Central Wales Cup, third round
Llanfair United 1 Knighton Town 2
MIKE Cooper fired Knighton Town into the fourth round draw, while completing the Robins’ stirring fightback at Llanfair United.
Both sides are embroiled in the Spar Mid Wales League Two title race, with Knighton top of the pile, while Llanfair United returned to action after an extended festive lay-off.
However the hosts hit the ground running with Gerwyn Jones testing visiting goalkeeper Joe Prosser after 15 minutes.
Llanfair dominated the opening exchanges, but were often undermined by the difficult Mount Field surface which gradually became heavier as the tie progressed.
United went ahead on half an hour when Prosser finger-tipped Gareth Ruggeri’s 25 yard free-kick onto the bar, only for Gerwyn Jones to follow up the loose ball.
Although Knighton chances were sparse the visitors always threatened on the counter.
One such break saw Danny Ives disappoint with a cross-shot straight into the arms of a grateful Lee Andrew, while further Knighton pressure was relieved by a well drilled defence, led by Mattie Jones.
Knighton fired a warning shot within five minutes of the second-half re-start, with Cooper’s goalbound shot blocked by a desperate lunge from Matt Spencer.
Seven minutes later targetman Cooper saw his header expertly tipped over the bar by Andrew, as Knighton upped the ante on the home goal.
The pressure continued to build until Spencer was robbed of possession in midfield on 67 minutes, with the resulting break culminating in Connor Bird levelling.
The equaliser prompted United to attack, with the outstanding Rob Bennett pulling the strings in the home midfield.
Bennett linked with Spencer on the left to to set-up Gerwyn Jones, who miscued from 16 yards, while further United pressure failed to penetrate Knighton’s defence.
The fate of the game swung in Knighton’s favour on 82 minutes when Knighton broke rapidly with Bird linking with strike partner Cooper, who shrugged off his marker before swivelling a superb shot over Andrew from 16 yards.
A tiring United pressed for an equaliser in the remaining minutes but could not retrieve the tie, as the Robins booked a fourth round trip to Llanidloes Town next month.
LLANFAIR: L Andrew, M Jones, Spencer, Ruggeri, L Davies, S Andrew, Bennett, Gethin, P Griffiths, G Jones, Hughes. Subs: D Griffiths, R Evans, Gomm
KNIGHTON: Prosser, G Evans, Farmer, N Davies, Millward, Hyett, C Jones, Ives, M Davies, Bird, Cooper. Subs: Bowen, C Jones, G Jones