New Welsh Premier season goes off with a bang

Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League weekend review

IF the opening weekend was anything to go by, supporters of the 12 clubs in the Welsh Premier League won’t be short of things to talk about over the next nine months or so.

There were hat-tricks, amazing comebacks, last-minute goals and strikes from the halfway line – and that was just in the game between Bala and Newtown on Friday night.

More of that later but it was a less spectacular opener at Park Hall where champions The New Saints got their campaign under way with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Airbus UK thanks to a second-half Simon Spender goal.

Things were just as tight at Nantporth as Bangor City needed a late Dave Morley penalty to see off league new boys Gap Connah’s Quay who were looking good for a point after Dean Canning had cancelled out Chris Simm’s opening goal.

Now to Maes Tegid where Bala recovered from 3-0 down to lead Newtown before having to settle for a point as Andy Jones equalised at the death.

Luke Boundford and Craig Whitfield put the visitors two goals to the good then Shane Sutton put forward a contender for goal of the season with an inch-perfect lob from just inside his own half to seemingly put the result beyond doubt.

However, Conall Murtagh pulled one back and from then on it was the Ian Sheridan show as he netted his side’s second, third and fourth goals while also having an effort ruled out. His 88^th-minute strike looked to have given Bala an unlikely win but Jones popped up to rescue a point.

Llanelli are one side who some people are tipping to break into the top two and they came away from Port Talbot with all three points following a tough encounter with Mark Jones’s men.

Luke Bowen’s tap-in gave them the lead but home captain Cortez Belle levelled from the spot after Lee Surman had handled in the area. Craig Moses blasted in to make it 2-1 to the Reds before Port Talbot defender Paul Keddle lost his cool and was shown a second yellow card.

Bala’s Sheridan wasn’t the only player to hit a treble on the opening weekend as Andy Parkinson did exactly the same on his Prestatyn debut in a 4-2 victory against Afan Lido at Bastion Gardens.

His goals came in a 15-minute spell either side of the break with Michael Parker grabbing the other and Luke Borelli and Mark Jones getting on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Second-half efforts from Jack Christopher and Liam Thomas meant there was no happy return to Carmarthen for Aberystwyth boss Tomi Morgan, who was sacked by the Old Gold last season. The hosts could even afford to have Matthew Rees sent off in the second period.