It’s a Saints day, but Bont give it a good shot

PENYBONT boss Rhys Griffiths promised his side wouldn’t go to Park Hall to make up the numbers in a title-winning party for The New Saints and his players lived up to his pledge as they held the home side to a 3-3 draw. It wasn’t enough in the end to stop Anthony Limbrick’s team from clinching the title with seven games still to play, but the visitors certainly made TNS work hard for their 14th JD Cymru Premier title.

They forced the champions elect to come from two goals down in the second half to stave off the threat of a first defeat since 9 November and then denied them a champagne finish when they equalised with a minute left to play.

The drama began on the halfhour mark when Kane Owen sent a brilliant ball through the middle from the centre circle to allow Nathan Wood to lash an unstoppable half-volley into the top right corner.

If that shocked TNS, what happen in the 41st minute rocked them to the core. This time Owen appeared on the overlap and put in an inchperfect cross that allowed Sam Snaith to rise in the middle of the six yard box and head home goal No 2.

The game went through the hour mark before Saints got a sniff. Ben Clark picked up the goal to launch the fightback in the 64th minute, but it was Penybont keeper Ashley Morris who helped him by letting his tame shot through a crowd of players go through his legs.

The equaliser came 10 minutes later and once again had an element of assistance from the visitors. Lee Smith had a shot blocked in the area, regathered the rebound, outflanked the defence and pulled a shot from the right along the face of the goal.

Poor marking from a corner then allowed Ash Baker a free header to give TNS the lead for the first time in the 81st minute.

That wasn’t the end of the drama as Liam Webb acrobatically hooked it over his shoulder to make it 3-3.

“We knew we needed to improve from last season. We came second and the pressure her is to win the title every single season,” said Limbrick.

“I’m sure it was an entertaining game, but we were far from our best.”

Bala Town stayed in second place in the Championship Conference thanks to their

3-2 home win over Flint Town United, while Newtown were 4-0 winners at Caernarfon.