Aberystwyth Town 3 Newtown 1

NEWTOWN'S miserable JD Cymru Premier season continued with defeat at mid Wales rivals Aberystwyth Town on Friday night.

Callum McKenzie stepped into the breach following the midweek departure of head coach Scott Ruscoe who paid the price for a poor start to the season and Welsh Cup humiliation at Llanuwchllyn last month.

Aberystwyth Town also went into the game with Dave Taylor as interim boss following Anthony Williams' resignation earlier in the season with the traditional rivals going into the game with similar problems.

Newtown created the first opening with Callum Roberts releasing Josh Lock whose low effort was comfortably gathered by former Newtown custodian Dave Jones.

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The hosts led on 14 minutes with another ex-Newtown player, Niall Flint, racing onto a long ball before cutting inside from the right and firing a low 20 yard shot past goalkeeper Sam Ussher.

Aberystwyth doubled their lead quarter of an hour later with Rico Patterson's 25 yard free-kick giving Ussher no chance.

Aberystwyth could have increased their lead before the break with Jonny Evans and Patterson linking on the right for Liam Walsh to cross with Harry Arnison's spectacular effort smothered by Ussher.

The Robins began the second-half brightly with Shane Sutton meeting Zeli Ismael's left wing cross on the far post with the home defence managing to scramble his shot clear.

Newtown were found at sixes and sevens again when Flint's weighted throughball found Evans in space to round Ussher only for his shot to be scrambled clear by George Hughes.

Newtown were back in the game after 66 minutes with Lock drilling home from 12 yards after the home defence failed to clear Ismael's right wing corner.

Jones came to Aberystwyth's rescue with a stunning save to turn Aaron Williams' effort around the post as Newtown pressed for an equaliser.

Ussher was also called upon to produce a fine save to deny Evans from close range after Flint's low right wing cross opened the visiting defence after 80 minutes.

However, just seconds later the Seasiders sewed up the points with another right wing move culminating in Walsh crossing and Evans scrambling home despite the best efforts of Ussher.

Newtown: Ussher, C Roberts, Sutton, Evans, Oswell, Lock (Boakye 88), Ismael, Williams, Harries (Pryce 45), Hughes, D Smith. Subs: C Smith, Howells, Hollinshead, McCann, Nazaru.