An 83rd minute equaliser from the penalty spot denied Radnor Valley a crucial victory in the Ardal League North East against Penycae.

Thomas Edwards knocked in the late penalty for the hosts after referee Luke Wynne deemed the ball was handled by a visiting player during a goalmouth scramble.

The Goats had recorded a 2-0 victory when they visited the village on the outskirts of Wrexham last season but knew it was likely to be a much tougher prospect against a home team that had enjoyed an improved start to the current campaign.

Following a relatively uneventful start to their latest meeting on Saturday afternoon at The Riverside, it was the the hosts who broke the deadlock in the ninth minute. Jack Orbell's cross from the right flank was only partially cleared and captain Zak Davies pounced to fire home the loose ball from close-range

The Wrexham-based club came close to doubling their lead within a minute of the restart but Davies saw his low drive from the edge of the penalty area kept out comfortably by Otto Jones.

The New Radnor men responded in the 11th minute when talisman Joey Price cut inside off the left flank and saw a fierce shot thunder back off the crossbar but was deemed to be in an offside position when the ball was played through to him.

It was the turn of former Rhayader Town midfielder Jack Clarke to see a header come back off the crossbar four minutes later after a free-kick from out on the right caused some consternation in the Penycae rearguard.

The Goats did however level the scores after 24 minutes when Tom Edwards took advantage of an error in the home defence, before driving into the penalty area and firing the ball past goalkeeper Gabriel Pebeyre.

The Radnorshire club turned the match around five minutes before the interval when Joey Price pressurised Pebeyre before finding the back of the net from a tight angle to hand the Goats a half-time advantage.

Radnor Valley's management pairing of Adam Jones and Matt Croose would have been with how their players responded to going behind early in the match, after losing the previous week's local derby against Llandrindod Wells.

Joey Price came within inches on increasing the Goats' advantage within five minutes of the restart but could not add the vital touch as he stretched to meet Tom Edwards' inviting low cross to the far post.

The Radnor Valley forward went close with a 25-yard free-kick in the 50th minute before Orbell saw a shot on the turn blocked for a corner at the opposite end of the pitch.

Harry Bowen headed narrowly over the crossbar from a 55th minute corner prior to substitute Tomos Hughes being played through on goal two minutes later to lift the ball over the advancing Jones but saw his effort come back off the crossbar.

Penycae were now increasing the pressure on their opponent's goal as they sensed an equaliser.

Defender Jac Scott's header from a 65th minute corner rattled the crossbar yet again before Davies was denied by Jones at his near post two minutes later.

It was beginning to look that it might be might be the visitors’ day as they managed to keep out the hosts, until the late penalty suckerpunch came, following a handball.

Edwards successfully converted the spot-kick past Jones before the Goats keeper made a fine double save three minutes later to deny Davies and substitute Sam Giles.

The visitors had opportunities of their own in the closing stages to claim all three points but it was not to be.