Dafabet Welsh Premier League

The New Saints 2

Cardiff Metropolitan 0

THE Dafabet Welsh Premier title could be won by the end of the month after TNS took a step closer to a sixth consecutive championship with a hard fought win over Cardiff Metropolitan at Park Hall.

Victory leaves the Oswestry side six points away from the championship and completing one of the most one sided title races in Welsh Premier history.

Alex Darlington steered a header wide inside the opening five minutes and set the tone for the rest of the game.

On 16 minutes Scott Quigley fired over from the edge of the area before the same player linked with Adrian Cieslewicz whose cross was turned onto the bar by Darlington.

The pressure continued with Cieslewicz releasing Quigley to force a low save from Met goalkeeper Will Fuller before the deadlock was finally broken.

Cieslewicz linked with Chris Marriott before beating two opponents and chipping Fuller from 10 yards as TNS celebrated a 26th minute lead.

A rare chance for the capital side came on 32 minutes when Joel Letoro’s long range shot forced saints goalkeeper Paul Harrison into action.

Opposite number Fuller was by far the busier of the stoppers and was again in action to deny Quigley after Marriott and Connell Rawlinson combined on the left.

The second-half saw both sides attack with Fuller denying Quigley before Harrison was forced into action to deny Adam Roscoe following good work by Jordan Lam.

However the match was over as a contest shortly after the hour when Darlington was brought down in the area for referee Rob Jenkins to point to the spot with Darlington converting.

With the points secured the hosts sat back and defended their lead and saw out the game to stand just six points away from the title with nine games remaining.

TNS: Harrison, Spender, Marriott, Routledge, Brobbel, Saunders, Rawlinson, Darlington, Cieslewicz, Quigley, Edwards. Subs: Mullan, Draper, Wycherley, Parry, Leca, Pryce.

Att – 211