Off to a flying start

With less than thirty seconds on the clock, The New Saints went ahead in the game against Penybont FC.

Having scored the opener last weekend at Carmarthen Town, it was Jordan Williams again who broke the deadlock this time round.

Bursting through down the left, his pace, strength and clinical finishing gave neither defender or goalkeeper a chance, as his strike from a tight angle hit the back of the net.

 

Dominant but no more goals in the first-half

Although we dominated possession – and opportunities – the first-half ended with just the one goal separating the sides.

Going on to win the game 3-0 makes it look easy on paper, but Penybont were well-organised and certainly enjoyed more possession of their own in the second period.

It was the 18th encounter between the clubs since the Bont’s promotion to the top-flight, with The New Saints winning fourteen and four ending in deadlock.

However, although the statistics look impressive, there is no doubt that The New Saints has been made to work extremely hard in the process.

 

Groundhog day, Josh Pask

With Jordan Williams scoring the opening goal in successive games, after finding the net to make it 2-0 at Carmarthen last Saturday Josh Pask did the same against Penybont.

In the right place at the right time, Pask connected with Ben Clark’s ball in from the right as Alex Pennock was beaten for the second time.

The goal came with just eight minutes remaining, which emphasises the point that Penybont were still very much in the encounter at that stage.

 

A fairy tale return for Declan McManus

Out of action due to injury since late summer, it was good to see Declan McManus back in the squad for the game. It was great to see him introduced off the bench with just a few minutes to go but things got even better than that.

With The New Saints awarded a free-kick on the left, McManus made his way across and, with his first competitive touch since August, smashed the ball over the wall, beyond Pennocks’ reach and in the back of the net.

It was definitely one of those moments – not just the goal itself but the background story – where you most definitely run out of superlatives to describe it.

 

Another clean sheet

Naturally, fans talk about goals but let’s not forget the clean sheet at the other end. For the second Saturday on the bounce, The New Saints has recorded 3-0 wins.

Having conceded twelve goals in seventeen league outings that’s 0.7 per game, which is most definitely a case of the statistic reflecting what has been happening on the pitch.

The win against Penybont took the unbeaten run to 26 games, which also includes 11 wins on the bounce.

It’s looking healthy, but a glance at the JD Cymru Premier table is a reminder that nothing has been won yet. Although we have two games in hand, the gap at the top is just six points.

 

Lead image courtesy of Brian Jones.