Citizens can't get Carter
THE New Saints went back to the top of the Welsh Premier after slogging out a victory on a heavy Farrar Road pitch.
They ran out deserved winners and should really have had the points wrapped up by half-time, but for some poor finishing and some good saves from debutant keeper Dimitris Brinias.
When John Leah thumped a 30-yard free-kick against the crossbar early in the second half, it seemed as though the Saints scoring luck was running out, but Alfie Carter got the breakthrough and Martyn Naylor round off the win in the closing minutes.
Steven Beck could have scored a first-half hat-trick as Saints took the game to their hosts, but was twice wide and saw another effort blocked by Peter Hoy. John Toner was denied at the near post, Leah was over with a 22-yarder and Greg Stones came closest to giving TNS the lead, beating Brinias to Naylor's free-kick only to see his header go narrowly wide of an empty net.
Marc Lloyd Williams had the ball in the net on the half-hour, but was ruled offside in a rare Bangor threat and Gerard Doherty was hardly troubled for the remainder of the game.
Saints attacked with purpose again on the restart but had to wait until the 69th minute for a goal. Greg Stones picked up the ball in midfield and when Kyle Jacobs was slow to close down Carter, the frontman fired wide of Brinias into the far corner.
The keeper did well to claim the ball at Toner's feet and when Carter got round the stopper he pulled his shot into the side netting.
But a second goal arrived minutes later after Greg Stones was grappled to the ground and Naylor struck his free-kick from wide on the right over Brinias and into the net. |
