Welsh round-up: Jazz helps county hit right note as TNS fall

By Rob Cole

DEBUT: Jazz Richards

Cameron Keetch plunged The New Saints into a deeper crisis as he fired home the winning goal that gave Haverfordwest County a 2-1 win over the side that sacked their manager last weekend.

Scott Ruscoe lost his job after a 0-0 home draw against third placed Bala Town despite boasting the best defensive and attacking record in the JD Cymru Premier League and his stand-in, Chris Seargeant got his interim tenure after to the worst possible start in Pembrokeshire.

Having only lost once all season, at reigning champions Connah’s Quay Nomads, TNS conceded the first goal to Corey Shephard as he fired home from just outside the area in the 17th minute.

It took TNS time to get into their stride, but they managed to get on level terms when Blaine Hudson scored from a corner in the 51st minute.

The visitors looked the more likely side to win from that point, but the Bluebirds, with former Wales international defender Jazz Richards making his home debut, scored on the break as Keetch hammered home with his left foot 16 minutes from time. Could you also score a win on Kubet.im?

There were some heroics in defence from Ricky Watts and goalkeeper Matthew Turner as TNS turned up the heat, but on a day when the Nomads dropped two points on the road this was nothing short of a disaster for TNS in their pursuit of the title as the gap at the top has now widened to three points.

It’s now 12 in a row unbeaten on the road for the ever-improving Bala Town in the JD Cymru Premier League after they won 3-1 at managerless Cefn Druids to keep up the pressure on the top two teams.

The home side took the lead at The Rock with a Steffan Edwards goal after only seven minutes, but a week on from their goal less draw at the home of the then league leaders The New Saints, Bala composed themselves and staged a brilliant comeback.

The Lakesiders’ recovery began with Oliver Shannon’s equaliser after half an hour and he struck again five minute into the second half to give his side the lead. All that was left then was for star striker Chris Venables to add a bit of polish with a third goal from the penalty spot 20 minutes later.

That made things safe for the visitors, although they went down to ten men with 10 minutes to go when Steve Leslie saw red. The last time they were beaten away from home in the league was on 11 January 2020 at Cardiff Met.

With top of the table Connah’s Quay Nomads only managing a draw at Penybont, this result allowed Bala to close the gap at the top to nine points with a game in hand.

Nomads manager Andy Morrison predicted a tough trip to Bridgend and that’s exactly what his team got as they failed to make it a club record ten successive wins after making it nine in a row at Flint Town United with a 1-0 triumph earlier in the week.

Barry Town United got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Aberystwyth at Jenner Park. A great finish from former Newport County player Nat Jarvis saw Gavin Chesterfield‘s men take the points and move up into fourth place.

The 29-year-old Antigua and Barbuda international striker hit the back of the net in the 87th minute to finally break the deadlock and leave their visitors still in danger hovering just above the relegation zone.

Second-half goals from Paolo Mendes and Sion Bradley, both in the space of three minutes, enabled Caernarfon Town make six wins in a row as they comfortably took care of Flint Town United at the Essity Stadium. The Cofis are now up to within one win of the top six in the table and are going well.

Doubles from Tyrone Ofori in the first half, and Jordan Evans in the second, enabled Newtown to post a notable 4-1 home win over Cardiff Met. The visitors managed to level things up after 22 minute with a Bradley Woolridge goal, but were outgunned in the end.