Gwent Premier League Premier Division

Monmouth Town 3 Caerleon FC 2

LEAGUE leaders Monmouth Town stayed on top by beating Caerleon 3-2 with a late winner at the Monmouth Sports Ground on Saturday.

In a nail-biting encounter, an 86th-minute goal from Callum Uttley secured all three points for the high-flying Kingfishers.

It was a disastrous start for Town though, with the Romans’ Lewis Collins netting his 12th goal of the season after just two minutes, when a long throw into the Monmouth penalty area saw a poor clearance to Evan Manley, whose cross found the No 10 to head home.

The hosts responded with a chance of their own, as a free-kick in their own half was hit wide to Robbie Atkinson, who found himself in an abundance of room, only for a weak shot easily claimed by Caerleon keeper Jamie Pring.

But within 10 minutes Atkinson converted a Dan Macdonald cross to level 1-1, following some great football on the right-hand side of the pitch from the Kingfishers.

There were then chances for both teams before a controversial penalty call was given to the Kingfishers just after the 20-minute mark, when the ball was played to the feet of striker Taylor Street who he was seemingly kicked to the ground by a Caerleon defender.

Macdonald stepped up to take it and converted from the spot, striking the ball into the bottom right corner.

Town didn’t lead for long though, as just two minutes later Collins won the ball back in the hosts’ half before playing the ball wide to Tomas Windsor, whose cross found Max Shelley at the back post to beat Kingfishers keeper Elliot Ford for 2-2.

There were chances back and forth, but neither side could find the target again until four minutes from the end of normal time when a poorly cleared corner from Caerleon saw Lucas Harris receive the ball in the box.

He then played it back out wide to Atkinson, whose low cross found defender Uttley right in front of goal to place it past Pring for 3-2.

Kingfishers still had to negotiate 10 minutes of added time, which included goalkeeper Pring being excluded from the match in the closing moments before the referee finally blew to signal a crucial win for the hosts, which leaves them three points clear of Marshfield at the top.

Manager Sam Palmer said: “We were really good in the first half. It was 2-2 at half time but we couldn't believe it was 2-2, they scored two from crosses which we were a little bit disappointed with, but overall our play was brilliant and we should have been in front.”

Defender Mitchell Palmer added: “[We were] really good for parts in the first half, second half we kind of allowed them to get back in. It was a bit of a stop-start, but I feel like even when we're not playing great, we've still got chances to score and we're going to win the game, even when we were threatened by them.”

Monmouth’s 2nds also secured their second win in a row, defeating Caldicot Town 3rds 3-1 away, Nathan Ward grabbing the opener inside the first minute

Callum Wilding picked up the other two goals, one in the ninth and the second from the penalty spot in the 85th minute to secure the win.

The Kingfishers are in league action at home again on Saturday, taking on bottom-of-the-table Lucas Cwmbran, while the 2nds travel to take on Caldicot Castle FC in East Gwent One.