The New Saints Kick-Off 2020 With Three Points, As They Defeat Newtown 2-0 At Latham Park

Match Report

Goals: Routledge (56), Draper (64)
Yellow cards: Davies (80), Edwards (81)
Substitutions: Whitehouse for Cieslewicz (82), Byrne for Draper (87), Harrington for Redmond (90+2)

Match report by Sam Wood

It was the perfect start to 2020 for The New Saints, who picked up all three points against Newtown at Latham Park.

Second-half goals from Jon Routledge and Greg Draper made the difference, as Scott Ruscoe’s side extended their lead at the top of the JD Cymru Premier to four points.

First-half

With just two minutes on the clock, The Saints could’ve taken the lead in bizarre fashion. It appeared like an easy ball to deal with, but a defensive mix-up between home defender, Jack Kelly, and goalkeeper, David Jones, almost saw the defender head into his own net.

There was no respite for the Robins however, as their defence continued to ride its luck in the opening stages. After taking the ball into his stride well on the left-hand side, Ryan Brobbel cut inside, and were it not for the far post, which kept out his curling effort, the champions would’ve been ahead.               

However, Newtown started to grow into the game and Joe Kenton would’ve been disappointed, when after getting himself into a dangerous position, he couldn’t pick out a teammate in the middle with his cross.

At the other end, Brobbel was involved once again, as he went close with a 25-yard free-kick following a foul on Aeron Edwards, before Blaine Hudson saw penalty appeals waved away, as the number 12 went down in the penalty area.

There were more good chances in the minutes which followed, as Cieslewicz saw an edge of the box effort deflect behind for a corner in the 36th minute and Redmond caused the defence problems with an inviting cross three minutes before the break.

Newtown spent the majority of the opening period having to defend, but they almost snatched an opening goal in first-half stoppage time.

A corner from the near side was met on the edge of the six-yard-box by the head of Jack Kelly, and were it not for Greg Draper, who was back defending and blocked the header, the Robins would’ve been celebrating.

Second-half

Scott Ruscoe’s side continued to fashion chances as the second-half begun, and the first one fell the way of Edwards. But, after collecting a Brobbel cross in the penalty area, the Wales C international couldn’t get the ball out of his feet and the hosts were again able to scramble clear.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 56th minute though, as TNS put together a slick passing move. It was Ryan Brobbel who showed great vision, as he pulled the ball back for Jon Routledge in space and the number six finished brilliantly, slotting the ball into the far corner. 1-0.

And having waited almost an hour for the opening goal to come, TNS weren’t made to wait anywhere near as long for their second. With 64 minutes on the clock, it was Brobbel the architect again, as the number eight played in Greg Draper with a delicate ball.

Collecting the pass roughly five yards from goal, the New Zealand international wasn’t going to miss from there and he smashed a strike past Jones to double his side’s lead. 2-0.

Opportunities continued to fall the way of TNS and Draper was almost celebrating again six minutes later.

After spinning with the ball on the edge of the box, the JD Cymru Premier Golden Boot sent a stinging shot towards goal and were it not for a superb, diving save from Jones, the points would’ve been secured.

That proved to be the final noteworthy chance however, as The New Saints comfortably saw out the final 15 minutes, and extended their lead in the JD Cymru Premier to four points.