GOYTRE maintained the pressure on Ardal South East leaders Caerphilly Athletic, blasting derby visitors Blaenavon Blues 7-0 under the Plough Road floodlights on Friday night.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the third minute when Josh Parsons latched on to a well-timed pass from Sam Broaddribb before guiding the ball past Luca Bullock in the Blues goal.

The lead was doubled just five minutes later when Bullock parried Sonny Lewis' free-kick from just outside the left edge of the penalty area and top scorer Chris Ham was on hand to squeeze the loose ball into the net.

And the hosts went into half-time 3-0 up after defender Dan Paul converted a Lewis free-kick from out on the left touchline on 37 minutes.

Any hopes that Blues could force their way back into it were stamped out just five minutes into the second half when Broaddribb was on hand at the far post to convert Mal Graham's cross from the left.

Goytre were on fire now and increased their lead when Leon Thomas was picked out by Parsons' 59th-minute through ball before finishing past the keeper.

And the goals kept flowing as substitute Ashley Williams netted the sixth turning home an inviting 66th-minute free-kick delivered by Lewis from the left.

Chris Ham then completed his brace in the 70th minute with the goal of the match, the league's top scorer striking a dipping half-volley over the head of Bullock for his 32nd goal of the campaign.

Elite Stands UK Ardal South East leaders Caerphilly won 3-1 at home to Chepstow Town on Saturday to stay four points in front of Goytre, but the Penperlleni-based village side have three games in hand.

And they host another mouth-watering derby this Friday night when local neighbours Abergavenny Town make the short trip to Plough Road, with the sixth-placed Pennies looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at third-placed Cwmbran Town on Saturday.

Abergavenny defended stoutly in the first half to make half-time all square at 0-0.

But ten minutes into the second half, Sam Davies broke the deadlock with a header from Dan Prichard’s corner, before Harry Russell finished smartly inside the box after collecting Kev Al-Doori’s cross 12 minutes later for 2-0.

And 10 minutes from the end, Alex Davies guided a peach of a shot into the top corner to seal victory, although the Pennies did score a consolation three minutes into injury time through Rudi Griffiths.

But the Pennies 2nds were celebrating on Sunday after a 2-0 home win over second-placed Baglan Dragons in the FAW Premiership South Reserves League.

Joel Ali put Aber in front on the half-hour mark and Morgan Dinis doubled the lead after 60 minutes, with the win lifting them to eighth.

Blues' 2nds also won 2-1 at home to Tredegar 2nds on Saturday, to ease some of the disappointment of Friday's 1sts thrashing.

Finley Watkins beat the offside trap and put the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle for the opener on 36 minutes.

And although Tredegar equalised five minutes into the second period through Ryan Caniff firing in from distance, Blues were back in front within eight minutes when the impressive Harvey Pritchard headed home from six yards.

It was only a fourth win of the season for Blues in the Gwent Premier Combination, who stay second from bottom but are only three points behind the visitors three places above, with games in hand.

Blues 1sts host Caldicot Town on Saturday (March 14), while their 2nds visit Croesyceiliog.

Abergavenny Town 2nds play a back-to-back fixture at Baglan on Sunday (March 15) after beating them last weekend.