Airbus keeper McGhee and defender Mark Allen in the tangle that led to the first TNS goal.
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Airbus crash to seven-goal defeat
THE New Saints ended the old year in style with a 7-0 hammering of Airbus UK to go top of the Welsh Premier overnight. It brought their festive tally to 13 goals with two clean sheets.
John Toner again led the way with his second hat-trick in four days as the Saints outgunned their hapless opponents from start to finish.
The game was virtually over as a contest within the first nine minutes. Greg Stones again showed his versatility as a makeshift frontman by turning the ball into the net after three minutes, when keeper Adam McGhee and defender Mark Allen failed to deal with Toner's close range effort.
Six minutes later, Stones returned the compliment with a delicate chip through from a Martyn Naylor free-kick for Toner to lob the keeper for eight yards.
To their credit, the Wingmakers battled hard and played some neat football going forward, with player/manager Gareth Owen sounding a warning with a 20-yarder that went just over Gerard Doherty's crossbar.
But it was mostly one-way traffic in the driving wind and rain and, when Tommy Holmes played the ball down the line, Carter to tried a lobbed shot from the left which was turned in by Toner at the far post. And in the best move of the night just after the half-hour, Stones and Toner combined for Carter to net from six yards.
Toner's byline cross put in Stones for his second soon after the break and a run and cross by Carter opened the way for a delighted Toner to notch his hat-trick with a close range header.
Steven Beck scored a superb individual effort with a 22-yarder into McGhee's top corner and, with 24 minutes remaining, a record-equalling 8-0 Welsh Premier win looked on the cards. Ken McKenna introduced English Colleges representative Naru Wild for his first team debut, but the nearest the Saints came to another goal was a 25-yard screamer from sub Richie Harris which shaved the angle of post and crossbar. |
