SAINTS SINK HAPLESS LIDO
TNS needed a win and plenty of goals to maintain the pressure on leaders Rhyl.
And Ken McKenna’s men achieved both objectives as they hammered a hapless Lido outfit 5-0.
In truth, it could have been even more, but Saints could be pleased with another good footballing performance.
The result was rarely in doubt, Nicky Ward sounding a warning when firing an early effort wide as the Saints proved too hot to handle.
Visiting goalkeeper Brian Thomas was making his 250th Welsh Premier appearance, but he had little cause for celebration on a busy afternoon.
He was at fault for the opener after seven minutes, when he misjudged Martyn Naylor's well-flighted free kick from the right and Michael Wilde stole in behind him at the far post to head into an empty net for his 16th league goal of the season.
Although the visitors had shaved Acton’s post with a free kick, it was mainly one way traffic and goals looked sure to come.
And Lido shot themselves in the foot twice, conceding penalties in both halves. Naylor was rugby tackled by Greg Hurley on the edge of the box on the half hour and stepped up to fire home the penalty.
Saints went in three up after John Toner headed on Nicky Ward's cross to Wilde, who returned the favour for Toner to volley past Thomas from close range.
Any thoughts Lido had of staging a recovery were dashed five minutes after the break, when Paul Evans conceded the second penalty by handling Steven Beck's cross.
Naylor again despatched the spot kick and Beck completed a good afternoon's work when he headed past the luckless Thomas following a good run to the by-line by the lively Toner, who gave the Lido defence a torrid afternoon.
"It was a good win and all we can do now is keep going and hope that Rhyl slip up," admitted boss Ken McKenna. |
