The New Saints bounce back with a 2-0 victory over Penybont

Match Report

https://twitter.com/tnsfc/status/1956740199767060495

Goals: D. Williams (12), Wilson (72)
Yellow cards: Holden (31), Brobbel (44), Clark (57)
Substitutions: Cieslewicz for Clark (65), Charles for Wilson (82), Oteh for Holden (85)

Match report by Sam Wood
Lead image: Lewis Mitchell/FAW

The New Saints responded to last weekend’s defeat in perfect fashion, as they picked up three points on the road against Penybont.

Goals from Dan Williams and Ben Wilson helped Craig Harrison’s side secure a much-welcomed 2-0 victory at the DragonBet Stadium and get their title defence back on track.

The result leaves the Saints in fourth spot in the JD Cymru Premier table, one point behind leaders Caernarfon Town.

Looking to put last weekend’s setback behind them, The New Saints started brightly in South Wales, and it was they who had the game’s first chance with nine minutes on the clock.

An inviting cross from Danny Redmond found Ben Wilson on the edge of the six-yard box, and the summer signing wasn’t far away from finding the bottom corner with his glancing header.

Craig Harrison’s side didn’t waste much time in breaking the deadlock, however, with the opener arriving just three minutes later.

Dan Williams’ strike from the edge of the ‘D’ proved too powerful for Luke Armstrong in the Penybont goal, and despite the goalkeeper getting his hand to it, the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Almost immediately after the restart, the Saints could’ve made it two, but Ryan Brobbel’s effort following a surging run down the right came back out off the far post.

Barring that brief flurry of chances, there was very little between the sides throughout the opening period, with Nathan Shepperd in the TNS goal, and his opposite number Armstrong, largely spectators.

Four minutes into the second-half though, the home shot stopper made an important save to deny Wilson from close-range after some more good vision from Redmond.

Despite the early effort, chances continued to be few and far between, but there was a great opportunity for the home side to hit back with 65 minutes on the clock.

Controlling Mael Davies’ cross perfectly inside the penalty area, Kane Owen worked space for a shot, but the Penybont number three failed to his the target, much to the aghast of his supporters.

It proved to be a decisive miss too, as just eight minutes later, the defending champions put the match to bed.

Racing onto the end of Holden’s forward pass, Wilson made no mistake this time around, lifting the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper to give his side a commanding 2-0 lead.

Five minutes from time, Chris Venables almost gave his side a late lifeline with a header from inside the penalty area, but much to the relief of Shepperd, the effort was wide of the post.

That proved to be that in terms of chances, and it ended 2-0 in favour of the Saints at the DragonBet Stadium.

It was a the ideal response to the defeat against Briton Ferry Llansawel, and gives much needed momentum ahead of next weekend’s Bank Holiday double-header, starting with Connah’s Quay Nomads at Park Hall on Friday (August 22nd).