The domestic season gets underway with a victory
Although The New Saints is still competing on the European stage, the domestic campaign began yesterday at Park Hall with a 5-1 win against Flint Town United.
The Nathaniel MG Cup victory ensures that the holders – TNS beat Swansea City, also by 5-1, in last season’s final at Jenner Park – progress to the next round of the competition.
While the UEFA games will naturally be at the forefront of minds, Craig Harrison is always focused on the next game, and looking back over the encounter with the Silkmen, he will be pleased with the result.
The starting XI
Not one player who started in the Ferencváros game on Tuesday, did so three days later against Flint Town United.
It’s true to say though that while there was a complete change, looking on, the TNS DNA was still evident.
There was a debut for Harrison McGahey and a first start for Sion Bradley, while numerous youngsters also made debuts both from the kick-off and off the bench later in the game.
Strength in depth
We often talk about the quality of the squad that Craig Harrison and Chris Seargeant have assembled – and rightly so – but the depth at the club extends beyond just the senior players.
Of the eighteen-man squad for yesterday’s match, more than half were teenagers.
Casual observers can witness the great work that’s going on at the top of the playing pyramid but, dig deeper, and there’s an equally impressive foundation that’s being constructed beneath it.
Five goals and five names on the scoresheet
This is a common talking point during the season and it’s one of those reasons why The New Saints is so difficult to play against.
With goals from Caleb Afful (13), Leo Smith (24), Ben Woollam (26), Jake Morris (58) and Sion Bradley (81), it was great to see the young guns get themselves in on that action as well.
Rolling back the years
With the announcement of the team prior to kick-off, we had a question on social media regarding one of the substitutes.
‘Is that a Simon Spender or The Simon Spender?’
The answer was the latter, and not only did he make the bench, but he came on with eight minutes to go, replacing Blaine Hudson at the heart of the defence.
Has he still got it? Well, he would say yes, and in this instance we would agree with him totally.
