
Jamie Wood's header on its way across the Welshpool goal for Mike Wilde to score the opener at the far post.
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MEREDITH GRABS DERBY POINT FOR WELSHPOOL
TNS missed a golden opportunity to go six points clear at the top of the Welsh Premier, when they could only draw with lowly Welshpool in the Powys derby at Treflan. Saints failed to take their chances and paid the price three minutes from time, when substitute Sion Meredith rose on the edge of the box to meet Garry Evans' free kick and plant a superb header into the top corner past a helpless Dean Williams. Welshpool's joy at salvaging an unlikely point was plain to see, but TNS manager Ken McKenna was very disappointed with his side's showing. "I just can't put my finger on what's wrong at the moment," he said, "although we are definitely missing the influence of John Leah and Scott Ruscoe in midfield. "But we played without purpose or conviction, our final ball was poor and we squandered chances." TNS had taken the lead six minutes before the interval, when Michael Wilde headed in at the far post after Jamie Wood had provided from Martyn Naylor's cross. First half efforts from the home side were mainly long range, with Naylor firing over from a free kick and Gary Brabin seeing his 20-yarder just turned away by returning Welshpool keeper Steve Goodwin. At the other end, Garry Evans went close and Christian Courtney could have levelled for the visitors just after the break, but shot wide of Williams' right post from a good position inside the box. Steven Beck, who worked hard in midfield, blazed over from a Bridgwater cross and both Wood and Brabin could have increased Saints' lead. Ward and Wilde were also guilty of profligacy from shooting positions before Meredith's late smash and grab raid left TNS to rue their earlier generosity. |