HUW GRIFFITHS hopes lightning doesn’t strike twice as Cefn Druids bid to force their way into the top-six.

Griffiths was left to rue the decisions of referee Gavin Townsend as Druids saw their four-match winning streak abruptly ended by Cardiff Met.

The decision to show Mike Pritchard a straight red card had a major impact on the outcome of the game, which was level at 1-1 before Cardiff Met made their numerical advantage count by grabbing a winner.

Druids did get the rub of the green when they were awarded a late penalty, but Alec Mudimu missed the resulting spot-kick and he let his frustrations spill over by joining Pritchard for an early bath.

Griffiths felt Mudimu’s red was a consequence of earlier decisions, and he is keeping his fingers crossed that the events don’t have a greater impact on Druids.

The Ancients had made an unbeaten start to the campaign when a hugely contentious late Geoff Kellaway goal snatched a 2-1 win for Aberystwyth at The Rock and sparked a five-game winless run for Griffiths’ men.

“That’s twice this year where the outcome of games has been directly influenced by poor decisions,” said Griffiths. “I just hope that another poor decision doesn’t lead to another poor run.

“After the Aberystwyth goal was given, which was never in, we struggled to get out of a poor run.”

The dismissals of Pritchard and Mudimu mean three-match bans, and with Ryan Kershaw in the middle of his own suspension and Matty Owen set to miss tonight’s trip to Aberystwyth with a head injury, Griffiths has a problem.

The Druids boss enjoys the tactical battle and has left no stone unturned in his quest for a solution to being without four central midfield options.

“We picked a team on Monday after a two-hour debate between myself and assistant manager Jayson Starkey,” said Griffiths. “I then left the ground and inside a few turns I was calling him back with another idea.

“We will come up with a solution, the lads have been brilliant and I can’t compliment them enough.”

Whatever plan Griffiths and his coaching team come up with, the goal is a simple one: beat Aberystwyth.

“We know Aberystwyth will be coming out to try and win,” said Griffiths. “It’s almost a free-hit for them. They are below us and will see it as the chance to make up some ground. For us it’s a chance to keep us in the hunt with Cardiff Met and Newtown, but if we lose then our top-six hopes might go out of the window.

“Before the Cardiff Met defeat we’d been brilliant for four weeks and hopefully we can be again against Aberystwyth.”

Griffiths is boosted by the return of key striker James Davies after work commitments, although Tyrone Ofori is a doubt after pulling out of the Cardiff Met clash in the warm up.

Cardiff Met visit Caernarfon tonight, while Barry Town United host Newtown and Bala head to Carmarthen tomorrow.