Welsh Cup Quarter-Final

Saturday, 27th February 2010

at Park Hall, Oswestry

The New Saints 2-2 Port Talbot Town

(Port Talbot Town win 4-3 on penalties)

Goalscorers

The New Saints

Aeron Edwards (14)

Alex Darlington(47)

Port Talbot Town

Martin Rose (26)

Lee John (35)

Referee - Mr Lee Evans

Home Page

1st Team Page

The New Saints

Team - Paul Harrison, Danny Holmes, Chris Marriott, Phil Baker, Steve Evans, Barry Hogan, Scott Ruscoe, Aeron Edwards, Alex Darlington, Jamie Wood, Craig Jones

Subs - John McKenna (rep Edwards - 106), Christian Seargeant (rep Holmes - 98), Matthew Berkeley (rep Wood - 74)

Yellow Cards - Chris Marriott (21), Jamie Wood (24), Danny Holmes (33), Steve Evans (43), Alex Darlington (48), Aeron Edwards (70) Red Cards - None

Goalscorers - Aeron Edwards (14), Alex Darlington (47)

Port Talbot Town

Team - Lee Kendall, Leigh De-Vulgt, Lloyd Grist, Matthew Thompson, Matthew Rees, Lee Surman, Lee John, Scott Barrow, Martin Rose, Daniel Thomas, Drew Fahiya

Subs - Gary Bansor (rep Thompson - 105), Nicky Holland (rep Fahiya - 96), Josh Wonnacott (Unused), Chris Silva (Unused)

Yellow Cards - Lee Surman (19), Matthew Thompson (34), Lee Kendall (57) Red Cards - None

Goalscorers - Martin Rose (26), Lee John (35)

Attendance - 158

Referee - Mr Lee Evans

Both sides went into this Welsh Cup Quarter-Final match without important players as Port Talbot Town manager Mark Jones offered Matthew Thompson a starting place in midfield with youth team players Josh Wonnacott and Chris Silva both named on the bench. Port Talbot started the match brightly with Martin Rose testing the home defence in the opening few minutes but it was The New Saints who took the lead when Aeron Edwards scored past goalkeeper Lee Kendall from close range after 14 minutes. Port Talbot continued with their positive approach and equalised through Martin Rose on 25 minutes as he headed home from a corner. The goal rattled the home side and nine minutes later a mistake from goalkeeper Paul Harrison allowed Lee John to score his sides second goal of the game as he slotted the ball into an empty net. Port Talbot held onto their lead at half-time but within two minutes of the re-start The New Saints scored their second goal of the game as Alex Darlington scored from close range despite strong appeals for offside. Both sides continued to play attacking football with the pace of the visitors a constant problem for The New Saints while at the other end Lee Kendall was called into action to make a fine save from Alex Darlington midway through the second half. Martin Rose also had an effort saved before referee Lee Evans signalled for extra time in a keenly contested match in which he had controversially booked nine players. Both sides had chances in extra time with Port Talbot forcing a series of corners before the start of the penalty shoot-out. The New Saints started with the opening penalty which was well saved by Kendall and with the score fixed at 3-3 Kendall stepped up to take the all important penalty and drove the ball past his opposite number to take Mark Jones side into the Semi-Final of the competition.

1st March 2010 - Western Mail

Kendall is spot on in classic tie

A classic Welsh Cup encounter ended with Port Talbot goalkeeper Lee Kendall thrashing the winning penalty past his opposite number Paul Harrison. It capped a memorable afternoon for the visitors who have a dismal record at Park Hall and had already conceded defeat in the league and league cup this season. “To be honest, I was a bit disappointed we didn’t finish it in normal time as we enjoyed far more of the game, especially in the second half and extra time,” said victorious manager Mark Jones. “During that period I counted 12 corners to their one so I feel we were worthy winners and deserve to be in the semi-finals.” Jones praised the professionalism of his penalty takers. Nicky Holland and Gary Bansor both scored spot-kicks after coming off the bench.

28th February 2010 - Wales on Sunday

Keeper Kendall on the spot for the Steelmen

Port Talbot showed their steel by clinching a place in the Welsh Cup semi-finals with a penalty shoot-out win over The New Saints. And goalkeeper Lee Kendall proved the hero – saving one penalty before firing the winner from the spot. Mark Jones’ men had narrowly lost their two previous visits to the artificial surface at Park Hall, most recently by a solitary goal in the league after last year’s 2-0 Loosemores Cup exit. But they gained revenge by sinking the Saints in the most thrilling of fashions. After the game finished 2-2 after 90 minutes and extra-time, Kendall blocked the first penalty from midfielder Scott Ruscoe. The Saints’ hopes faded further as Chris Seargeant rattled the bar from his spot kick, before Kendall stepped up to send the Steelmen into the semi-finals with a 4-3 shoot-out success.It proved a tough, keenly contested encounter, with no fewer than 10 bookings, seven for TNS, as both sides refused to budge.Both teams were without key players, Port Talbot missing top scorer Liam McCreesh through suspension while the Saints’ new striker Chris Sharp was cup-tied.TNS drew first blood with Aeron Edwards giving the Oswestry hosts a 14th-minute lead, only for Martin Rose to head Town level from a Lloyd Grist corner on 26 minutes.The Steelmen continued to give as good as they got, and got their noses in front when Lee John capitalised on a mistake by home keeper Paul Harrison to put his side ahead 10 minutes before half-time.Title-chasing Saints hit back to level two minutes after the break through Alex Darlington, but neither side could find a winner. It proved a tough, keenly contested encounter, with no fewer than 10 bookings, seven for TNS, as both sides refused to budge. Both teams were without key players, Port Talbot missing top scorer Liam McCreesh through suspension while the Saints’ new striker Chris Sharp was cup-tied. TNS drew first blood with Aeron Edwards giving the Oswestry hosts a 14th-minute lead, only for Martin Rose to head Town level from a Lloyd Grist corner on 26 minutes. The Steelmen continued to give as good as they got, and got their noses in front when Lee John capitalised on a mistake by home keeper Paul Harrison to put his side ahead 10 minutes before half-time. Title-chasing Saints hit back to level two minutes after the break through Alex Darlington, but neither side could find a winner. Victory in the shoot-out was the perfect end to the week for Talbot, and particularly manager Jones who just a few days earlier had committed himself to the club for another two seasons. And European football is on the horizon with the Steelmen now in the last four of the Welsh Cup and also going well in the league.