Marc Lloyd Williams celebrates as Mike Wilde turns away after giving Saints the lead
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Sloppy TNS drop vital points
SAINTS' title hopes were dealt a potentially crippling blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom club Airbus.
Manager Ken McKenna chose to rest several regulars, including leading scorer Marc Lloyd-Williams, but the move backfired as Saints surrendered two vital points.
The visitors defended resolutely for 79 minutes, without ever posing an attacking threat, before Mike Wilde finally broke their resistance with his 15th Welsh Premier goal of the season.
Nicky Ward beat his man down the left and as his cross ricocheted around the edge of the box, Wilde pounced to beat keeper Paul Whitfield.
TNS were slow into their stride and although John Leah tested Whitfield with a 25-yarder after seven minutes, the first serious threat came after 24, when the ball broke free to Wilde who was foiled by the keeper.
Leah and Wilde were both wide with further efforts before the best chance of the first spell fell to Nicky Ward, who could have done better when one-on-one with Whitfield.
Ward then miscued badly just before the break when again in the clear, and although Saints stepped up a gear after the break, Beck and Lawless were both off-target from good positions.
Airbus had threatened briefly earlier in the half when Richard Smart found Simon Andrews at the far post, but the spectating Gerard Doherty got down to save.
But they exposed the Saints rearguard three minutes from time with a flowing move that found substitute Craig Jones free on the right, and he beat a despairing tackle from Lawless before planting the ball past Doherty for an equaliser which Rob Lythe's men had thoroughly deserved for sticking to their task.
Ken McKenna will no doubt reflect that a full strength line-up might have secured the points in time for key players to be rested once the job was done.
His topsy-turvy approach could prove crucial come the end of the season. |
