Rhayader Town secured runners-up spot in the Spar Mid Wales League when they beat visiting Waterloo Rovers 3-0 at the Weirglodd in their final league outing of the season.
Rhayader will presumably now have the option of promotion to the Cymru Alliance assuming the league officials deem the Weirglodd is up to specification – let’s face it, as a former League of Wales ground it ought to be.
Their only serious challengers for second spot were Bow Street but they were held to a 2-2 draw by visiting Carno and so find themselves eight points adrift of Rhayader with only two games to play.
Aberystwyth Reserves went third – two points clear of Bow Street – after they beat visiting Llansantffraid Village 4-1 at Park Avenue while Llanrhaeadr beat Aberystwyth University 3-0 to move above Tywyn Bryncrug who lost 3-2 at Dyffryn Banw.
At the foot of the table, Llanfyllin Town are looking over their shoulders after they were well beaten 4-0 at Hay St Marys. Llanfyllin remain two points adrift of second-bottom Caersws Reserves and will have to win at Presteigne on Friday 14 May if they are to have any chance of climbing above Caersws.
Presteigne St Andrews’ 3-1 win at Dolgellau ensures the north Wales side remain in the bottom three – Dolgellau will have to win their last two matches – at home to Aberystwyth University and Waterloo Rovers – if they are to overhaul Newbridge.
In the Mid Wales League (South), Llandrindod Wells proved they are still very much in the mix with a 3-1 win at Rhosgoch Rangers to move to within two points of Rhos with a game in hand. But Builth are now three points clear at the top after they built visiting Rhayader Town Reserves 3-1 in their Friday night game.
Talgarth Town are too far back to have a major say in the title race, but they strengthened their grip on fourth spot with a 4-2 home win over CP Llanandras.
Presteigne Reserves stay in fifth spot although manager Barry Williams admitted they used their ‘get out of jail free’ card in the 3-2 win at Llandrindod Wells Colts, for whom Carl Tabberer netted two penalties.
Hay St Marys Reserves were 1-0 winners at Builth Wednesdays while Knighton Town were 2-0 Friday night victors at Penybont Athletic.
Two sides racked up five goals away from home – with all due respect to St Harmon, Newcastle’s 5-0 victory in the hills above Rhayader might not have been too much of a shock, but Radnor Valley’s 5-1 win at a Newbridge side that had improved over recent weeks was perhaps more surprising.
In the day’s other game, Sennybridge were 3-0 winners in their match at Penybont United.