No Saints slip at the Junction
THE New Saints cruised into the Welsh Cup's last eight with a comfortable 6-0 success at Llandudno Junction's compact Flyover ground.
There was never any doubt about the outcome once Steve Abbott had underlined the Saints' early domination with a 10th-minute 12-yarder from a Craig Williams cross.
Former Llangefni Town keeper LIam Ewing had already been kept alert before the goal and TNS were well inside the comfort goal with a four-nil half-time lead.
The stopper did well to keep out a 16th-minute Abbott header before a superb save to keep out Chris Seargeant's 20-yarder from Abbott's chest-down.
In a rare home foray, Mike Lundstram beat Steve Evans before testing Paul Harrison with an angled shot to the near post. But John Blundell was soon forced to head off the line from Abbott's shot.
The Junction keeper then blotted his copybook a few minutes later with a schoolboy howler as he allowed Phil Baker's 30-yard free-kick to trickle between his legs for the second.
More chances came and went before a doubly whammy just before the break produced two more goals.
Chris Seargeant surged past defenders to fire the third, before Steve Evans headed in at the near post from Seargeant's left wing flag kick.
The Junction goal continued to lead a charmed life in the second-half, with Tony Wilson making another goal-line clearance, while Ewing saved superbly from Seargeant's goal-bound shot and a Scott Ruscoe 30-yarder.
The hosts rarely threatened, although Luke O'Mahoney's drive across the face of goal just failed to find a touch.
And two more goals inside three minutes emphasised the visitors' superiority, with sub Ryan Marriott feeding Seargeant for the fifth and Abbott converting with a hooked shot at the near post after a Williams header had hit the crossbar. |