The New Saints Bounce Back In Style With A Comfortable 4-0 Victory At Latham Park

Match Report

Goals: Robles (30), Astles (45), Cieslewicz (46), Clark (90+4)
Yellow cards: Smith (23), Davies (87)
Substitutions: Mullan for Robles (65), Boateng for Marriott (65), Davies for Astles (77)

Match report by Sam Wood

The New Saints returned to winning ways in style, with a comfortable 4-0 victory against Newtown at Latham Park.

Four different players found the back of the net for Scott Ruscoe’s side, as they moved three points clear of second placed Connah’s Quay Nomads, and booked their spot in the Championship Conference in the process.

It also means, baring a major swing in terms of goal difference, The Saints will lead the way in the JD Cymru Premier at Christmas.

As is often the case, Scott Ruscoe’s side started the match brightly, seeing the majority of the ball in the opening stages.

Adrian Cieslewicz had the first chance of the match for his side with nine minutes played, sending an effort harmlessly wide from just outside the penalty area, before a good header by Kieran Mills-Evans stopped Ryan Astles from converting at the back post in minute 15.

Greg Draper went close with an effort of his own not long after, before Newtown’s Ryan Edwards fired over from the edge of the TNS  penalty area.

The deadlock was finally broken after half an hour though, as Louis Robles scored his ninth goal of the season. A well taken corner by Leo Smith found the head of the number 18, who’d beaten his marker at the near post, and his deft touch on the ball was enough to divert it past Jones and give his side the lead.

Ruscoe’s side immediately went looking for another. Both Leo Smith and Draper had chances to find the second goal, but with the half-time whistle about to sound, The Saints made their first-half superiority count, by doubling their lead in the game.

It was another assist by Leo Smith, this time from a free-kick, which found Ryan Astles in the middle of the box. The defender rose highest in the penalty area, sending a header powerful header into the bottom corner, opening his Saints account in the process, and sending his team into the half-time break in a comfortable position.

And it couldn’t have been a better start to the second period for The Saints, who added to their tally just 40 seconds after the restart.

From the kick-off, it was a well-worked move by the league leaders and the ball reached Cieslewicz on the edge of the box.

He struck the effort first time and it left Dave Jones with no chance whatsoever, as the ball curled around the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net.

Despite being in such a strong position, still there was no let-up from The Saints, as first Smith and then Draper worked the home defence and goalkeeper, as they looked to give their side an even firmer grip of the game.

Despite their efforts, Ruscoe’s side were unable to find another way through, and when the fourth official held up the board to signal an additional five minutes, it looked as if they were content to see out the match.

But up popped Ben Clark, who, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, found the back of the net for the fifth time this season. He was in the right place to meet a Cieslewicz ball in the middle and cooly slotted past Jones, to cap what was a comfortable night for his side at Latham Park.