ON A DAY when inclement weather again had a major influence on local football, Caerleon moved to just one win from a Nathaniel League Cup final appearance, Newport YMCA hit nine away goals while a Gwent referee took an unprecedented decision to allow a game to go ahead - just 20 minutes after he'd told both teams the match was off.

Division One outfit Caerleon progressed to the semi-finals of the Nathaniel League Cup thanks to a 3-1 success at Swansea-based West End, of Division Two.

Injuries and unavailability forced manager Brendan Dowd to name skipper and midfielder Martyn Philips as a substitute, but saw his team settle well before going ahead through striker Chris Pearce on 20 minutes.

However, before the interval, it all went wrong, with Caerleon having attacking midfielder Luke Cueto sent off and then seeing their promotion-seeking hosts equalise.

But goals after the break by Phillips, who later went off with a hamstring pull, and Simon Truman earned the visitors their passage through.

"This was always going to be a tricky test and that's how it turned out," said Dowd. "The pitch got a bit boggy in the second half, but we coped well enough and deserved to go through."

It could well turn out to be an all-Gwent Cup final if Caerleon avoid being paired with the winners of the Croesyceiliog v Llanwern quarter-final.

That particular encounter fell victim to a waterlogged pitch and they will try again at Woodland Road on Saturday, kick-off 1.30pm.

The postponement means sixth-placed Llanwern's scheduled Division Two clash at Pontyclun on Saturday has been called off and the Newport Stadium-based outfit has now played as many as four matches fewer than some of their promotion rivals.

Division Two side Tredegar Town hosted Bryntirion Athletic, but found the Division One visitors too good in front of goals in a 4-0 defeat.

"We lost it before the break, by which time we were 4-0 down," said Tredegar boss Andrew York. "But we dug in and didn't concede in the last 45 minutes and that's a positive we must take out of this match."

The other last-eight clash between Dinas Powys and Goytre United was postponed and that game has also been rescheduled for Saturday.

In Division One, Newport YMCA went on the rampage at Garw, there was a welcome success for Caldicot Town - but further grief for Cwmbran, who have only managed to pick up six points from the last 27 on offer.

YMCA recorded an emphatic 9-2 away win at bottom-placed Garw, who have now conceded an amazing 116 goals in only 18 league matches.

Striker Lewis Sommers followed up his recent four-goal haul in the 5-3 win at Bridgend Town with another quartet, with fellow marksman Aaron Stewart (2), midfielder Steve Edwards and Junior Borg plus central defender Daniel Heath also getting on the scoresheet.

"You can only beat what's in front of you and the lads did enough by the end of the first half to lead 6-0," revealed YMCA manager Mark Coldrick, whose side's win elevates them above Caerleon into eighth position.

"Credit to Garw for making a fist of the second half, and there was a down side for us when we had Mike Palmer sent of for picking up two yellow cards."

On current form it could only be a matter of time before both YMCA and Caerleon overtake Cwmbran, who have slipped from top to sixth during that horrendous run of poor form.

This time it was a 4-0 defeat at high-flying Ton Pentre, and although Cwmbran created several good goal-scoring opportunities, the hosts showed them how it should be done - including former prolific Crow striker Mattie Davies.

Cwmbran have now not won any of their last six matches and have failed to score in 460 minutes of football.

Caldicot eased their relegation worries with a 3-1 home victory over Taffs Well with Ian Thorne (2) and Gareth Cullimore scoring, although Ian Slocombe was sent off.

Caldicot boss Jason Pritchard was naturally delighted with the victory: "A much-needed win and let's hope this can be the turning-point for us," he said.

In Division Two, defensive lapses caused Cwmbran Celtic's downfall in a 4-0 away defeat against Barry Town.

Monmouth Town's resurgence continued in Division Three as goals from Sam Palmer, Mathew Bowen and Elliott Ford scored in a 3-2 home success over Newcastle Emlyn, while Aberbargoed Buds netted via Ross Fowler (2), Ross Mazurczak and Nathan Edwards in a fine 4-1 away win at Ystradgynlais.

However, Abertillery Excelsiors were beaten 7-0 at AFC Llwydcoed to remain firmly rooted to the bottom.

Football statisticians are busy searching record books to discover if a game has ever gone ahead after it was originally called off - as was the case of Risca United's home clash with Seven Sisters.

Following a short rain burst, Pontypool referee Steven Williams inspected the Ty-Isaf Park playing surface before informing both teams that the pitch was unplayable.

The visitors seemed especially pleased with the information, hardly surprising in view of the fact they only had their third-choice goalkeeper with them.

Quick as a flash, they packed away their entire playing kit and were about to set off. However, they reckoned without Risca assistant manager Nathan Wigg, who managed to persuade Mr Williams to reconsider his decision.

Seven Sisters were clearly unimpressed with the announcement that the match would, after all, go ahead, and seemingly made their feelings known by staying in their dressing-room until a full minute after the scheduled 2.00pm start.

Wigg's insistence that the pitch was playable paid off as a headed goal from Mark Mears before the break earned Risca a 1-0 win, although credit to Seven Sisters, who struck the woodwork and forced home goalkeeper Matthew Long into a brilliant second-half save, for being the better side after the interval.

"I can appreciate what the referee was saying beforehand, which was if it rains then he'd probably have to call it off, but the pitch played out well in the end," commented Risca player-manager Jeff Eckhardt, who left himself out because of a hamstring strain.

"It proved a tight affair, and looking back on it I would have been happy to have ended with a point so I'm really pleased we got all three."

l Sixth-placed Llanwern will entertain Ely Rangers, who are fourth, in a MacWhirter Welsh League game at Newport Stadium on Wednesday, kick- off 7.00pm