Power-packed Saints cage Canaries
CAERNARFON have been a bogy team in recent seasons, but there was never any chance of an upset as TNS produced a champagne display to demolish the previously unbeaten Canaries.
This was a stylish display, full of fine individual performances but most of all a team effort of often awesome tempo.
But the main talking point for fans after the game was a cameo appearance by Marc Lloyd-Williams.
Leading three-nil, Saints introduced Jiws 10 minutes from time and his impact was immediate, netting twice in two minutes to provide the icing on the cake.
TNS pressured the Canaries from the start, with John Lawless, Nicky Ward, Steve Evans and Barry Hogan all going close.
Somehow David Walsh's goal survived until the 36th minute when Chris King’s precision cross from the left wing was headed powerfully into the far corner by Nicky Ward.
Walsh produced a fine save to deny Jamie Wood before Lawless almost increased the lead on the stroke of half-time.
He gave the Town defence a torrid time all afternoon, but when he cut along the by-line his shot hit the foot of a post.
More chances followed in the second-half, but it took a rare visiting attack to provide a wake-up call.
Gerard Doherty was forced to save with his feet from former Wrexham striker Lee Jones, but an immediate break upfield ended with John Toner scoring from close range after Nicky Ward’s shot had been blocked by Walsh.
Ward was denied a second goal when his header from another King cross hit the bar, but the best goal of the day came on 79 minutes when Lawless again tormented the Caernarfon defence before firing home from 15 yards.
Caernarfon’s misery was complete when referee Andy Richards finally lost his patience and sent off Martyn Chalk for a second yellow card and Dylan Owen for a vicious upending of Lawless.
"We played as well in the first half as we have done for some time and showed what a good side we can be," said manager Ken McKenna. |
