SAINTS FIGHT BACK TO SALVAGE A POINT
TOTAL Network Solutions salvaged a 3-3 League of Wales draw with Flexsys Cefn Druids, but boss Ken McKenna admitted it was two more points dropped. Trailing 3-1 early in the second half as Cefn cashed in on some slack defending, Saints at least managed to claw their way back to earn a point. But that did not disguise McKenna's frustration and the manager fumed "We’ve got to start turning draws into wins but if you defend like we did then you're going to get punished. "Perhaps we could have snatched it at the end but we didn't deserve to win." The Saints had drawn first blood on 22 minutes when Nicky Ward found space to cross from the left and John Toner headed home from close range for his 14th goal of the season. The hosts could have added a second when Nicky Welton broke through but could only blaze over with a couple of team-mates well placed in the goalmouth. The Druids began to get into their stride on a sticky surface as some incisive running prised open a sluggish home defence. Mike Davies levelled on 32 minutes with a 14-yard strike after shrugging off a couple of tackles in the box and the striker doubled his tally just two minutes later when he volleyed home from close range after Alan Williams had nicked on a long throw by Kevin Scott. The Saints again looked vulnerable from a set piece just a minute into the second half when Scott's low free kick from wide on the right evaded a packed goalmouth before skidding into the net off the far post. Spurred into action, TNS reduced the arrears four minutes later when Gary Powell forced the ball in following a Ward corner. And the villagers earned parity on 68 minutes when Ward whipped a 20-yard free kick into the roof of the net just moments after Cefn skipper Aled Rowlands had been sent off for bringing down Anthony Wright. With their one-man advantage, TNS pushed for the winner but were denied by the Cefn rearguard as both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils. |