A Sam Jones hat trick Aberystwyth away on a windy evening at Park Avenue, as Cardiff Met came out as 4-0 victors.
In a dominant display from the Archers, Sam Jones fired in a first half hat trick, before Eliot Evans provided the cherry on top of the cake, with a fourth goal twenty minutes from time.
Even though it is still way too early to look at the table, Met will be happy to see themselves in first place. Aberystwyth drop to eighth.
With both managers, Anthony Williams and Ryan Jenkins, having worked together at Met under Christian Edwards’ stewardship, you’d have thought both would sus each other out tactically. We found out very quickly, this wouldn’t be the case.
From the off Met asserted themselves onto their opponents. Zipping the ball across the field not giving Aberystwyth a sniff of the ball. Eight minutes in, they had their first goal.
A ball forward from Tom Price somehow wriggled under the foot of Sam Litchfield, leaving Sam Jones with a clear route to goal. He took his time before opening his body up and slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
The Archers continued their pressing play and chased after every loose ball. Half chances came and went, but they doubled their lead in the 29th minute.
They built play up down the wing before Lewis Rees advanced to the edge of the area. He produced a delicious cross which was begging for a Met connection, and Jones duly obliged and rifled it past Lewis Webb to get his second.
His hat trick came two minutes later. Jones received the ball 25 yards from goal and played it out to Eliot Evans. Jones continued his run into the area and reached the end of Evans’ cross with a superb diving header, to put Met in absolute dreamland.
Aberystwyth hardly had any chances of note in the first half, and when you thought they could score through substitute Sam Phillips, Emlyn Lewis executed a perfectly timed sliding challenge to thwart any suspicion of an Aber fightback.
The hosts certainly came out with a bit more about them in the second half. At the hour mark, they almost got one back. A corner was greeted by Jack Thorn, and his effort looked destined for the back of the net, but Alex Lang produced a magnificent save to keep Met’s three-goal lead.
But any faint hopes of a Seasiders comeback vanished 20 minutes from time. Met worked the ball well across the field, ending in Chris Baker passing it into Eliot Evans, who found himself in acres of space in the box. His shot deflected off the foot of Litchfield, and it was enough to undo Webb, and Met had four.
The final 20 minutes were a walk in the park for Met, restricting Aberystwyth to hardly any chances, and they will be delighted to leave West Wales with three points.
Aberystwyth face a trip to Pontypridd United next week, while Met travel to the Oval to take on Caernarfon Town.
Player of the Match: Sam Jones
A spellbinding performance from Jones tonight. It wasn’t just how he took his goals, but it was his runs in the channels, his involvement in attacking build-ups. If he stays fit and keeps firing, Met have a great chance of doing something special this season
Aberystwyth Town
Lewis Webb (GK), Jack Rimmer (Philip Parry, 46’), Sam Litchfield, Jack Thorn ©, Iwan Lewis, John Owen (Sam Phillips, 37’), Niall Flint, Charley Edge, Harri Horwood, Ben Erickson, Alex Darlington (Jonathan Evans, 72’)
Unused Subs: Tom Owen (GK), Cameron Allen, Jamie Jones, Harry Arnison
Cardiff Met
Alex Lang (GK), Matt Chubb, Kyle McCarthy (Alaric Jones, 78’), Emlyn Lewis, Tom Price, Eliot Evans (Dixon Kabongo, 73’), Chris Baker ©, Lewis Rees, Harry Owen (Harris Feltham, 80’), Chris Craven, Sam Jones
Unused Subs: Max Manson (GK), Jac Davies, Craig Davies, Dan Bowen
Goals: Sam Jones (8’, 29’, 34’), Eliot Evans (70’)
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