By Matthew Burgess
The New Saints have moved top of the Cymru Premier League after surviving a late onslaught against Newtown to win 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Joe Kenton sparked a late surge of pressure from Newtown, but Saints stubbornly held onto their lead as they bounced back from their weekend’s Scottish Challenge Cup defeat.
The New Saints – without injured trio Simon Spender, Blaine Hudson and Jamie Mullan – led midway through the first period when Ryan Brobbel fired home a free-kick.
Dean Ebbe converted Adrian Cieslewicz’s delivery to give the hosts a 2-0 lead at the break.
Aeron Edwards spurned the chance to give The New Saints a three-goal lead when he blazed over from inside the box in the second-half before winger Kenton pounced to half the deficit with 15 minutes remaining.
Newtown attacked with renewed vigour in the closing stages in search of an equaliser.
Neil Mitchell fried wide from the edge of the area before Kenton saw a header cleared off the line by Chris Marriott, with Robins boss Chris Hughes left to reflect on what might’ve been.
FARQ FIRES NOMADS TO VICTORY
Priestley Farquharson scored his first goal for Connah’s Quay as the Nomads maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 win at home to Cefn Druids.
Farquharson pounced on 33 minutes after Ryan Wignall’s cross caused chaos in the Druids area.
Farquharson should have added a second in the second-half, but he was unable to apply the finishing touch to Callum Roberts’ cross.
Cefn Druids were unable to find an equaliser despite late pressure as the Nomads notched a third-straight 1-0 win.
CYMRU PREMIER
Connah’s Quay 1-0 Cefn Druids, The New Saints 2-1 Newtown
CYMRU NORTH
Bangor 1-1 Flint Town United, Buckley 2-1 Llandudno, Colwyn Bay 1-1 Llanrhaeadr, Penrhyncoch 1-0 Corwen, Porthmadog 2-2 Llangefni Town, Rhyl 4-2 Ruthin Town.
