Nicky wards off a cup hangover
NICKY Ward ensured there would be no cup hangover for Saints as he played a major part in both goals to sink Connah's Quay.
His run down the left and through ball provided the 29th minute opening for Graham Evans to beat onrushing Nomads' keeper Paul Smith and notch his first goal since signing from Hereford.
And five minutes later, Ward was on hand to power a header past Smith after Mike Wilde's good work down the right ended with a pinpoint cross.
Ken McKenna was able to field his first choice back four and they were hardly troubled as the visitors spent most of the evening repelling TNS attacks.
Chris King signalled the Saints' intentions as early as the first minute when he rattled the crossbar from 20-yards, with Gerard Doherty in rare action on 15 minutes when he saved a shot from Gary O'Toole.
Graham Evans was then denied a penalty minutes later after being upended by Smith.
Chances continued to flow after the break and Graham Evans could well have notched a hat-trick. He was just high with a chip over Smith from the edge of the box, missed at the far post from a Ward cross and then saw another effort well saved.
But he fluffed his best chance of further glory from in front of goal four minutes from time.
Jamie Wood forced a brilliant reaction save from the Nomads' keeper, while sub Marc Lloyd Williams hit a post with Wilde free in front of goal and then saw his last minute header disallowed for offside.
Overall, an encouraging performance and boss Ken McKenna will be relieved that normal service has been resumed after the disappointments of last week. |