Elite Stands UK Ardal South East League

Caerphilly Athletic 3 Abergavenny Town 0

THE Pennies might have beaten the freezing temperatures on Saturday, but reduced to 10 men for 60 minutes, they were unable to prevent Ardal South East leaders Caerphilly Athletic from recording their 13th league win of the season.

The hosts went close to opening the scoring in the first minute at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, after breaking down the left flank before Rhys McCarthy's shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Abergavenny responded three minutes later when Nathan Davies fizzed a 25-yard drive over the bar after a corner was only partially cleared by the home defence.

But Athletic made the breakthrough on 15 minutes when Richard Greaves was picked out by Max Franke before clinically finishing past Ashley Morris in the Pennies' goal.

The hosts’ Iwan John then latched on to a through ball, but saw his shot deflected for a corner, prior to Arron Hill directing a header from a cross on the left over the bar two minutes later.

And Caerphilly doubled their advantage on 29 minutes when Franke finished Drew Perrett's low cross from the left-hand side of the penalty area at the far post.

Matters went from bad to worse for Abergavenny two minutes later when they were reduced to 10 players after Oliver Bruton was shown a straight red card by referee Ashley Thomas for a late challenge.

The league leaders looked to take advantage of playing with an extra man as they pressed to add to their two-goal lead.

Bradley Jenkins fired wide from the edge of the penalty area in the 36th minute before Greaves struck an effort straight at Morris three minutes later.

The Pennies custodian then denied Connor Hanford from 30 yards in the 44th minute before his team headed to the changing rooms with plenty to reflect upon.

Athletic continued after the interval in similar vein, as Aber attempted to ensure they were not on the wrong end of a heavy defeat.

Perrett's 47th-minute effort was deflected behind for a corner when the ball was pulled back into his path prior to Morris being called into action six minutes later when John was picked out in space inside the penalty area.

Jordan Thomas was denied from the edge of the penalty area by Morris in the 63rd minute, but victory was secured less than 60 seconds later when Franke netted his second of the afternoon after the Pennies failed to clear the ball from their penalty area.

Aber rarely troubled Chris Alexander in the home goal, although Rudi Griffiths should have pulled a goal back in the 81st minute, but directed a low cross from the left wide of the target from close-range.

And Caerphilly continued to create opportunities to add to their tally in the closing stages, Joshua Pope firing an 85th-minute effort over from the edge of the box before Morris was forced to turn a fierce 20-yard drive from Will Tomes over the bar three minutes later.

The Pennies custodian was called into action again in the 90th minute when he saved John's deflected strike from the edge of the area, which proved the final goalmouth action, with the loss leaving Aber sixth.

Elsewhere on an icy surface, Blaenavon Blues fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at last year’s runners up Chepstow Town.

The hosts went 1-0 up two minutes before half-time when Matt Broad snuck in on the far post to squeeze the ball home, and made it 2-0 two minutes into the second half with a goal from defender Nathan Rose.

But Blues’ substitute Fin Watkins beat the offside trap to deliver a pin-point square ball for Nathan Watts to fire home with some 20 minutes to play for 2-1.

And with 10 minutes left, the Jockeys keeper could only parry a shot from Blaenavon No 9 Alex Berrow, before Bailey Perry fired in from the edge of the box for 2-2.

Abergavenny Town host Chepstow this Friday night (January 10), when second-placed Goytre, who didn’t play at the weekend, host Brecon Corries.

Blues are home to Abercarn United on Saturday.