Talgarth Town maintained their hopes of finishing top of Group A in the Candour Talent Gwent Central League Benevolent Cup following a 6-1 thrashing of section leaders Usk Town Reserves at the King George V Playing Fields.

The Royals were rewarded for their positive start by scoring two goals within 60 seconds of each other in the first half.

The Breconshire hosts broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when veteran forward Steve Potter headed home from a Ben Sharman cross after an initial corner was only partially cleared by the visiting defence.

The lead was doubled within 60 seconds of the restart after Mark Walsh's header found the back of the net from a Tom Sharman-Jones corner.

Talgarth Town nearly added a third goal when defender Will Luckhurst headed wide of the far post from a 21st minute corner as they took advantage of Usk Town's apparent frailty when defending corners.

The Royals were given a further boost three minutes later after Usk Town's Jake Malyn was shown a red card by referee Gareth Ratcliffe following an altercation with Walsh.

Visiting keeper Marc Cordell was becoming increasingly busy as he saved a Sharman-Jones 25th-minute effort from just inside the penalty area before using his legs to deny Grzes Chodnicki from the edge of the penalty area two minutes later.

Kristien Harrison tried his luck for the visitors with a 30-yard free-kick in the 31st minute before Cordell had to be alert three minutes later to turn Ben Sharman's attempted chip behind for a corner.

The Monmouthshire club unexpectedly halved the deficit in first half stoppage time when Harrison surprised Tom Bevan in the Royals' goal from over 30 yards out to provide the visitors with some hope.

The Talgarth Town management team of Peter Sharman and Jack Dodds would have been disappointed to have conceded on the stroke of half-time given the control they had for large portions of the half. But they knew the Royals held a player advantage and would look to benefit from this after the interval. 

The Breconshire club regained their two-goal buffer in the 50th minute when Luckhurst met a Sharman-Jones corner with a diving header at the far post.

Cordell had to be alert moments after the restart when he had to turn Sharman-Jones' 25-yard effort behind for a corner. 

Harry Sharman headed wide from a 53rd-minute corner before Potter's cross delivered from the left side of the penalty area was converted by Ben Sharman two minutes later to increase the lead.

Chodnicki was unable to keep his volley under the crossbar after 67 minutes after after being picked out by Francis from out on the right flank. 

Chodnicki could only find Cordell from the edge of the penalty area in the 71st minute but Talgarth Town went nap when the Polish forward slid the ball past the Usk Town goalkeeper two minutes later after being found by Potter.

The Royals completed the scoring four minutes later when Francis' cross from the right flank was met by a Sharman-Jones header at the far post.

The hosts had opportunities to extend their advantage when Potter headed over from an 80th-minute free-kick before Harry Sharman drove into the penalty area 60 seconds later but was denied by Cordell.

Lewis Wheatstone struck a 25-yard effort at Bevan in the 86th minute but their hosts had done enough to claim victory long before then.

The Royals will need to win their final group fixture at Panteg Reserves, and hope that Usk Town Reserves slip-up when they host Pontnewynydd Reserves, if they are to reach the Benevolent Cup final.