. In the second half Aber were much better and it was a pleasure to watch them perform like they did, as they totally dominated and pushed Carmarthen back all half, creating chance after chance with so much free flowing football. The pressure told as goals from Harri Horwood, Jack Rimmer and Tom Evans secured a 4-1 win to take back to Aberystwyth. The game was watched by first team coach Wayne Jones who was only full of compliments about the team’s performance. The youngsters continued their good form with a convincing 9-2 win against Haverfordwest County at Park Avenue on Sunday. They continued their free flowing football against Carmarthen as they raced into a 4-0 lead by half time, the second have produced another five goals as Aber’s pace and tempo was just too much for Haverfordwest to deal with. Liam Docherty continued his fine form with a fine hat trick and he was well supported with two goals from Harri Horwood and one apiece for Geoff Kellaway, Tom Evans, Jack Rimmer and Ianto Ap Dafydd Manager Bari Morgan was very pleased with his side, saying “It is fantastic that we have started so well after the Christmas break with 6 points from a possible 6. We have trained well over the Christmas break and that has shown in the performances this week. We are playing with such freedom, which is what we are trying to achieve, we want all the players to want the ball at all times and express themselves and play without fear. However we realise that we must not get ahead of ourselves and have to turn up for every game, respect the opposition without fearing them and earn the right to win” Aberystwyth Town Under 19's next game is at home this Sunday 21st January to Cambrian & Clydach with a slightly later 3.00pm kick off. JD Welsh Premier League Saturday 13th January Aberystwyth Town 4-2 Connah’s Quay Nomads Aberystwyth Town stunned second placed Connah’s Quay Nomads as they stormed to a magnificent 4-2 JD Welsh Premier League victory at Park Avenue on Saturday afternoon. In front of a bumper crowd of 874, Nev Powell’s side put on a show as a hat-trick from Joe Phillips (5, 39, 63) along with an Ashley Young strike (37) condemned the Nomads to just their fifth defeat of the season. The win sees Aber move on to 22 points in the JD welsh Premier league table, seven points clear of safety and just six points behind seventh placed Llandudno as they now prepare for the second phase of the league season. Saturday’s game marked the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Aberystwyth Junior League, with hundreds of aspiring young footballers turning out to watch the Seasiders in action. Kick off at Park Avenue was preceded by a touching tribute to former club stalwart Dave Humphreys, as the bumper crowd stood for a minute’s applause in his honour. The game started in frantic fashion, with Aber enjoying some encouraging early spells of possession against one of the league’s strongest outfits. Within 5 minutes, Town took the early lead they would have been dreaming of before the game, as Ashley Young launched a long throw-in into the penalty area, where Joe Phillips was on hand to nod the ball home after Jonny Spittle’s front post flick-on and make it 1-0. This gave the hosts an early confidence boost as they continued to hassle and harry their opponents, refusing to give them any time or space on the ball. Aber almost doubled their lead on 7 minutes when Phillips fired Declan Walker’s low cross narrowly over the crossbar. But on 12 minutes, the Nomads found an equaliser somewhat against the run of play, as Michael Wilde pulled away to the back post and rose highest to head the ball past Chris Mullock and into the bottom corner to make it 1-1. Suddenly the game was back in the balance as the visitors grew in confidence and imposed their physical approach on Aber’s back four. Nomads’ Jay Owen fired a shot over the crossbar on 23 minutes before Declan Walker almost regained the lead for Aber as his header sailed inches wide of the far post from an Ashley Young corner kick. However, on 37 minutes Aber did indeed re-take the lead, as Ashley Young sent a wicked free-kick into the six yard area towards Joe Phillips, who let the ball float past him, fooling Nomads ‘keeper Danby as he watched the ball trickle over the goal line and into the back of the net. Soon after, Town really were in dreamland as the Nomads’ back line failed to clear a dangerous ball into the area, and Joe Phillips was again on hand to curl the ball beyond Danby into the far corner and make it 3-1. The visitors refused to lie down and continued to pressurise Aber’s centre back pairing of Jonny Spittle and John McKenna with a succession of long balls towards the penalty area. On the stroke of half time, Michael Wilde thought he’d pulled a goal back for the visitors as he nodded home from a Matty Owen free kick, but the linesman’s flag was raised for offside and Aber survived with their two goal lead in tact. The second half started much differently to the first, with the Nomads switching to a 4-2-4 formation, and new signing Andy Owens being introduced to join strike partner Wilde up front. The visitors immediately began to pump long balls up towards their two target men, putting Aber’s back line under immense pressure from the outset. On 50 minutes, Wilde again went close after a scramble in the penalty area, before Declan Poole volleyed over from John Danby’s 60-yard punt downfield. But on 63 minutes, Aber landed the ultimate sucker punch with their