A Goal In Each Half, As The New Saints Secure Three Points

Match Report

Goals: Cieslewicz (44), Black (own goal 59)
Substitutions: Ryan Brobbel for Jamie Mullan (59), Kwame Boateng for Chris Marriott (73), Lewis Rees for Adrian Cieslewicz (84)

Match report by Stewart Bloor

The carrot dangling in front of The New Saints FC this afternoon was clear. Win the game and go to the top of the JD Cymru Premier.  

With the home side having the bulk of the possession in the opening exchanges, with ten minutes gone, however, neither ‘keeper was tested.  

With a quarter of an hour played, good work from Ben Clark saw him weave his way into a good position. A block from Bradley Woolridge, though, saw Alex Lang not called into action.  

Five minutes later, Eliot Evans found space but his shot, from outside the penalty area, went harmlessly wide.  

TNS’ dominance of possession continued, but as we hit the halfway stage in the first period, the game remained goalless.  

In the 27^th minute, Jamie Mullan played a ball from the right to Greg Draper, who was in the box. Turning and setting himself up, unfortunately his low shot was straight at the ‘keeper. 

With four minutes to go before the break, getting himself on the end of a pass from Danny Redmond, Adrian Cieslewicz’s shot was agonisingly wide.   

Immediately afterwards, as Scott Ruscoe’s side continued to push forward, Draper looked to chip the ‘keeper, but his attempt went over the bar and onto the roof of the net.  

In the 44^th minute, however, the deadlock was finally broken as Cieslewicz took advantage of a deflection that originated with Mullan. Making no mistake from inside the penalty area, he found the back of the net. 1-0 

Half-time: The New Saints FC 1 Cardiff Metropolitan University FC 0 

The first chance of the second period saw some good passing in the Cardiff Met box, only for Mullan’s shot to hit the outside of the net, in the 49^th minute. 

A foul on Jon Routledge down the left, saw Chris Marriott’s 58^th minute ball in eventually cleared, as TNS looked for a second goal. 

It wasn’t long coming either – just one minute later to be precise – as a low ball into the six-yard box from Cieslewicz saw Liam Black get the final touch, as the own goal established a comfortable cushion. 2-0 

Passing the two-thirds stage of the game, an inch-perfect ball from Redmond found Draper in the penalty area, but the number nine, making his first start of the season was denied by brave goalkeeping from Lang.  

Into the final quarter of an hour, The New Saints continued to dominate possession, as they looked for a third goal that would have put the game beyond the visitors.  

There were no more, however, Bradley Woolridge received a second yellow in added time, as Cardiff Met were reduced to ten men.  

Full-time: The New Saints FC 2 Cardiff Metropolitan University FC 0 

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