THERE were hard-fought away draws for both Abergavenny Town and Goytre on Saturday in the Ardal South East League.

But there was no joy for Blaenavon Blues on Sunday, as they fell to a narrow 2-1 loss on the road at Canton FC in Cardiff.

The seventh-placed Pennies travelled to Newport to face ninth-placed Lliswerry and went into the break a goal down after the hosts' Jay Stapleton converted a penalty just two minutes before half-time.

And they were staring down the barrel of defeat deep in second-half stoppage time until Ben Brooks fired the latest of late levellers to secure a point that lifted Aber above Brecon Corries to sixth.

Second-placed Goytre took on last year's runners-up Chepstow at Larkfield Road, who are struggling this term fourth from bottom.

But it looked like positions reversed as the Jockeys galloped into a 2-0 lead within eight minutes, leaving the Penperlleni visitors with a real test of their title credentials.

Mason Keepin-Davies gave Chepstow a flying start as Matty Board teed him up on four minutes, and the scorer was on target again just four minutes later as a Goytre foul in the box saw him make it 2-0 from the penalty spot.

But Goytre gathered themselves to force an own goal from Tom Bullock on 19 minutes and were level just two minutes later when the Jockeys fouled in their own box and top scorer Chris Ham stepped up to rifle home the penalty for 2-2.

And just after the half hour mark, the boot was firmly on the other foot as Ham winged in to convert a Lloyd Oliver assist for the visitors to lead 3-2 at half-time.

But 10 minutes from normal time, Matthew Haysom fed Josh Gibson to put the Jockeys back level 3-3, and as the clock ticked into stoppage time the visitors’ frustration boiled over, Ham handed a yellow card before being joined in the book on full-time by team boss Marc Ingles and Caylam Palmer.

The point was enough for Goytre to stay second on goal difference though, as Monmouthshire rivals Caldicot drew level on points doing both of them a favour beating league leaders Caerphilly Athletic 2-0 away.

And the village side still have three games in hand on the Swans and four on the table toppers, who sit five points clear.

Twenty four hours later, 10th-placed Blues travelled to face fifth-placed Canton at the Cardiff House of Sport, and found themselves a goal down after nine minutes as 18-year-old Tom Bell fired home from a Bo Cordle assist after a rare error from keeper Luca Bullock.

The visitors never really got going in the first half and were caught on the break several times, the best opportunity seeing attackers queuing up to fire home a ball into the box from the right, only for Bullock to make a strong save low down and then Ben Parfitt put in a strong tackle to defuse the danger.

But the hosts doubled their lead on 65 minutes with a composed finish, and could have sealed the three points but for Bullock again making some quality saves.

With 20 minutes remaining the Blues pulled one back when a speculative Ben Ward effort caused the home keeper problems before he eventually caught the ball inside the goal.

The Blues couldn't create that spark to secure a point though, on a surface that was immaculate and is something this level of football deserves.

Blues travel to face Abertillery Bluebirds away this Saturday (February 7), while Abergavenny and Goytre are in action at home on Friday night, against Canton and Abercarn United respectively.