T.N.S. 2 NEWI Cefn Druids 1 - Match Report
Fought back in vain.
By Robert Stock
January 31 2004
T.N.S. extended their lead at the top of the Welsh Premier tonight, courtesy of a 2-1 win over local rivals NEWI Cefn Druids, who's late fightback proved to be in vain as the Saint's held on to secure a vital 3 points at Treflan.
CARLOS EDWARDS
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SHAKEY
SAINTS HOLD ON FOR VICTORY
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T.N.S. claimed all 3 points
thanks to a goal in each half from Dave Bridgewater and Nicky
Ward. Despite a late comeback from Druids, who pulled one back
thanks to Alec Stacey's strike the Saints held on for a far
from convincing victory, as they extend their lead at the
league's summit. Both
teams struggled to get to grips with the difficult playing
conditions, and a strong Easterly wind did not help matters at
all! The opening encounters were fairly unmemorable with the
game being locked in a mid-field battle for most of the half.
Druids looked like going in at half time with the scores even,
but five minutes before the break Dave Bridgewater's edge of
the box free kick curled over the wall into the middle of the
goal, with Druids keeper Mike Price seemingly blinded of the
ball's flight due to the large wall that he had arranged in
front of him.
The 2nd half saw the home
side look to kill off the game, and like in Tuesday's Premier
Cup defeat to Wrexham, The Saints lay siege on the Ancients'
goal with a number of corners, one of which resulted in
Michael Wilde's mis-hit shot to scrape against the post with
the evergreen Aled Rowlands clearing the ball to safety.
Druids' finally succumbed to
the pressure on 82 minutes when Nicky Ward met Dave
Bridgewater's pin-point cross to volley home from the left
hand side of the penalty area, this time giving Price no
chance.
The game seemed dead and
buried, but Druids refused to say die, and got themselves back
in the game with a fine goal from ex-TNS trialst Alec Stacey,
who latched onto substitute Roy Cardus' fine through ball,
with Stacey just putting enough pace on his toe-poke for the
ball to cross the line.
Druids continued to push
forward in search of an equaliser but T.N.S. held on to secure
a vital 3 points which sees them move 4 points clear of
2nd-placed Rhyl.
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Robert Stock
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