SHOCK AS TNS FINALLY BEATEN
THE NEW SAINTS have lost at last! The JD Cymru Premier champions had gone through Phase 1 of this season’s competition unbeaten, but hit a bump in the road in the Championship Conference.
From two goals down, Cardiff Met hit back to complete a remarkable 3-2 victory against a side that had beaten them 4-0 the last time they met and 7-0 in September.
It was a great day for Met skipper Chris Baker on the one hand, as he scored twice. Then he went off on a stretcher with four minutes left.
TNS gave the home side a mountain to climb with two goals in the opening 12 minutes. Leo Smith kicked things off in the eighth minute and then Adam Wilson doubled the lead. Baker got one back just before then break before player-coach Eliot Evans leveled with his sixth of the season. Baker backed up the momentum with his second five minutes later.
Second-placed Connah’s Quay Nomads drew 1-1 at Newtown
thanks to Michael Wilde’s last-minute leveller. Louis Robles had put the hosts ahead in the sixth minute.
Bala Town and Penybont
ground out a 0-0 stalemate at Maes Tegid, with the hosts probably the happier with a point following the dismissal of Nathan Peate who was shown a second yellow card 19 minutes from time.
In the Play Off Conference, there were comfortable home wins for Caernarfon Town, Flint Town United and Pontypridd United.
Caernarfon remain top after a 2-0 victory over Haverfordwest County. After a goalless first half, Laurie Bell broke the deadlock for the hosts in the 62nd minute and Darren Thomas sealed the three points 10 minutes later.
Second-placed Flint ran riot at Cae-y-Castell to record a thumping 5-0 win over visitors Aberystwyth Town.
Veteran EFL striker Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro got the ball rolling for the Silkmen in the sixth minute after being teed up by Okera Simmonds, who doubled the hosts’ lead midway through the first half.
Chester loanee Zack Clarke wrapped up the points with Flint’s third goal two minutes into the second half before Akpa Akpro added his second and Flint’s fourth from the penalty spot on 62 minutes and Berti Diau completed the rout three minutes from time.
Pontypridd also enjoyed a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Airbus UK Broughton at USW Sport Park.
Ben Ahmun was the hat-trick hero for the Dragons. He opened the scoring in the eighth minute and Ben Williams-Margetson, who had created the opener, added a second in first-half stoppage time.
Ahmun got his second and Pontypridd’s third goal just before the hour mark and he took home the match ball after completing his treble in the third minute of time added on at the death.