The New Saints produced a stunning late comeback to defeat Caernarfon Town 2-1 at Park Hall on Boxing Day – a 13th consecutive league win which maintained their nine point lead at the top of the JD Cymru Premier table.
After Connor Roberts saved Adam Davies’ penalty in the 13th minute, the Cofis took the lead from the resulting corner as Gruff John’s flicked header took a touch off Louis Lloyd to take it into the net.
Caernarfon held on to the advantage for over an hour but their resistance was finally broken in the 79th minute when Jordan Williams levelled the game with a cool strike before TNS captain Chris Marriott completed the turnaround with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box.
The Saints’ closest rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads were also late winners on Boxing Day as they marked their 1000th Cymru Premier fixture with a 2-1 victory over Newtown at Latham Park.
After both sides were deadlocked at 0-0 for the majority of the match, it was a piece of good fortune that gave Nomads the lead in the 85th minute as Ryan Harrington’s deflected cross fell straight to Callum Morris, who found the net from close range.
Harrington was involved once more as he set up Jordan Davies for his 15th goal of the season to add a second for the Nomads in stoppage time. Robins defender Ryan Sears halved the deficit quickly after, but Chris Hughes’ side were unable to stop The Nomads from celebrating their landmark game in style.
Penybont kept their hopes of securing a top six spot alive with a crucial 3-0 win over Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus.
Eliot Richards, Dan Griffiths and Lewys Ware all found the net for the first time in Bont colours as Rhys Griffiths’ side earned their first victory since the beginning of November.
Fellow top six challengers Haverfordwest County comfortably saw off Barry Town United 2-0 thanks to two goals in four second half minutes from Dan Hawkins and Martell Taylor-Crossdale.
Barry were reduced to ten men midway through the first half following Jordan Cotterill’s red card for a late challenge on Kai Whitmore and the hosts made their numerical advantage count on 63 minutes when Hawkins finished from Whitmore’s cross.
Moments later, Taylor-Crossdale celebrated his 24th birthday in style when he controlled the ball well before finishing from close range. Haverfordwest are now only outside the top six on goal difference.
Bala Town took a step closer towards confirming their place in the Championship Conference after surviving a late scare to earn a 3-2 win away to Colwyn Bay.
Naim Arsan’s superb free-kick along with goals from George Newell and Ross White had the Lakesiders three goals to the good before the in-form Udi Akpan bagged a late brace to set up a grandstand finish.
Bottom-of-the-table Pontypridd United picked up their first league win since October as they defeated Aberystwyth Town 2-0 courtesy of goals from Clayton Green and Ben Ahmun.
An unmarked Green met Joe Hunt’s cross to head past Dave Jones just before the half hour mark and the Dragons skipper then turned provider for Ahmun in the second half as the striker fired home to secure victory and move his side to within four points of safety.
JD Cymru Premier results
Cardiff Met 0-3 Penybont
Colwyn Bay 2-3 Bala Town
Haverfordwest County 2-0 Barry Town United
Newtown 1-2 Connah’s Quay Nomads
Pontypridd United 2-0 Aberystwyth Town
The New Saints 2-1 Caernarfon Town
