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| RUSCOE STRIKE SPARES TNS BLUSHES |
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| Steve Evans'
header looks destined for the net, but hit the foot of the post |
TNS 1-1 AFC Telford United
Pre-season friendly
Sat 7 Aug 2004: Home - Treflan
HONOURS even at a sun-baked Treflan as Saints drew 1-1 in what was surprisingly
the first-ever meeting with their relatively near neighbours.
Both managers took heart from the game, with their respective sides depleted through
injury and illness.
Telford’s Bernard McNally was without five players, but his side battled
hard to contain their hosts and took the lead two minutes after the break through
manager's son Luke.
Tom Griffin's good run down the right provided the opportunity and McNally controlled
well before slotting the ball past TNS keeper Ged Doherty for a surprise lead.
Saints' Ken McKenna was also missing five regulars with a flu virus and brought
in two of Aberystwyth’s departed Merseysiders, with ex-manager Gary Finley
in the heart of defence and John Lawless on the left wing.
Despite bossing possession for much of the game, the TNS strikers could make little
impression and it took midfielder Scott Ruscoe to spare their blushes with a superb
25-yard strike into Stuart Brock's top corner with six minutes remaining.
Returning as substitute after missing pre-season with a jaw injury, central defender
Steve Evans could have claimed a hat-trick within 10 minutes of coming off the
bench.
He saw two headers fly just wide, another hit the foot of a Telford post and a
fourth was ruled out for offside as he proved the Saints' most potent attacking
threat.
McKenna felt the game had been a good workout. “We had a lot of possession
but the end product just wasn’t there today,” he said, confirming
that he has moved to beef up his strike force by serving seven days’ notice
of approach for Aberystwyth’s Lee Spike. |
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| 7 August 2021 |
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