Sharp's winner is better late than never
Sharp's winner is better late than never
Friday 02 April 2010
CHRIS Sharp's last-gasp winner kept The New Saints' Welsh Premier title bid on track as they completed a double against 10-man arch-rivals Rhyl at Belle Vue.
The Saints' chance of victory appeared to have gone when Tommy Holmes headed over a gaping goal from Steve Abbott's cross with two minutes of stoppage time already played.
But, in one final attack, Alex Darlington found Sharp, who crashed the 20-yard winner past keeper Jack Cudworth with the last kick of the game to send TNS 10 points clear of Llanelli at the top.
The Lilywhites played the whole of the second half without Phil Doran, who was sent-off on the stroke of half-time for a foul on the edge of the box.
Scott Ruscoe's resulting free-kick took a deflection to elude the despairing dive of Cudworth, but Rhyl battled back and were level eight minutes after the resumption when Mark Connolly's through pass found Matty Williams, who took his chance well.
Chris Williams could have given Rhyl the lead after a slip by Danny Holmes, but was denied by Saints' keeper Paul Harrison in a one-in-one, while Cudworth just got a hand to a Jamie Wood effort.
Barry Hogan, Wood and Steve Evans all went close with long range efforts, but the Lillies looked to have secured at least a draw until Sharp's late heartbreaker.
Photo: Chris Sharp fires the late winner at Belle Vue.
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