The New Saints maintained their place at the top of the Cymru Premier with a routine win over Caernarfon Town.
Substitute Greg Draper and goalscoring defender Blaine Hudson scored inside the last half hour to give Anthony Limbrick his fourth consecutive win in charge.
Caernarfon started the game well and were giving the league leaders plenty to think about, solid defensively and were looking dangerous on the counter attack. The New Saints were rather flat in the opening half, of the possession they had, they didn’t create much and Tyler French was untested in the hosts goal.
The first half followed the same pattern of the visitors finding the home defence a tough nut to crack while Astles and Hudson were comfortable at the back. Players such as Adrian Cieslewicz, Ben Clark, and Louis Robles were not having their usual impact on the game.
It was 0-0 at half-time and Richard Davies who took charge of the Caernarfon side as Huw Griffiths was suspended would have been much happier with what he had seen from his side while Anthony Limbrick knew his side could be much better than what they had showed in the first 45 minutes.
Jamie Mullan and Greg Draper came on at half-time in place of Ben Clark and Leo Smith as they looked to change things while Caernarfon kept with same eleven who had performed well in the first half.
The second half started much like the first until The New Saints broke the deadlock in the 66th minute and it was a familiar face on the score sheet as Greg Draper netted, after Louis Robles pull-back found the striker unmarked in the box and Draper made no mistake with a calm finish past Tyler French.
Caernarfon tried to push for an equalizer but their efforts came to no avail and were undone in the 84th minute as a hopeful long bal from a Caernarfon free-kick had Noah Edwards in all sorts of trouble and Jamie Mullan pounced and was through on goal before Edwards pulled him down, referee Cheryl Foster had no option but to show the Caernarfon defender a red card.
From the resulting free-kick, Chris Marriott’s effort struck the crossbar, the ball was kept alive by Greg Draper and his pass back across the six-yard box found Blaine Hudson who was on hand to prod it in and make it 2-0. A deserved victory for The New Saints but they were pushed hard by Caernarfon side who had a point to prove after two back-to-back dismal performances.
Caernarfon Town: Tyler French, Gareth Edwards (C), Louis Augustin (Joe Williams, 90), Sion Bradley, Paulo Mendes, Mike Hayes (Gruffydd John, 85), Noah Edwards, Cai Jones (Jack kenny, 77), Mike Parker, Jake Bickerstaff (Darren Thomas, 90), Max Cleworth.
Yellow Cards: L. Malandjou Kondjo 11, Noah Edwards 25,
Red Cards: Noah Edwards 83’
The New Saints: Paul Harrison, Chris Marriott (C), Jon Routledge, Adrian Cieselewicz (Adam Roscrow, 88), Blaine Hudson (Keston Davies, 88), Ryan Harrington, Ryan Astles, Louis Robles (Ryan Brobbel, 67), Ben Clark (Jamie Mullan, 46), Leo Smith (Greg Draper, 46), Tom Holland
Goals: Greg Draper 67, Blaine Hudson 84’
Yellow Cards: Blaine Hudson 13, Ryan Harrington 76,
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