Saints stretch lead as Bala deny Canaries
THE New Saints’ Declan Mcmanus scored his 21st goal of the season as he fired his side to a 4-1 win over Cefn Druids to extend their lead at the top of table to a virtually unassailable 21 points.
Mcmanus gave TNS the lead in the 38th minute, but Ioan Evans equalised for Druids, directly from a corner in stoppage time.
The league leaders showed their ruthless side in the last 20 minutes of the game and sealed the win with goals from Jordan Williams, Blaine Hudson and Ryan Brobbel.
Nathaniel MG Cup winners Connah’s Quay Nomads took one step closer to sealing a top-six finish with a 2-0 win over Flint Town United.
Paulo Mendes scored a sublime opener for the Nomads after clever build-up play with Jamie Mullan. George Horan scored a second in the 50th minute.
Caernarfon Town drew 3-3 with Bala Town, a late equaliser from the
visitors sealing their top-six spot and all but ending the hosts’ hopes.
Joe Faux, Sion Bradley and Cai Jones were on target for the Cofis in the second half, cancelling out a first-half double from Dean Ebbe. Will Evans struck in the 86th minute to earn Bala a draw – and the precious top-six spot.
Caernarfon can now only join them with a big win at Barry combined with a bad slip-up by Nomads at Newtown in the final first-half round of fixtures on February 26.
Newtown couldn’t take the opportunity to climb to second, but did score a 95th-minute equaliser through Ryan Sears to earn a point at Cardiff Met.
Met opened the scoring in the 18th minute through Sam Jones from close range. The Archers have now moved up to eighth place, but they will remain in the bottom half come the all-important split.
Penybont were left frustrated with a 0-0 draw against Barry Town United.
Aberystwyth’s faint hopes of a top-half finish ended with a 0-0 draw with Haverfordwest.
In the JD Cymru North, a goal from Jay Gibbs deep into secondhalf time added on gave Holyhead Hotspur all three points at home to Holywell.
In the Ardal North West, Y Felinheli went down 1-0 at St Asaph City.
Bodedern retained their astonishing 100% record in the North Wales Coast West Premier in style, making it 18 wins in a row with a 6-0 rout of Glantraeth, including four for leading scorer Marc Evans; Bangor 1876 continued their pursuit of the runaway leaders with a 2-1 victory over Penrhyndeudraeth and relegation-threatened Gaerwen secured a valuable 3-2 win over Pwllheli.