2024 was certainly a year to remember for The New Saints.
For the first time in their history, the Saints spent Christmas at the top of the Genero Adran Premier, and according to forward Lexi Jones, it’s a place they didn’t expect to be.
“We didn’t really expect this to happen as a squad in all honesty. At the start of the season, we had goals that we wanted to achieve by the end of the season, and they were things like finish in the top four or three and reach the semis of both cups. We never thought that we would be top of the table at Christmas, and to have the possibility to get to a final is amazing.”
Jones herself has played an integral part in pushing Shauna Duffy’s side to the top of the table. With five goals to her name, the striker is delighted to have adapted well to life in the league after joining last summer.
“Coming into women’s football is a big difference from what I was playing before. It took me a while to settle in, but when I got more confidence with how I was playing and the girls I was playing with, I felt that I could go and score and help the team, which is what I’ve done.”
TNS will need Jones and the rest of the squad to be firing on all cylinders come Sunday, as they take on Briton Ferry Llansawel for a place in the final.
“We’re expecting a very physical game. The last game against them was physically demanding, and mentally too. It’s all about gamesmanship and knowing how to manage the game. We know it’ll be a real battle out there.”
The previous meeting between the two sides this season was certainly eventful. Despite Ferry having goalkeeper Courtney Young sent off, and having to put defender Olivia Kett-White in goal, TNS couldn’t find another goal and lumbered to a 1-1 draw. However, Jones insists her team have grown a lot since then.
“That draw was the first time that we came across a side who were in a low block, and we just struggled to break through them. Since then, we’ve worked on that quite a lot, and when we have played those low block teams, we’ve found a way through. We’ve adapted as a team since then, so Sunday will be very interesting.”
One thing that will certainly provide a boost to those in Oswestry is their past two home games. Having defeated both Cardiff City and Swansea City – with Jones scoring stoppage time winner against the latter – she is confident her side can perform against anyone.
“We’ve got to keep our feet on the ground and not get too overconfident in ourselves. However, with the results we’ve had, we do need to be confident in how we play, and we’ve shown against Cardiff City and Swansea City how well we can play, and we want to continue that this year.”
2024 was nothing short of superb for TNS, but 2025 could be even bigger for them, and that could all begin on Sunday afternoon.
“It would mean so much to the girls to win a trophy like this. It would show how far we’ve come from last season. Especially going semi-pro this season, it would mean a lot to a lot of people at this club to lift some silverware.”
