Pontypridd Town 3

Caerleon 0

Hard-working Caerleon put on a brave show against title-chasing Pontypridd who moved a step nearer to leaders Neath in the MacWhirter Welsh League, Division One, last night.

Pontypridd are five points adrift of the top team with three games in hand, their eyes firmly planted on a place in the Principality Building Society Welsh Premier League.

It was a brave decision by Cardiff referee Alun Boore to get the game under way on a difficult surface - and with rain falling for most of the first-half - which required more work at the break and was not helped by a torrential downpour after the break.

Caerleon made an impressive start, certainly not afraid to have a go at the home side, and it needed a perfect block tackle from central defender Mike Jones to keep out Chris Pearce's goal-bound effort from Martin Houston's right cross.

However, Caerleon were brutally punished for their first error after 15 minutes as Geza Hajgato struck a long-range free-kick past a badly-positioned defensive wall, deceiving goalkeeper Richard Lancaster.

Seven minutes later Nathan Hosgood displayed excellent finishing and it ended Caerleon's hopes of getting even a point.

Nine minutes from the break Caerleon had an excellent chance to pull back a goal, again Pearce and Houston combined but Pontypridd goalkeeper Gareth Williams stretched every muscle to clutch Houston's near-perfect finish from Pearce's pass.

Despite the massive task facing Caerleon they continued to work hard in all departments, but too often the accuracy of passing let them down while Pontypridd showed how it should be executed.

Late in the game Caerleon conceded a third, a neat header from Dean Morris.

* Llanwern bid to gain a Division Three double over Abertillery Excelsiors when they meet at Spytty Park tonight (kick-off 7pm) and gain a season's treble having won 4-1 against Excelsiors in the Welsh Cup.

Llanwern defender Michael Binning returns to the squad after missing a couple of matches with a groin strain but Matthew Currie and Troy Quarterly are both absent because of injuries.

Excelsiors' Dai Smith returns to their squad while Leigh Preece is missing because of a leg injury and back trouble keeps out skipper Lee Coburn.