Saints take the spoils as officials grab the TV spotlight
Saints take the spoils as officials grab the TV spotlight
Saturday 03 September 2011
GREG Draper opened his Welsh Premier account as The New Saints came away from Llanelli with all three points in the live TV game.
The Kiwi international rifled the ball home from 12-yards after the home side had failed to clear a right-wing Marcus Giglio corner five minutes after the break.
It was a deserved win in a strangely lack-lustre contest at Stebonheath Park in which referee Dean John and his assistants seemed intent on grabbing the TV limelight.
The Swansea official managed to dish out seven yellow cards - and a late red to Matty Williams - in a game which was always played in an excellent spirit.
Both sides also suffered from some poor offside decisions, with Eddie King twice flagging Draper and Giglio when in promising positions, while the Reds' Rhys Griffiths suffered the same fate late on.
Draper looked to have strong claims for penalty on the half-hour when tackled from behind in the box by Stuart Jones, but there was little else to stir the small crowd before the break, although Craig Moses might have done better when heading a Craig Williams cross straight at TNS keeper Paul Harrison.
Once in front, the Saints were rarely troubled and could have added to their tally when a Craig Jones cross whizzed just behind Giglio in front of goal. But they gave themselves a scare when a weak back-header from Chris Marriott caused Harrison to flap away the ball from the onrushing Moses.
The Llanelli frontman then had a golden chance to level, but lost his footing with only Harrison to beat after a good through ball from Chris Venables.
S4C pundit Malcolm Allen handed the man-of-the-match award to Steve Evans saying: "Rhys Griffiths never got a kick".
Photo: Greg Draper celebrates after scoring the goal.
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