The Perfect Start In The 2020/21 JD Cymru Premier Season, As The New Saints Bring Three Points Home From Barry

Match Report

Goals: Cieslewicz (48, 78), Smith (65)
Yellow cards: Bailey (15), Mullan (35), Davies (54), Routledge (64)
Substitutions: Clark for Bailey (46), Davies for Hudson (46), Draper for Mullan (76)

Match report by Sam Wood

It was the perfect start to the 2020/2021 JD Cymru Premier season for The New Saints, as they came away from Jenner Park with a convincing 3-0 victory against Barry Town United.

A brace from Adrian Cieslewicz and a 65th minute strike by Leo Smith secured all three points for Scott Ruscoe’s side, as they moved top of the Cymru Premier table on opening day.

A trip to the Faroe Islands is next on the agenda for The Saints, as they face B36 Tórshavn in UEFA Europa League action on Wednesday.

It was a well contested start to the match, with both sides enjoying chances in what was their first league fixture in 190 days.

Ryan Brobbel saw a free-kick flash wide of the post for The Saints with six minutes gone, before Curtis Jemmett-Hutson came close to connecting with a dangerous cross.

Both sides continued to enjoy chances and Ryan Astles was the next player to work the home defence, with a shot that deflected behind for a corner.

At the other end though, The Saints’ number 17 needed to be switched on defensively, and made a crucial intervention with his head following a corner, with a couple of Barry players waiting to convert at the back post.

The closest Ruscoe’s side came to breaking the deadlock was in minute 34, with a move created by Jamie Mullan. Some good footwork inside the box allowed the midfielder to play in Dean Ebbe, but his shot on the turn fell the wrong side of the post from a Saints perspective.

In a bid to freshen things up, Ruscoe opted for two changes at the break, with both Keston Davies and Ben Clark coming on for Blaine Hudson and Josh Bailey.

And it was a move that had an instant impact, as within three minutes of the restart, The New Saints were ahead.

Following a good run on the left hand side, Adrian Cieslewicz cut back on the edge of the box, before sending an effort curling away from the outstretched palm of Mike Lewis in the Barry goal and into the back, giving his side an easy second-half lead. 1-0.

The goal gave the visitors the opportunity to take a hold of the match, and the home side struggled to rediscover their level of performance from the opening 45 minutes.

Saints continued to cause problems for the Barry Town defence and thought they’d doubled their advantage with 61 minutes played. After Cieslewicz had drawn a good save from the goalkeeper, Mullan tapped home the rebound, but the assistant quickly raised the offside flag.

And just a minute later, confusion engulfed Jenner Park, when it appeared that referee, Dean John, had sent off Keston Davies for a second bookable offence.

After a brief period of consultation however, it was deemed to be a case of mistaken identity, as it was actually Jon Routledge who committed the foul, meaning a yellow for the number six, and Davies retook his place among the back four.

Just like that though, Ruscoe’s side put the confusion behind them and doubled their advantage. It was Leo Smith who scored the second goal, sending a fierce strike into the bottom corner of the net after being teed up by Mullan, to give his side a firm grip on the match. 2-0.

And with 78 minutes gone, Cieslewicz made sure of the victory with his second goal of the game. After being set on a surging run through the middle by a Routledge pass, the number 11 finished well with a lobbed effort over the outrushing Lewis to ensure all three points would be heading back to Oswestry.