The New Saints suffer a heartbreaking defeat in the final of the SPFL Trust Trophy

Match Report

Goals: Clark (12)
Substitutions: McManus for Clark (74), D. Williams for Redmond (74), Cieslewicz for J. Williams (78), Marshall for Holden (78), Brobbel for Smith (90)

Match report by Sam Wood
Lead image: Brian Jones

Despite taking an early lead, The New Saints ultimately fell to a 2-1 defeat in their inaugural SPFL Trust Trophy final.

Ben Clark’s goal in the 12th minute gave his side the perfect start, but Airdrieonians hit back 10 minutes later through Liam McStavrick.

The sides went into the interval with the score delicately poised, but a second-half penalty from Diamonds’ striker, Nikolay Todorov, broke TNS hearts.

It was a good start by The New Saints, and they had an opportunity to break the deadlock with less than four minutes on the clock.

Brad Young managed to get on the end of Jordan Williams’ inviting cross from the left, but the number 23 couldn’t keep his effort on target.

In the 12th minute though, the former Aston Villa man was instrumental in creating the goal that did eventually open the scoring.

A good advantage from referee, Matthew MacDermid, allowed Young to cut the ball back for Ben Clark, with the Academy graduate waiting on the edge of the six-yard box to side-foot home a composed finish.

Despite falling behind, the Diamonds responded well, and in the 22nd minute, they pulled level.

Connor Roberts got a hand to Liam McStavrick’s volleyed strike, but the Wales C international couldn’t prevent the effort from nestling in the far corner of the net.

Four minutes on, there was almost a second for Rhys McCabe’s side, but Josh Daniels produced a heroic challenge on the line to clear the danger.

Down the other end, Daniels almost got his name on the scoresheet in the 34th minute, but his header from a left-sided corner came back out off the far post, before it was hooked away by an Airdrie defender.

It was certainly a delicately poised opening half, and neither side would have had too many complaints to head into the interval with the score locked at 1-1.

Things took a while to get going again following the restart, and it took until the 61st minute before the first real chance arrived.

It went the way of the Diamonds, as they caused problems with a corner from the right, but Dean McMaster’s overhead effort cleared Roberts’ crossbar.

McCabe’s side kept up the pressure though, and in the 66th minute, disaster struck for The Saints, as they conceded a penalty following a foul on Josh O’Connor.

Nikolay Todorov stepped up to take the spot kick, but despite Roberts diving the right way, the Bulgarian drilled the ball into the far corner to flip the match on its head.

With time running out, head coach, Craig Harrison, rolled the dice and made a number of changes in quick succession.

One of those substitutions included the introduction of Declan McManus, and in the 79th minute, the JD Cymru Premier Player of the Season almost headed home an equaliser.

Connecting with Daniels’ cross on the edge of the six-yard box, his effort was agonisingly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post, meaning The Saints continued to chase the game.

Despite throwing everything at it in the closing stages, there was no way through the resolute Airdrieonians defence, and they held on for a 2-1 victory to lift the SPFL Trust Trophy for a fifth time.

For The New Saints, attention now turns to next weekend’s JD Welsh Cup semi-final against Cardiff Metropolitan University, as Craig Harrison’s side attempt to complete a domestic treble.

That match against the Archers is being played at Latham Park, with kick-off scheduled for 5:15pm on Saturday, March 30th.