The New Saints moved nine points clear at the top of the JD Cymru Premier table with a 4-0 victory away at Llanelli Town on Friday night.
The bottom-of-the-table hosts kept the league leaders at bay for almost all of the first half, with goalkeeper Alex Pennock excelling, but TNS finally found the breakthrough in stoppage time when Isaac Jefferies finished from the edge of the box after Danny Redmond cut the ball back.
The visitors then took firm control of the contest after the break as Ryan Brobbel unleashed a superb effort from distance to bag his 100th goal in the JD Cymru Premier before Jordan Williams fired home an indirect free-kick from a tight angle.
The fourth goal arrived in stoppage them when Dan Williams provided a neat finish from Dom Corness’ lofted ball in the box, sealing the Saints’ ninth consecutive league win.
Second-place Penybont could not maintain pressure on TNS as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to third-place Caernarfon Town at the Dragonbet Stadium on Saturday.
Both sides had opportunities in a goalless first half, while Caernarfon frontman Adam Davies saw his header cleared off the line by Gabe Kircough early in the second period.
The Cofis did eventually find the breakthrough in the 51st minute when Kyle Harrison headed home his first goal for the club after Penybont goalkeeper Luke Armstrong failed to deal with Ryan Sears’ flick-on from Matty Jones’ corner.
Sion Bradley sealed victory for the visitors – their first in five league matches – with six minutes left on the clock when he produced a neat finish over Armstrong after Davies had squared the ball.
In-form Cardiff Met climbed into the top six as they came from behind to triumph 4-1 over Flint Town United at Cyncoed Stadium on Saturday.
Elliott Reeves fired Flint ahead in the 22nd minute with his 10th league goal of the season after good work from Jake Canavan, but that lead lasted just nine minutes as Adam Roscrow worked the ball well in the box to find space and finish beyond Jack Flint at the near post.
The contest remained level for the majority of the second half, until Met went in front on 83 minutes when Sam Jones met CJ Craven’s cross and sent a terrific header in off the post. The Archers found a third goal just four minutes later when Lewis Rees drilled home a low free-kick from the edge of the box.
An electric ending to the game from the hosts was complete in stoppage time, as Matt Chubb produced an outrageous lob over Flint into the top corner from 50 yards out for his first goal in almost a year.
Haverfordwest County staged a late comeback to salvage a 3-3 draw against Connah’s Quay Nomads at the Essity Stadium on Saturday.
Declan Poole cut in from the right and curled the ball into the bottom corner to give the Nomads the lead after just 13 minutes, before Jacob Cook doubled the advantage soon after the half hour mark as he finished from close range after controlling Harry Franklin’s deflected cross.
Owain Jones came off the bench for Haverfordwest at half-time and thought he had pulled a goal back straight away, but the offside flag was raised after he headed in Rhys Abbruzzese’s cross. But it was not long until the Bluebirds did find the net as Greg Walters intercepted Kai Edwards’ tame pass and rolled the ball past Kit Margetson in the 53rd minute.
Dan Cowan restored the Nomads’ two-goal cushion in the 77th minute as he found the net for the first time for the club, tucking away Rhys Hughes’ inviting cross. The hosts may have felt that would have been enough for a fourth straight league win, but Haverfordwest had other ideas.
Bluebirds captain Dylan Rees finished Alaric Jones’ deep cross at the back post to give his side hope in the 87th minute, before Cowan fouled Owain Jones inside the box three minutes later to allow Ben Ahmun to score the equaliser from the penalty spot.
Tony Pennock’s side remain in the relegation zone, but a first point on the road since August leaves them just one point adrift of safety.
Colwyn Bay made it four clean sheets in a row in the league as they secured a 2-0 victory away at Briton Ferry Llansawel on Saturday.
Bay were awarded a penalty inside just four minutes as Ryan Bevan tripped Ethan Roberts in the box, with Jordan Davies sending Will Fuller the wrong way from the spot for his sixth league goal of the season.
The Seagulls’ second goal came six minutes before half-time when Sol Forde tapped home on the line after Louis Robles’ drilled the ball across the face of goal.
Ferry were gifted the chance to get back into the game on the hour mark when George Hughes’ off-the-ball foul on Corey Hurford resulted in a straight red card for the Bay midfielder and a penalty for the Reds, but Hurford’s effort from 12 yards was saved by teenage goalkeeper Alex Brown.
JD Cymru Premier
Bala Town and Barry Town United were both left frustrated in a goalless draw at Maes Tegid on Saturday.
Ieuan Owen had two glorious chances for Barry in the first half as he shot straight at Bala goalkeeper Joel Torrance despite doing well to create space, before he fired wide from Ollie Hulbert’s square ball.
Bala also probably should have found the net through Levi Lumeka, who was left unmarked from Louis Hall’s corner but headed over the bar. Dominic McGiveron thought he had found the breakthrough for the Lakesiders when he fired past George Ratcliffe, but he was deemed to be offside when racing into John Owen’s lofted pass.
Weekend results in full:
Llanelli Town 0-4 The New Saints
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3-3 Haverfordwest County
Bala Town 0-0 Barry Town United
Briton Ferry Llansawel 0-2 Colwyn Bay
Penybont 0-2 Caernarfon Town
Cardiff Met 4-1 Flint Town United
