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Saints lack conviction but stay 100 percent
Saints lack conviction but stay 100 percent
Saints lack conviction but stay 100 percent
Saturday 29 August 2009
THE New Saints are the only Welsh Premier side with an unblemished record after a 2-1 home win over Airbus UK Broughton.
But, after establishing a two-goal lead inside the first 33 minutes, they conceded their first goal of the campaign and were unconvincing for much of the remainder of the game.Steve Abbott hit a post as early as the second minute in a scramble following a Scott Ruscoe corner and also brought a good save from Wingmakers' keeper Kris Rogers before opening the TNS account after 20 minutes.
Matthew Berkeley was yellow-carded for a nothing challenge by referee Darren Adie but, from the resulting free-kick, TNS broke upfield and when Rogers saved from Matthew Berkeley, Abbott was on hand to net the rebound.
Jamie Wood's 33rd-minute header from 15 yards following a Craig Jones run and cross somehow crept inside Rogers' post and it looked like the rest of the afternoon would be plain sailing.
Berkeley should have added another before a somewhat fortuitous goal three minutes later turned the tide, a Matthew Cook cross taking a deflection to leave Marc Lloyd Williams a simple heading chance in front of goal.
Any half-time team talk obviously fell on deaf ears as the Saints turned in a fairly clueless second-half performance.
Matthew Cook could well have levelled for the visitors, but sent his shot wide of the far post, while Jiws glanced a header wide from a Geo Feliciello long throw.
The management responded by packing the midfield to hold-on to what they had, with Craig Williams only called-off the bench with five minutes remaining.
He immediately made an impact, sending a shot wide of the target, before Ruscoe hit a post in added time and both Berkeley and John McKenna failed to profit from subsequent rebounds.
Photo: Steve Abbott watches an early attempt rebound off the post.
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