Builth Wells FC

Builth Wells Reserves 2 - 1 Penybont

The Reserves put themselves back in the title race with this
important win over rivals Penybont. With leaders Hay St Marys five points clear, albeit having played two more games, and second placed Newcastle enjoying a fruitful festive period, the win was vital according to Wednesdays manager Leigh Metcalf, who believes his side could have kissed goodbye to their challenge had they lost.

Despite the narrow margin of victory, it was a reasonably comfortable win for the hosts who had led through Liam Ryland and Will Cleaton goals, with only Penybont and joint league topscorer Kevin Bufton's late penalty making the last 10 minutes uncomfortable for Metcalf's men.
It was a scrappy game, with the very few clear-cut chances on show
indicitive of the magnitude of a game being played out between two title
hopefuls.

Bont defender Gavin Johnson made a superb goalline clearance midway through the first half after Joel Metcalf had headed goalwards with former Builth goalkeeper Tom Price stranded.

It was not Metcalf's day in front of goal, with Price or the increasingly deterriorating pitch thwarting the Builth skipper time and time again.

Early on in the game, Metcalf, playing up front alongside Ryland, rounded Price when put through but his run had taken him wide and he fired into the side netting. He also blazed wide with another opportunity while Cleaton shot over after a poor goalkick from Price had fallen to him 30 yards from goal.

At the other end, Bufton, a lone figure up front, was feeding on scraps, and despite his pace testing Josh Price and Jonny Mills, he had no clear sights of goal. Their best chance fell to Phil Ruell, whose long shot grazed the top of crossbar.

Another goal mouth melee led to the game's opener, former Bont hitman Ryland pouncing on a loose ball in the box following a corner and despite the best efforts of a defender, his shot was adjudged to have crossed the line.

The heavy pitch was becomming more of a factor in the second period and
Bufton worked tirelessly in an effort to get more of a glimpse of goal.
He had a few opportunities, twice breaking clear of the Builth defence but each time his angle was narrowed by Builth stopper Jamie Evans, and he shot tamely wide.

With a couple of breakaway chances, the game suddenly became an open and
exciting affair and after Metcalf had again been denied in a one-on-one with Price when put in on goal by Brad Rollinson, youngster Cleaton got his first goal for Builth. Put in on goal, his first effort was saved by Price but the ball fell to him from the rebound and he netted his side's second to give them a vital two goal cushion.

Metcalf added to his woes when he skewed another shot into the side nettting and despite an uphill task, the visitors still sensed there was a way back for them, with the dangerous Shane Pritchard, a former Builth player, looking lively down Penybont's left wing and with his side pressing in the final 15 minutes, Builth's three man defence suddenly looked overwhelmed.

They were handed a lifeline in the 80th minute when Metcalf compounded his misery by bringing down Ryan Wenban for a clear penalty.
Evans guessed right but Bufton's penalty, his 17th goal of the season, found the left corner, and Bont had a sniff of a point. They pressed in the final 10 minutes but Builth held firm and defended resolutely to grab the three points.

They are still fourth on 36 points, one behind their vanquished opponents, three behind Newcastle, who have a game in hand and five off Hay, although Metcalf's team have two games on the Forest Road side, and will be eyeing six points in their next two games, against bottom of the table Talgarth Town Reserves and third bottom Presteigne Reserves, who they play this weekend.



Dolgellau 0 - 2 Builth Wells

BUILTH Wells are through to the fourth round of the Central Wales Cup after a comfortable 2-0 win at Spar Mid Wales League first division rivals Dolgellau.

Chris Jones already looks as if he will prove to be one of the signings of the season and he scored twice for the second week in a row to guide Builth through.

Former Radnor Valley and Newbridge marksman Jones claimed Builth's first
goal after a corner from strike partner Sam Williams, although a Dolgellau defender might well have got the final touch.

The same partnership combined to increase Builth's lead just before half
time. The Lant Field side never looked like surrendering the advantage in the second half and could well have added to their tally with Williams, Jones and Johnny Samuel squandering further opportunities.