Penybont advance in Welsh Cup with comeback win at Afan Lido

Penybont advanced in the Welsh Cup with a hard-fought 3-2 comeback victory away to Afan Lido on Sunday. The win in the Round of 64 sets up the next stage of the domestic cup for a side sitting third in the Cymru Premier, having accrued 30 points from a record of nine wins, three draws and one loss across their 13 league games. Afan Lido took an early lead through an own goal from Penybont's Alyas Debono. The visitors responded well, with Liam McCreesh, Ryan Hill and Tyler Walker all finding the net to turn the tie around. This latest 3-2 result means Penybont have now won four of their last five matches, a run that includes a 3-1 league win over Barry Town and a 2-1 victory against Airbus UK. Manager Rhys Griffiths made six substitutions during the second half to manage the game, introducing players like Jonathan Leko and Ethan Vaughan to see out the result. Three players were booked in the contest, with Max Melbourne, Alexander Giardelli and Cameron Keetch all receiving yellow cards. The victory extends Penybont's recent good form, which has seen them win four of their last five matches across all competitions. They will aim to leverage that late-game strength in their next fixture, a return to league action away at Cardiff MET on Saturday 31 October. Cardiff MET are currently seventh in the table, making it an important fixture as Penybont look to close the seven-point gap to leaders The New Saints. The squad will be hoping to carry their cup momentum into that away trip, buoyed by a current two-game winning run in the league.