Cardiff Met and Aberystwyth Town took a share of the points under the lights at Cyncoed Campus.
A debut goal from Ashton Gleed cancelled out Marc Williams’ opener for the visitors.
Both sides were playing their first match since the end of the firebreak lockdown which saw a three week hiatus of the league.
It was the visitors who had the better of the early proceedings. Debutant Mati Etchegoyen’s 30 yard drive flew past the post, watched all the while by goalkeeper Alex Lang.
Later, Mathew Jones’ brilliantly delivered free-kick missed everyone in a crowded area when a touch seemed inevitable.
Steff Davies was the next to test the Met defence after he was played in with a delicious ball over the top. After beating center-back Liam Black to the ball, Davies was only able to find the side netting with his strike, though the angle was against him.
Shortly after, Met goalkeeper Lang came rushing out of his penalty area to claim a ball but was forced to head it. His header landed at the grateful feet of Steven Hewitt, who attempted the first time lob into an empty net, but his effort went agonizingly wide.
Aberystwyth Town took the lead ten minutes into the second half through Marc Williams. Great play down the right wing eventually saw a perfectly weighted square ball find Williams six yards from goal, finished calmly as Lang attempted to make the save.
It was almost 2-0 after 70 minutes, with Gwion Owen coming very close to doubling the visitor’s lead. Another long-range effort, Owen struck the ball with power but, with Lang scrambling across to save it, the ball whistled past the near post and out for a goal kick.
With frustration starting to build from the home team, and with Aberystwyth Town happy to sit back and absorb pressure, the home side were awarded a corner in the 77th minute. The corner was worked short, and eventually played in. A flicked header saw Ashton Gleed – on for striker Harry Warwick – gifted a glorious opportunity.
The attacker, who has not seen much game time this season, out-muscled his defender off the ball before firing a vicious strike high into the center of the goal, giving the goalkeeper no chance, and pulling his team level going into the final ten minutes.
Both teams had one more chance in the match to win it, and both came close. Firstly, Kyle McCarthy’s free kick from the edge of the area was brilliantly tipped around the post by Connor Roberts, and then the visitors came close but Marc Williams couldn’t double his tally and struck wide.
The match leaves Cardiff Met in 9th in the JD Cymru Premier table, while Aberystwyth Town climb ahead of Haverfordwest County into 7th, on goal difference.
Cardiff Metropolitan: Alex Lang, Dylan Rees, Kyle McCarthy, Bradley Woolridge (C) (Tom Wright, 45), Eliot Evans, Harry Warwick (Ashton Ajibola-Gleed 60, Charlie Corsby, Ollie Hulbert, Jack Evans, Liam Warman, Liam Black.
Goals: Ashton Ajibola-Gleed 77’
Aberystwyth Town: Connor Roberts, Louis Bradford, Lee Jenkins, Mathew Jones, Jamie Veale, Marc Williams (C), Steff Davies (Owain Jones, 78), Gwion Owen, Steven Hewitt, Mati Etchegoyen (Jonathan Evans, 60), Jack Rimmer
Goals: Marc Williams 55’
See how the Archers were held to a home draw by recapping our live blog here:
(Featured Image: Carl Robertson)
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