Ammanford made it five successive wins and kept the pressure on the top two with a superb win against second place Briton Ferry.
Lewis Reed’s 18th and 19th goals of the season secured a huge victory for Gruff Harrison’s men on the day that the club celebrated stalwart Euros Griffiths’ 400th start for the club.
Both sides had chances in the opening exchanges in this battle between two of the title chasing teams. Luke Martin made a fantastic stop to his left before Man of the Match Adam John broke through the Reds back line but saw his brilliant cut back intercepted with Reed waiting for the tap in.
Ferry were the better side in the opening stanza and just before the half hour, they had a fantastic opportunity to take the lead. Luke Bowen was played in one on one but Martin was equal to the chance and produced another super save to keep the scores deadlocked.
But despite the visitors dominance, Town did carve out their own decent chance just before the interval. The effervescent John did well down the right to cross the ball to the near post. Reed beat Wilson to the ball but his effort cannoned off the post and behind for a goal kick to send the sides in level.
In the Second Half, Ammanford were much improved and started the period very well. John and Tristan Jenkins were working their wings well and both were in the thick of the action. Jenkins’ cross was superbly cleared before John was brought down in the area but to no reward from referee Cieran Lebreton.
The Black and Whites made their early pressure count and took the lead in the 58th minute. Callum Thomas, who was in the thick of the attacking action all afternoon, played a lovely ball over the heads of the visiting defence into the path of Reed who drilled the ball home into the bottom corner.
The goal stunned the hosts who had started the weekend on top of the league. They immediately went forwards to look for a leveller. But it was this haste that was the catalyst for Town’s second. Some great work from Thomas and Morgan Clarke set up a counter attack for Jenkins. The winger went through on goal and curled his effort towards goal. Unfortunately for him, his effort cannoned off the post but straight into the path of Reed who mopped up superbly to bag his second of the afternoon.
However, any hopes of an easy afternoon diminished within minutes as Josh Bull got Ferry back into the game. The experienced striker cut inside and expertly curled the ball into the bottom corner.
Unlike the previous League Cup meeting between the two sides where Ferry came from behind to claim the bragging rights, Town held firm to secure the victory. In fact, they had chances of their own to increase their advantage. Wilson produced two smart stops from Tom Pratt and Ellis Williams as well as the visiting defence clawing a corner off the line.
Ferry did have a late chance to steal a point but went home empty handed thanks to some outstanding defensive work from returning skipper Luke Harris.
A cross from the right wing looked destined to be met by the head of the prolific Bowen but from nowhere, the centre half flicked the cross over the bar and earned his side the crucial points to put them in the hunt for the coveted top spot with nine games to go.
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Gwnaeth Rhydaman sicrhau pumed fuddugoliaeth yn olynol yn Uwchgynghrair De Cymru JD gyda pherfformiad campus yn erbyn Llansawel ar Faes Hamdden Rhydaman.
Sgoriodd Lewis Reed ei 18fed ac 19eg gôl y tymor i anfon dîm Gruff Harrison tuag at fuddugoliaeth enwog ar ddiwrnod pan oedd Rhydaman yn dathlu caregfilltir i amddiffynwr Euros Griffiths.
Creodd y ddau dim gyfleoedd yn y munudau agoriadol. Arbediodd Luke Martin yn gampus cyn i seren y gem, Adam John, dorri drwy’r amddiffyn ond gwelodd ei pas cael ei ryng-gipio cyn i Reed gael cyffyrddiad.
Roedd y Cochion y gwell tîm yn yr hanner cyntaf ac roedden nhw’n rheoli’r bel yn dda. Cawsant gyfle gwych cyn yr hanner awr i fynd ar y blaen. Saethodd Luke Bowen tuag at y gôl ond gwelodd yr ymysodwr profiadol Martin yn arbed yn wych i gadw’r gem yn ddisgynol.
Cyn yr hanner, cafwyd cyfle gorau Rhydaman yn y gem. Chwaraeodd John yn wych lawr yr ochr dde i groesi’r bel i Reed. Er i’r ymysoddwr gyffwrdd â’r bel cyn i Rhys Wilson yn nghol Llansawel, curodd ei ergyd y postyn ac i ddiogelwch tu ôl i’r gôl.
Dechreuodd y Du a Gwynion yr ail hanner llawer gwell. Roedd John a Tristan Jenkins yn gweithio’n galed lawr yr ochrau ac yn edrych yn beryglus bob tro cawsant y bel. Ond am amddifyn gwych gan y gwrthwynebwyr, byddai croesiad Jenkins wedi darganfod cefn y rhwyd cyn i John disgyn yn y cwrt cosbi ond roedd diddordeb dim gan y dyfarnwr mewn prostediadau Rhydaman.
Aeth y tîm cartref ar y blaen ar ôl 58 o funudau. Chwaraeodd Callum Thomas pel dwt dros ben amddiffyn Llansawel i Reed ac ni wnaeth prif sgoriwr y dref gamgymeriad i rwydo ei 18fed y tymor.
Gwnaeth y gôl cynhyrfu tîm Andy Dyer ac aethant yn syth lan yr ochr arall i geisio unioni’r sgôr. Roedd hynny’n gamgymeriad i’r cochion wrth i Rhydaman fanteisio ar ôl yr awr trwy gwrthymysodiad da. Gwnaeth chwarae arbennig rhwng Thomas a Morgan Clarke wedi rhyddhau Jenkins. Yn anffodus, bu ymdrech Jenkins bwrw’r postyn, ond aeth y bêl yn syth i lwybr Reed am ei ail gôl y pnawn hwnnw.
Diflannodd unrhyw obaith o diweddglo hawdd ychydig fomentau wedyn wrth i Llansawel taro nôl drwy Josh Bull. Gwnaeth yr ymysodwr droi wrth ymyl y cwrt a chripianodd ei ergyd heibio Martin ac i gefn y rhwyd.
Ond mewn cyferbyniad o’r gem cwpan rhwng y ddau dim ym mis Ionawr lle daeth Llansawel o’r tu ôl i ennill y gem, arosodd Rhydaman yn gadarn ac enillodd cyfleoedd ei hun i ymestyn y mantais. Arbedodd Wilson yn wych o beniad Tom Pratt ac ymdrech Ellis Williams cyn i’r amddiffyn clirio’r bel oddi’r llinell yn y munudau olaf.
Er hyn, cawson y Cochion cyfle gwych yn yr amser ychwanegol. Daeth croesiad peryglus i mewn i’r cwrt chwech o’r ochr dde. Cyn i Bowen gael peniad ar y bel, daeth capten Luke Harris ar draws y gôl ac enillodd y bel i sicirhau dri phwynt pwysig i gau’r bwlch i’r ceffylau blaen ar frig y tabl.
