Saints continue charge towards unbeaten JD Cymru Premier season after victory against Bala Town

Match Report

Goals: Redmond (7, 12), J. Williams (41), McManus (68)
Substitutions: Young for Marshall (65), Cieslewicz for Holden (65), Clark for McManus (72), Harlock for Baker (72), Jones for D. Williams (80)

Match report by Sam Wood
Lead image: Brian Jones

The New Saints continued their charge towards an unbeaten JD Cymru Premier season with a 4-1 victory against Bala Town.

Danny Redmond, Jordan Williams and Declan McManus all found the net to help their side record a 24th consecutive league victory, extending their lead at the top of the table to 28 points in the process.

Craig Harrison’s side are now just two games away from becoming the first team to complete an invincible Welsh top-flight season since 1998.

It was another fast start from The New Saints, as they took the lead with less than seven minutes on the clock.

An excellent cross from Jordan Marshall found Danny Redmond on the edge of the six-yard box,  where the number 10 stroked home a left-footed finish at the first time of asking.

With 11 minutes gone, Harrison’s side thought they’d scored again, but with the ball in the back of the net, referee, Mark Petch, pulled play back for a foul in the build-up.

The respite didn’t last long for Bala, however, as Redmond scored his second of the night with a right-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area less than 60 seconds later.

The Saints had further chances to find the net as the half wore on, but the third goal of the game went the way of the visitors.

Ollie Shannon’s cross from the right found the head of Paulo Mendes inside the six-yard box, and despite Connor Roberts getting a hand to the ball, he couldn’t prevent the effort from finding the top corner.

Four minutes before the half-time whistle though, the JD Cymru Premier champions restored their two-goal advantage, courtesy of Jordan Williams.

Another attack that developed down the left, it was a cross from Holden which found the number 17 on that occasion, and the former Stockport County fired home at the first time of asking to score his 15th goal of the season.

Colin Caton’s side almost hit back immediately following the restart, but after carrying the ball into the penalty area, Josh Ukek failed to hit the target with his right-right-foot strike.

Down the other end, Declan McManus then went close in the 51st minute, with a volleyed effort falling narrowly wide of Absalom’s right post.

After missing Friday’s 7-1 victory against Caernarfon Town, the club’s leading goalscorer, Brad Young, was introduced as a second-half substitute alongside Adrian Cieslewicz in the 65th minute.

The changes made an instant impact too, as less than three minutes later, The Saints were back among the goals.

Although neither player was involved, their introduction sparked fresh life into the game, and Declan McManus extended the TNS lead with a superb curling strike that went in off the crossbar.

With further chances for Jordan Williams and Ben Clark in the game’s closing stages, it could’ve been an even bigger margin of victory for The Saints, but 4-1 is how it ended at Park Hall.

Craig Harrison’s side now have just two leagues games remaining before the 2023/24 JD Cymru Premier season reaches its conclusion.

The first of which comes in the capital on Saturday (April 13), as The Saints take on Cardiff Metropolitan University at Cyncoed Campus, with kick-off scheduled for 2:30pm.