
Porthmadog keeper Richard Harvey misses his punch as Duane Courtney scores for the Saints.
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Saints hit by the runaway truck
A LAST-minute goal from the Runaway Truck, aka Les Davies, ended TNS hopes in the Challenge Cup they won last season. Davies had sounded a warning moments earlier when his curling 20-yarder hit the post with Gerard Doherty beaten, but in a breakaway attack he weaved his way past Tommy Holmes before planting the winner into the net. It was scant reward for 90 minutes of almost constant pressure from the Saints, but they failed to turn their territorial dominance into goals. Michael Wilde was the first to test keeper Richard Harvey and when Duane Courtney fed John Toner he just failed to connect and the keeper was first to the ball. But Saints paid the price in the first-half when a rare Porthmadog attack saw Kevin Roberts set-up Jason Sadler who skinned Michael Jackson before beating Doherty to fire into an empty net. Martyn Naylor’s 20-yarder went wide of the post and Barry Hogan was well over from the edge of the box after a good build-up by Alfie Carter and Toner. Carter then set-up Wilde but his header was saved by Harvey, who then stopped another Wilde effort. Toner’s backheel failed to find the mark and TNS were also denied what looked a stonewall penalty for handball. It took them until the 72nd minute to draw level, Duane Courtney heading his debut goal from close range when he beat Harvey to a Naylor corner. Toner saw his shot saved as the Saints pressed for a winner but, just when extra-time looked a certainty, Davies took a hand to send Port into the semi-finals. |