TNS WIN CUP FINAL THRILLER TO SEAL DOUBLE

JORDAN WILLIAMS scored twice in as many minutes to complete a league and cup double for The New Saints at Cardiff City Stadium

But there was almost a sting in the tail from battling Penybont as they kept the JD Welsh Cup Final on a knife edge right to the final whistle with a barnstorming second half that saw them score twice in the final six minutes.

When the JD Cymru Premier league champions raced into a 3-0 lead it seemed as though the game was done and dusted, but Rhys Griffiths’ side fought their way back and were screaming for a penalty in the last move of the match after TNS keeper Connor Roberts’ clumsy challenge to give a chance of extratime. “I’m bitterly disappointed to have lost a cup final. They were dominant for large periods of the game and our game plan probably didn’t work as well as we’d hoped,” said Griffiths. “The first goal looked like a foul to me, the second was poor for us and then the third meant we had to push on. What I challenged the boys at half time was to go out and win the second half and we did that. I am so proud of them and it was a great final, largely because of our supporters.”

TNS were fluent from the start and Williams opened the scoring with a rasping left footed strike form 30 yards. Moments later he was at the back post tapping in a Ryan Brobbell far post cross that Ashley Morris failed to punch clear.

That made it 2-0 at the break and when top scorer Declan McManus scored from the penalty spot on the hour mark the game looked dead and buried.

The late drama began when MacDonald struck a superb shot from the edge of the ‘D’ after a corner clearance to get one back in the 84th minute. Then Dan Jeffries headed home from a corner in the first minute of added time.*