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21st January 2008 - Evening Post
Second half John strike is decisive for Port Talbot
Lee John scored a second-half match winner for the Steelmen, who for the second successive season denied TNS and ended their unbeaten 19-league match run at the Remax Stadium. Port Talbot weathered an early assault to almost snatch the lead on 26 minutes, having gained a free-kick after Scott Ruscoe had fouled newcomer Mark McGibbon. John then sent the ball into the area, but Chad Bond saw his shot spilled by goalkeeper Paul Harrison, and it was Chris King who relieved pressure on the TNS goal with a hurried clearance. Port Talbot maintained the attacking momentum and following a Scott Barrow corner, Evans almost produced the desired impact, only to send the ball crashing on to the bar from a header. He then had a second opportunity, only to steer the ball over the top. TNS responded to those threats four minutes before the interval with a left-footed shot from Carter rebounding off the base of the Port Talbot post. With the constant drizzle continuing to hamper quality chances, Ruscoe embarked on an attacking route in Port Talbot territory 12 minutes into the second half, but it was Evans who did exceptionally well by deflecting away his goalbound effort from 15 yards. The stalemate was finally broken after 73 minutes when a superb diagonal crossfield delivery supplied by Bond was latched on to by John. He embarked on a wide overlapping run and cut a path into the penalty area. His finishing was superb, as he side-footed the ball between Harrison and the far upright, but in an attempt to clear the danger, King collided with the woodwork, which resulted in the player being stretched off. There were additional injury problems for TNS manager Ken McKenna, when John Leah became the second player to require the stretcher following a leg injury. With the match heading into injury time, and TNS anxious not to surrender their unbeaten run, Robbie Williams was yellow carded for a foul on John. Soon after they were reduced to 10 men, with frustrated substitute Gary Brabin dismissed for a late challenge on Thompson. "Without a doubt, in my short spell here at Port Talbot, this is the best result I've achieved and I also consider it to be one of my career highlights," said manager Nicky Tucker. "I think that for the first 20 minutes TNS came at us without really inflicting any real danger, but when Lee John had chance we were very unfortunate not to move in front. From there on, we really did take control. "It was a great debut from Mark McGibbon and I'm really pleased with the way he's settled in. "At half-time I told the players that we had to keep working hard and chase every ball, and in fairness to Lee John, he was in the right place at the right time. "We've now beaten the league champions in successive seasons and it would be great to record an historic hat-trick, but who knows what the future holds. "It's a superb result for the players and everybody connected with Port Talbot, they thoroughly deserve it. "We certainly had the better chances and should have scored more than the one solitary goal, because in our last six games we've missed chances against sides that should have been swept aside, and at the other end we've conceded sloppy goals. "In fairness though, in this match we've taken the all-important chance, with the team playing solidly throughout, and definitely being very strong and resolute," added Tucker.
21st January 2008 - Daily Post
McKenna takes New Saints defeat on the chin
Leaders The New Saints slipped to their first league defeat since August as the Remax Stadium again proved an unhappy haunt for the Oswestry-based side. The defending champions had their moments in the rain, but saw their 19-match unbeaten run come to an end at a ground where they have not won in four seasons. Manager Ken McKenna was philosophical about making the long trek home empty handed following a 73rd-minute strike from Lee John. "We played some good football up to the last third of the pitch, but we didn't quite have enough quality and composure on the day to break down a side who played with great discipline," he said. "In the end an error cost us." To add to the visitiors’ woe, left-back Chris King was stretchered off and player-coach Gary Brabin was red-carded for a challenge in injury time just moments after appearing as substitute. It proved an unhappy afternoon for King, with his 73rd-minute mix-up with keeper Paul Harrison presenting John with a simple tap-in for the only goal and shortly afterwards the left back cracked a couple of ribs after a painful collision with a goal post. In a game of few chances, both sides hit the woodwork in the first half.
20th January 2008 - Wales on Sunday
Match Report
The Port Talbot jinx struck again for the Saints as a second-half blunder let in Lee John, who sent them sliding to a shock defeat. The visitors lost at the same venue last season as the Steelmen again rose to the challenge to turn the form book on its head. The Welsh Premier Champions and current leaders were hot favourites going into the game, boasting a magnificent record of 18 wins and a draw from their previous 19 league matches. In contrast, the Steelmen have been frustratingly inconsistent, a feature that manager Nicky Tucker and his coaching team have been working hard to remedy. The result concluded a week of mixed fortunes for Tucker and his rival Ken McKenna, who had been named manager of the month in December for his side’s invincible exploits. In contrast, Tucker was recuperating after undergoing surgery for a hernia complaint that caused him to sit out training as his right-hand team plotted the downfall of the aristocrats of the domestic scene. The conditions of driving rain and a slippery surface conspired to work in Port Talbot’s favour as they set about unsettling the Saints and gained parity in terms of possession and territory without creating too many clear-cut scoring opportunities. But the Steelmen had a great chance on 34 minutes when debutant Paul Evans, the former Afan Lido skipper, hit a post only for Saints Alfie Carter to respond with a similar outcome. The visitors must have sensed it was not going to be their day when defender Chris King and keeper Paul Harrison conspired to hand the Steelmen the vital breakthrough. The pair failed to clear the danger as a mix-up led to John being gifted a simple tap-in. Although Saints responded with purpose, they failed to unhinge a steadfast home defence. To add to the champions’ woes, King was stretchered off soon after the goal went in, following a collision with a post. The visitors’ misery was complete when substitute Gary Brabin was sent off in injury time following a reckless challenge. TNS remain two points clear of Llanelli at the top, but the Reds have a crucial game in hand.
19th January 2008 - www.welsh-premier.com
John ends Saints 19-match run
Lee John halted The New Saints' 19-match unbeaten run with the only goal of the game on 73 minutes. Chad Bond found John who capitalised on a mix-up between keeper Paul Harrison and defender Chris King for a simple tap-in. To add to the Saints' woes, King and midfielder John Leah were both stretchered-off and, in added time, sub Gary Brabin was dismissed for a wild challenge on Matthew Thompson. In contrast, the visitors dominated the early exchanges with Alfie Carter going close, before centre-back Lee Surman headed clear Luke Holden's effort from under his own abr. Home keeper Kris Rogers also produced a double save to deny Carter and Scott Ruscoe from the rebound. But the Saints had a scare when debutant ex-Afan Lido skipper Paul Evans hit the bar with a header, although Carter then hit the base of a post at the other end. Holden went close for TNS with a chipped shot on 70 minutes, but Talbot never looked like surrendering their lead to record a home win against the champions for the second season running.
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