Rhyl held in Saints stalemate

PRINCIPALITY BUILDING SOCIETY WELSH PREMIER

The top-of-the-table clash between Rhyl and The New Saints on Saturday evening ended in a 0-0 stalemate, although it will be Saints who left Belle Vue the happier.

The draw leaves the defending champions three points clear of Rhyl at the top of the table with two games in hand.

Saints came closest to grabbing the win when John Leah's 25-yard free-kick crashed off the Rhyl crossbar.

Two goals from Jodie Jenkins earned Haverfordwest a 2-1 home win against Caernarfon to stop a run of three defeats.

Newi Cefn Druids ended an even poorer run of six losses with a 2-0 win at 10-man Newtown.

Mike Heverin put Druids on their way before Newtown had Glenn Tolley sent off on 42 minutes, and Andy Inabere added a late second for the visitors to make the game safe.

Craig Sergeant struck a 35th-minute winner as Connah's Quay Nomads squeeked past hosts Port Talbot to move into fourth in the table.

On Friday night, an early Christian Edwards goal was enough for Aberystwyth Town to claim victory over visiting Caersws.

WELSH CUP

Afan Lido won through to the final but needed a sudden-death penalty shoot-out to see off Welshpool Town at Park Avenue, Aberystwyth.

Aden Shannon had put Welshpool ahead but Stephen Parry dragged Lido level in the 71st minute.

Extra time and then five penalties apiece failed to separate the two sides before Lido eventually won the spot-kick lottery 7-6.

The second semi-final on Sunday saw Carmarthen Town win 1-0 against Llanelli at New Bridge Meadow, Haverfordwest.

The Reds had wasted a string of chances and were then caught by a swift counter-attack 10 minutes from the end, as Danny Thomas and Nathan Cotterrall combined to send Kaid Mohamed through to score.

Llanelli had just had a 'goal' controversially ruled out for an apparent foul on Carmarthen keeper Neil Thomas.

The frustration boiled over in the final seconds as Cortez Belle was yellow-carded in injury time and then sent-off for abusive language.

NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE LEAGUE SOUTH

Newport County moved up to ninth place, with two games in hand, thanks to Charlie Griffin's 13th-minute winner at Basingstoke.

BRITISH GAS BUSINESS SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Merthyr Tydfil turned on the style to beat visitors Hemel Hempstead 4-1, with Rhys Carpenter and Jamie Rewbury each hitting a brace, to move six points clear of the relegation zone.

UNIBOND LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

Colwyn Bay were held 2-2 at Gresley Rovers despite goals from Tim Brandreth and John Lawless.