MONMOUTH Town FC’s woes continued as they fell to an eighth straight Ardal South East league loss on Saturday.

And to make things worse, the 3-0 defeat came away to basement side Croesyceiliog, which leaves the Kingfishers in real danger of slipping into the drop-zone, with only a two-point cushion to third-from-bottom Newport City.

Monmouth haven’t won a point since November 12’s 2-1 win over Treowen Stars when they were in the top half of the table, with successive defeats to Brecon Corries (2-3), Tredegar Town (2-3), Blaenavon Blues (0-3), Brecon Corries again (3-0), Newport City (1-0), Undy Athletic (0-2) and Caldicot Town (0-1) preceding Saturday’s loss at Woodland Road.

Ryan Saunders opened the scoring for Croesy on 15 minutes and Jack Sinderby added a second just before the break, with an Owen Llewellyn penalty on 76 minutes sealing the Kingfishers’ defeat. 

Monmouth need to stop the rot quickly, starting at home to Lliswerry this Saturday (March 4), who are one place and one point above them, kick-off 2pm.

What they would give to swap places with sixth-placed Chepstow Town, who had the weekend off from league action owing to a second round Ardal Southern Cup clash at Swansea’s Garden Village FC.  

And it started brilliantly for the Jockeys, who surged into a 3-0 lead in the first 14 minutes thanks to goals from Ben Thompson (four minutes), Ashton Ajibola-Gleed (12) and Tom Pearson (14).

But the great start was undone within four more minutes as two quick-fire goals from Nathan Logan made it 3-2.

That was the score at the break, but the hosts then levelled on 57 minutes and were in front 4-3 six minutes later before sealing a 5-3 win with eight minutes to play.

Back in the league, Caldicot Town won 3-1 at home to Tredegar Town, Ben Smith heading the first from a rebound from his saved penalty on 27 minutes before doubling the lead right on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors pegged one back with just over 20 minutes to play, and it was all to play for until Luke Evans added a third deep in stoppage time, a result which leaves the hosts seventh.

Monmouth Town 2nds lost out 3-1 at home to Tredegar 2nds in the FAW South East Reserves League, to leave themselves second from bottom.

But Chepstow 2nds were 2-0 winners at home to derby rivals Caldicot in a mid-table clash, and county village outfit Undy 2nds went fourth thanks to a 1-0 win away to Goytre 2nds.  

Meanwhile, Usk Town stretched their unbeaten run to six games with a 2-0 win at Trinant, moving back into the top half of Gwent Premier Two in the process.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the Green Army, who went winless for the best part of a year until mid-October 2022.

Meanwhile, Chepstow’s Thornwell R&W kept the pressure on top two Mardy and Neuadd Wen with a 3-0 home win over mid-table Ponthir.

Usk 2nds had no answer to visitors New Inn Development though, losing 5-0 and staying bottom of Gwent Central One with just one point to their name. 

East Gwent One leaders Underwood hit third-placed Redbrook Rovers for six, with the Monmouth hosts managing just the one goal in response.

Sudbrook CC are just a point behind the Newport suburb side after a 7-0 away win over basement boys Caldicot Castle.

And Undy 3rds climbed out of the drop zone with a 3-2 win at mid-table Portskewett & Sudbrook.

Tintern Abbey hosted Thornwell in the quarter-final of the Centenary Cup and were unlucky not to win it in the regulation 90 minutes as it ended 0-0.

But the Chepstow outfit took control in extra-time, running out 3-0 winners to go through to the semi-finals, the loss being Abbey’s first reverse of the year.

Also in the cup, Chepstow Town 3rds went through with a 5-1 home win over Severn Tunnel, while Sudbrook CC were 7-1 winners over visitors Portskewett & Sudbrook 2nds and Underwood 2nds ran out 4-0 winners at home to Caldicot Castle 2nds.   

Fixtures this Saturday (March 4) include – Monmouth Town v Lliswerry, Chepstow Town v RTB Ebbw Vale, Undy Athletic v Abertillery Bluebirds, Croesyceiliog 2nds v Monmouth Town 2nds, Abertillery Bluebirds 2nds v Chepstow Town 2nds, Caldicot Town 2nds v Goytre 2nds, Graig Villa Dino v Thornwell R&W, Usk Town v Oak FC, Caldicot Castle v Portskewett & Sudbrook, Caldicot Town 3rds v Rockfield Rovers, Underwood v Undy Athletic 3rds, Portskewett & Sudbrook 2nds v Thornwell R&W 2nds, Severn Tunnel v Caldicot Castle 2nds, Sudbrook CC 2nds v Chepstow Town 3rds, Tintern Abbey v Underwood 2nds.