Spencer Youth & Boys - 3
Blaenavon - 3
BLAENAVON Blues travelled to Newport to face Ringland based Spencer Youth & Boys, and for the second time in three games the Blues came back from three goals down to take a valuable league point towards safety.
The Blues started very slowly again on Saturday, something which needs to be addressed, and found themselves one down when a tame shot was fumbled by the Blues keeper Lee Jones. The follow up by the Spencer attacker was good as he fired the home side into an early lead.
The Blues were soon two down when a shot from twenty yards flew into the top corner leaving Jones with no chance.
Yet, after the opening ten minutes the Blues were the better side playing some good football on a shocker of a pitch, but again failed to convert any of the numerous chances that the attacking players at the club continue to produce.
The half-time score remained 2-0 to the home side.
The Blues dominated the opening fifteen minutes of the second half, but again were unable to secure themselves a goal. A breakaway attack by Spencer resulted in a third goal and surely all three points in the bag.
However, two incidents turned the game. Firstly Blues defender Grant Evans and a Spencer attacker were both red carded after an altercation.
The Blues then hit an equaliser through promising youngster James Cox in what was his first goal for the senior side.
The second incident involved Cox who was clean through on goal only to be up ended by the last defender. The referee was left with no choice but to show the Spencer player a red card.
Unfortunately, Darren Harris missed the resultant penalty, which the keeper managed to get a foot to, and the Blues were not sharp enough for the rebound.
Fortuitously the Blues soon scored their second when a through ball from Matthew Cox found Mikey Waite who cooly took the ball past the keeper and netted.
The Blues began to dominate and soon drew level when James Parfitt cut in side from his wing and fired past the keeper.
The Blues should have gone on to win the game, but four one on one chances with the keeper were not taken, and in the end the heavy pitch took it's toll on the Blues players who for the last ten minutes sat back, with Spencer looking the more likely to score.
Lee Jones did however produce a superb double save to deny Spencer and make up for his error in the first half.
The Blues are now three games unbeaten and hope to take some of that form into next week's 2pm kick-off against Pentwynmawr at the Co-op Field.
The Blues will then travel to North Wales on Valentine's Day to face Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) side Penycae FC, in the Quarter Final of the FAW Welsh Trophy, where the Blues are aiming to be the first club from Torfaen to win the Trophy.
Elsewhere in Division One, the Mardy bounced back from their 6-0 drilling at the hands of Albion Rovers to take Chepstow Town to the cleaners 3-1. The Mardy will now look to build on this result and keep their heads above water this season when they travel to Cefn Forest this Saturday.
Meanwhile in Division Three, the whole of January has seemingly passed the Abergavenny Thursdays by without them having so much as a kick of the ball.
Amazingly enough, the Pen-y-Pound outfit have yet to play a game this year, after last Saturday's fixture fell foul of yet another cancellation due to adverse pitch conditions.
Fingers crossed the club will return to action this Saturday when they lace up their boots for a big date with AC Pontymister.