CARDIFF Met have suffered a second cup final defeat, crashing out of the Welsh Cup at the hands of Aberystwyth Town.
Still stinging from their narrow 1-0 defeat to The New Saints in the Nathaniel MG Cup Final, the Archers welcomed Aber to the capital in the driving rain.
In a hotly contested fixture, Met suffered what was only their second defeat in all competitions at Cyncoed Campus, losing 1-0 to their opponents from west Wales.
The hosts will feel aggrieved not to have got anything out of the match having made several clear-cut chances and hitting the woodwork twice.
Met’s Will Evans provided a real threat during the early exchanges, first hitting the crossbar and then coming close to converting an Eliot Evans free-kick.
They were left to rue those missed chances on 37 minutes when Malcolm Melvin headed home to put the visitors ahead against the run of play, profiting from some smart build-up by Joe Phillips on the right wing.
A goal down, the home side started the second half strongly. Substitute, Harry Hope was denied as Aber’s Chris Mullock tipped the effort onto the crossbar.
It didn’t look like being Cardiff Met’s day as Aber’s resolute defence continued to repel attack after attack. The visitors came close to doubling their lead late on, Luke Borrelli missing the target with a lob over keeper Will Fuller.
It finished 1-0.
Speaking to Sgorio after the game, Met manager Christian Edwards said: “We’re Jekyll and Hyde at the moment! We were absolutely dominant first half, we passed them off the park but it’s not about possession, it’s about goals.
“We were sloppy, leaving a big hole in front of our back four for their midfielders to run in, guide it and head the ball in and it’s really disappointing.”
Edwards went on to question the commitment of some of his players and had a stark warning for those who underperformed: “I’ve just questioned one or two of the boys in the dressing room and I think some have gone on holiday with a top six, thinking we’re safe, we’re far from safe.
“We set standards at this football club and there’s one or two of those boys who you might not see again playing in the Welsh Premier League because we are adamant that we want to start pressing on and players have got to go with it, if they don’t then it’s the door and they’ll be playing for somebody else.”
Attentions will now turn to finishing as high in the table in possible, with European places a realistic prospect.
