Neyland 5.

Herbrandston 2.

Neyland striker Robert Appleby scored twice in his side’s comfortable victory over Herbrandston at the Athletic Ground.

As the cliché goes ‘football is a funny old game’. Only last week Herbie thrashed Haverfordwest County five-nil, but this week they found themselves on the receiving end.

This was the only top-flight game played on Saturday, but this excellent victory for the Nomads lifts them to mid-table, while the visitors are languishing third from bottom.

Neyland manager Mark Edwards would have felt pleased with the final outcome, but the score line doesn’t really reflect how hard Steve Batty’s Herbie troops had pushed the hosts.

Shane Phillips gave the Nomads an early lead. The deadly finisher making no mistake from the edge of the box.

However, the lead was short lived as Nomads’ keeper Patrick Hannon’s howler gifted the visitors an equaliser.

Jonathan Bennett’s speculative 25-yarder was covered by Hannon, but normally reliable keeper let the ball slip through his grasp. An embarrassing moment for the keeper, but he was man enough to hold up his hand and apologise to his team-mates and not blame the awful wet weather for his blunder.

Midway through the first period and the Nomads restored their lead. Nathan Warlow’s excellent cross into the box led to Appleby calmly stroking home from close range.

Appleby also added his side’s third. Drilling in low and hard right-footed from 12-yards, after some neat build-up play.

Appleby could have had a hat-trick, the predator’s powerful close range header was brilliantly saved by Jonathan Crimmins.

The visitors had their chances as Scott Read and a Leigh Marchant header should have both paid dividends.

Herbie right-back Sean Gelona slid in the fourth into his own net.

But Herbie were determined not to lie down, and they pulled a well-crafted goal out for substitute Scott Reid, who fired home right-footed from inside the box.

Neyland put the game to bed late as substitute Craig Power sweetly volleyed home an inch perfect Shane Phillips cross from the right.

Neyland: Patrick Hannon, Sean Hannon, Nathan Warlow, Adam La Rosa, Andrew Kemp, Jarred Campbell, Shane Phillips, Peter Appleby, Andrew Callan, Joe Charlton, Rhys Blain. Subs: Mark Edwards, Craig Power.

Herbrandston: Jonathan Crimmins, Sean Gelona, Nathan Banner, Leigh Marchant, Daniel Armstrong, Ben Phillips, Alex Ouzman, Jonathan Bennett, Luke Hayward, Martin Langdon, Marc Gelona. Subs: Scott Reid, Daniel Munn, Steve Batty.

Referee: Chris Stapleton.