TNS and Llanelli aid their causes with vital Welsh Premier wins

The New Saints put one hand on the Welsh Premier League title thanks to a 6-0 thumping of title challengers Bangor City at Park Hall, while Ryan Batley scored what could be a crucial goal in Llanelli’s fight against relegation on the weekend.

Bangor offered little as they all but surrendered their title chase in the meekest of fashions on Saturday (March 16), with a 12^th-minute Chris Jones volley deflected wide and a couple of Les Davies half chances all they could really muster in front of goal.

Their plans were thrown in to disarray when influential captain Jamie Brewerton dislocated his knee-cap in the warm-up, with Levi Mackin coming in to the team. The disruption seemed to have little effect at first, but after 22 minutes, a fierce Aeron Edwards drive at Lee Idzi in the Bangor goal signalled what was to come.

He was involved in the opening goal four minutes later. Ryan Fraughan chipped the ball to him, and he cushioned a volley through for Michael Wilde to run on and slot home his 16th goal of the season.

Fraughan then attempted to chip Idzi from roughly 25 yards and saw the ball drop on to the bar, before TNS’ own Chris Jones ran from inside his own half towards Bangor’s goal before sliding in Wilde to curl the ball beautifully in to the far corner for 2-0 after 33 minutes.

Alex Darlington made it 3-0 with his 13th goal of the season on the stroke of half-time – capitalising on a Liam Brownhill error to chip home from the edge of the area.

Bangor were again the orchestrators of their own downfall as a loose pass was picked up by Jones, who played in Darlington for 4-0 on 54 minutes. And four minutes later he had his hat-trick when Edwards had his pick of supporting players on another driving run, choosing Darlington, who slotted home.

An emphatic Matty Williams penalty completed the rout on 84 minutes, as TNS moved 14 points clear with just six games left to play ahead of Airbus UK’s game with Port Talbot Town later in the afternoon.

The home side ran out 2-0 winners in an even game, a result which saw them climb above Bangor in to second, and cut TNS’ lead to 13 points.

First half goals from former Bury, Wigan and Brighton midfielder Jason Jarrett and Steve Abbott were enough to see the Wingmakers home, as Steelmen goalkeeper Steven Hall proved a worthy adversary to most of their efforts throughout the match.

Airbus also have six fixtures left to play, but as they still have to play Bangor and TNS, it is difficult to see them acquiring the required points total alongside TNS losing that many games.

In the Championship’s other match, Carmarthen Town held off a second half Prestatyn fight-back to triumph 3-2 at Richmond Park.

Cory Thomas put them in to a 23^rd-minute lead, before Ian McCreesh and Casey Thomas goals within two minutes of each other had them three ahead on 36.

A rejuvenated Prestatyn cut the lead down when Mark Smyth scored after 49 minutes, before Greg Stone set up a nervy finish with a 68^th-minute strike. But the Old Gold hung on for their first win in four matches in all competitions.

In the Conference, Llanelli’s Batley settled a seven-goal thriller with Aberystwyth at Stebonheath Park.

The visitors came back from 2-0 down, and  then 3-2 down, before Batley struck to secure a 4-3 win and move  the troubled club above the Mid-Wales  Seasiders and Newtown in to third in the Conference and, crucially, three points clear of Newtown in fifth.

Jeff White and Alex Evans put the hosts 2-0 up within quarter of an hour, but Wyn Thomas and Mark Jones had Aberystwyth level by the half hour mark. On the stroke of half-time, Craig Williams again fired Llanelli ahead only for Jones to level again on 62 minutes, but Batley had the last say with his 77th-minute winner.

The bottom two clubs, Afan Lido and Newtown, started to do battle at the Marstons’ Stadium, but with the hosts leading 1-0 at half-time through a Luke Borrelli strike, the game was called off due to severe storms in the area.

Finally, Bala Town had travelled to Connah’s Quay on Friday (March 15) night and came away with a 5-0 victory to avenge the 6-3 reverse at Maes Tegid a few weeks earlier which had prevented them competing in the Championship for the second half of the season.

The league’s Player of the Month, Lee Hunt, put them ahead before Ian Sheridan and Stephen Hunt extended that lead before half-time. Hunt added his second after the break before Stuart Jones headed in his fourth goal in five games to complete the rout.