But, after stunning their opponents with two goals inside the first half hour, the Robins were left fighting for the lives at the end of a stirring encounter, as the Saints staged a fight back which produced an equaliser 12 minutes from time.
The hosts took an eighth minute lead when a right-wing corner eluded the TNS defence and found Liverpool loanee Sean Highdale unmarked for a simple finish at the back post.
More abject defending from a breakaway saw former AFC Liverpool frontman Steve Jones add the finishing touch inside keeper Paul Harrison’s near post and the Saints knew they had a fight on their hands.
The visitors had failed to create any chances of note, but Matty Williams got them back in the game five minutes later with a 25-yard screamer which gave home stopper Dave Roberts no chance.
Highdale immediately miscued from a good position at the other end, but Chris Sharp’s turn and shot just before half-time almost had the Saints level.
A more organised-looking TNS started to ask serious questions of the Newtown defence in the second-half and Sharp was unlucky to see his 16-yarder rebound off the crossbar.
John McKenna fired over the angle, but there was controversy on 70 minutes when a Williams shot appeared to cross the line from Roberts’ save before being cleared to safety by a defender.
When a Tommy Holmes effort also hit the woodwork, it looked as though it just wasn’t the Saints’ day, but Aeron Edwards rode a heavy tackle to blast the rebound into the back of the net before being stretchered-off.
And Scott Ruscoe almost snatched a winner against his former club in stoppage time, as his shot whistled just over the bar.
Photo: Aeron Edwards feels the pain as he is tackled while scoring the Saints' equaliser at Latham Park.