BLAENAVON Blues had mixed fortunes last week – winning away in midweek 1-0 before a 2-1 loss on the road on Saturday.

They ground out three points from a tough encounter against relegation-threatened Tredegar Town in last week’s evening match, thanks to a late strike from Craig Tanner.

The best chance of the first half fell to Tredegar front man Tom Lynch who seized on a Blues mistake but hit the post.

The second half was played under the somewhat patchy floodlights, with Jake Bull almost putting the Blues in front only for keeper Richard Webb to make a solid save in the Town goal.

But the Blues eventually broke the deadlock with 10 minutes left to play when a Rakesh Patel free-kick fell nicely to Tanner in the box for the defender to fire home.

Tredegar came back, but the Blues rearguard held firm to take all three points and move up to sixth in the Ardal South East League.

But they were leapfrogged on Saturday by their hosts Treowen Stars after a 2-1 loss, and by local rivals Goytre, who beat RTB Ebbw Vale 3-1 the same day, and were due to visit the Memorial Ground for a derby clash last night (Tuesday, May 2).

Blues lost influential midfielder Jake Bull through injury after just five minutes, but the visitors had a big penalty shout turned down some 20 minutes in before the Stars keeper pulled off a great save from Matthew Burns.

But on 26 minutes a strike from the hosts’ Josh Waters put Stars in front, and they doubled their lead 10 minutes before half-time when Morgan Evans beat the Blues offside trap and fired past George Lohfink in the Blues goal.

The second half saw the home side sit back and soak up the pressure, trying to catch the Blues on the counter attack.

With time running out, the Blues got one back, a good ball into the box from Tanner finding top scorer Burns who fired home.

But it was too little too late, although it was good to see 17-year-old Dec Heaven make his first start after his debut off the bench the previous Tuesday.

Goytre also beat basement boys Monmouth Town 4-2 away in midweek, with Adam Jenkins putting them in front 1-0 right on the stroke of half-time.

Hotshot Chris Ham added a second four minutes after the restart and when Mo Djalo made it 3-0 five minutes later, it looked like the Kingfishers were going to be on the end of a drubbing.

But veteran Rob Laurie converted a penalty to make it 3-1 on 67 minutes, and although Ham added his second with 12 minutes to go, Town’s never say die attitide saw then score again right on time through Liam O’Callaghan to leave the score 4-2.

On Saturday against bottom side RTB, sub Josh Bell scored right on the stroke of half-time with virtually his first touch to make it 1-0, before a brace from fellow sub Kallem Berry after the break secured all three points.

Blues host Trethomas Bluebirds on Saturday (May 6), while Goytre welcome Monmouth Town on Tuesday evening (May 9).