PRINCIPALITY WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE THE NEW SAINTS 8-0 CARMARTHEN TOWN Sun 29 March 2009 / Park Hall

John Toner celebrates the fifth TNS goal

THE New Saints took a giant step towards ensuring European qualification with a record-breaking 8-0 demolition of main Euro rivals Carmarthen Town at a sun-drenched Park Hall.
Two John Leah penalties inside four first-half minutes put the Saints on the road to victory as the Old Gold self-destructed with red cards for Liam Hancock, Mark Dodds and coach Mark Aizelwood.
Despite dominating the first half-hour, a goal from open play looked hard to come by, although a Craig Williams effort was ruled-out for offside.
But when Liam Hancock shoved Steve Evans in the box, Leah made no mistake from the spot and again sent keeper Neil Thomas the wrong way three minutes later after Matthew Berkeley had been brought down by Dodds, who received a straight red from ref Darren Adie.
Aizlewood got his red in the dressing room area for a half-time tirade and TNS quickly stamped their authority when Berkeley breezed past Richard Hughes to cross for Williams to net from 12 yards.
Hancock then got his marching orders for a second yellow after fouling Berkeley before John McKenna skillfully created the fourth goal for Alex Darlington.
From then on the Saints were queueing-up to score, Toner adding the fifth and Evans heading-in at the far post from man-of-the-match Scott Ruscoe's cross.
Ruscoe added another from close range before Leah set-up sub Craig Whitfield for the eighth to eclipse the previous best 8-1 Welsh Premier win at Briton Ferry 12 years ago.
But for some fine saves from Thomas it could well have been double figures as the Old Gold also went down to their worst-ever league defeat.