A 1-0 victory at The Oval sends The New Saints nine points clear at the top

Match Report

Goals: Wilson (21)
Yellow cards: Pask (90+5), D. Davies (90+6)
Substitutions: Clarke for Clark (61), J. Williams for Oteh (61), Bodenham for Brobbel (90)

Match report by Sam Wood

The New Saints increased their lead at the top of the JD Cymru Premier table to nine points following a 1-0 victory against Caernarfon Town.

Adam Wilson’s 21st minute goal was all that separated the sides in a tight contest at The Oval.

With the win, Craig Harrison’s side made it nine from nine domestically, and took another big step towards securing a record-extending 17th title.

It took just eight minutes for the night’s first chance to arrive, as The New Saints looked to take advantage of the possession they were enjoying in the early stages.

Ryan Brobbel’s inviting free-kick from the left found the head of Danny Davies on the edge of the six-yard box, but the defender’s header was saved by Ben Hughes at point-blank range.

The visitors continued to cause problems though, and with 21 minutes on the clock, they made the breakthrough.

Picking the ball up 25 yards from goal, the on-loan Bradford City man breezed past three defenders on the edge of the penalty area, before unleashing a powerful, left-footed strike into the far corner of the net.

Despite the first goal arriving, chances were few and far between for both sides throughout the opening period.

At the end of the half however, there were chances at both ends of the pitch, with Ben Clark heading wide in the 40th minute, before Adam Davies had Caernarfon’s first opening down the other end two minutes later.

Following the restart, the home side had a good chance to equalise, but Louis Lloyd could only find the side netting with his free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.

The Saints had a free-kick of their own with 57 minutes played, but Brobbel was unable to repeat his weekend heroics, with his shot saved by home goalkeeper, Hughes.

The Caernarfon number one came to his side’s rescue again in the 73rd minute, as he got down quickly to his right to push a long-range Wilson effort behind for a corner.

Seven minutes from time, Brobbel was threatening again, but his volleyed strike from the edge of the penalty area was wide of the target.

In the last of four stoppage time minutes, Wilson almost wrapped up the points for his side after stealing the ball from Morgan Owen’s throw, but the forward was again denied by the impressive Hughes.

That proved to be the last chance of the night, and 1-0 is how it ended at The Oval, with The Saints moving nine points clear at the top of the table as a result.

It’s a departure from JD Cymru Premier action for Harrison’s side this weekend, as they take on Airbus UK Broughton in the quarter-final of the JD Welsh Cup.

Kick-off at Park Hall is scheduled for 2pm on Saturday, February 15th.