first attack of the second half. Declan Walker broke free down the right flank and picked out Phillips with a pinpoint cross-field pass; Phillips was left one-on-one with the Nomads defender, and he produced a majestic step-over before rifling a low left-footed shot into the far corner beyond Danby to make it 4-1. The bumper crowd were sent into raptures as Nev Powell’s side took apart the team with the 3rd best defensive record in the league. To their credit, the visitors continued to battle and fight, and were up in arms when they were denied yet another goal by the referee’s whistle in the 68th minute, after Jay Owen was adjudged to have fouled Chris Mullock from a corner kick. On 72 minutes, the Nomads did find a way back into the game as striker Andy Owens bundled the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble to make it 4-2. Aber began to drop deeper as they continued to deal with a succession of long balls into the penalty area. On 78 minutes, hat-trick hero Phillips was replaced by Luke Borrelli to add some fresh legs and run the channels in behind the sluggish Nomads’ defence. As the game entered it’s final stages, the visitors had yet another goal disallowed for a foul before the ball crossed the line, much to the dismay of manager Andy Morrison. But Aber stood strong, and they defended as a team in admirable fashion as they entered the final five minutes of stoppage time. The Nomads continued to press for a third goal but it wasn’t to be, as Nev Powell’s side earned their fourth win in six home games in the JD Welsh Premier League. Great credit must go to Aber’s players for the way they fought and battled against one of the league’s strongest outfits, who came into the game unbeaten in their last four games. Manager Nev Powell will be delighted with the bouncebackability his side have shown since back to back defeats against Carmarthen over Christmas, and Town will now have two weeks to prepare for their next game, away against Cardiff Met in the JD Welsh Cup on January 27th. JD Welsh Premier League Saturday 13thJanuary (5:15p.m Kick Off) Aberystwyth Town v Connah’s Quay Nomads Aberystwyth Town will look to build on their excellent draw away from home against Cardiff Met last weekend, as they welcome Connah’s Quay Nomads to Park Avenue in the final round of JD Welsh Premier League fixtures before the league splits into two halves comprised of the top and bottom six teams. Ashley Young’s in-swinging second half free kick earned Aber a point last weekend at Cyncoed Campus, and the seasiders will now be looking to return to winning ways at home in the league, after defeat to Carmarthen Town last time out at Park Avenue. After Saturday’s battling 1-1 draw at Cardiff Met, manager Nev Powell emphasised how pleased he was to see his side back to playing near their best after a dip in form during the festive period. Powell commented “Collectively our performances weren’t good enough over Christmas and we find ourselves towards the wrong end of the table, but if we put in more performances with the same work rate and effort that we showed tonight, then we’ll climb up the table” In addition, Town’s manager was full of praise for his midfield trio of Malcolm Melvin, Tom Owens and most notably goal scorer Ashley Young last Saturday evening, stating “Ashley is a winner, and he was excellent tonight in picking up a lot of second balls and enabling us to play the football we wanted to”. Indeed, Young has been one of Aber’s most consistent performers so far this season, but admitted after last weekend’s game that the team still has a lot of work to do as the second half of the season approaches. In an interview with Sgorio, Young commented “There’s still lots of work to be done this season, and we’d played really well up until the Christmas period, but we know that we’re good enough and if we continue to play like we did today then we’ll do well in the second half of the season.” Town must now ensure that they are able to turn out performances like they showed last weekend on a consistent basis if they are to attain their goal of reaching 7th place in the JD Welsh Premier League table and a Europa League play off spot. Manager Nev Powell will be hopeful of having a near full squad to choose from ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Nomads, with Ryan Wollacott being the only fitness doubt due to the severity of the head injury he suffered last Saturday. Visitors Connah’s Quay Nomads enter Saturday’s clash in a rich vein of form, unbeaten in their last four JD Welsh Premier League games, winning three and drawing one. Andy Morrison’s side currently lie in second place in the league table, and won the reverse fixture earlier in the season as they ran out comfortable 5-1 victors against Nev Powell’s side. In what promises to be another entertaining clash at Park Avenue, kick off is at 5:15p.m and admission costs £7 adults, £4 concessions and £1 for children. In addition, Saturday’s game marks a celebration of Aberystwyth Junior League’s 50th year anniversary, and the club is pleased to announce that Saturday’s game will be officially sponsored by the Junior League itself. So come on down and get involved in the celebrations as Aber look to make it a day to remember at Park Avenue! |
Gem Nesaf
|
Ebost / Email: AberTownFC@live.co.uk
|
© 2024 Aberystwyth Town Football Club. All Rights Reserved
|
Cyfeiriad / Address: ATFC Ltd, Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, SY23 1PG.
|