Prestatyn Town 0 Newtown 1

TOM Goodwin scored the only goal of the game as Newtown got their Europa League play-off bid back on track with a battling win at basement side Prestatyn Town.

The match was contested just days after both clubs were fined for a brawl during their match at Latham Park in a reverse fixture last month.

The breakthrough arrived early with Goodwin capitalising on a poor defensive header from Dave Hayes to fire home.

The Sunday slog saw both sides struggle on a testing surface but it was the Robins who should have increased their tally after finding their rhythm toward the end of the half.

Callum Roberts’ cross was glanced over the bar by Nick Rushton before Ethan Jones fired inches wide moments later.

Prestatyn struggled with their best chance of the first-half falling to ex-Robin Ross Stephens whose shot failed to test goalkeeper Jack Perry.

Perry was tested after the break with a curling free-kick from Stephens forcing him into a smart save.

However neither side managed to create any clear openings in a poor second-half which only came to life in the final quarter.

Rushton was twice in the thick of the action with the ex-Connahs Quay Nomads striker turning wide Joe Kenton’s left wing cross before heading over an Alex Fletcher free-kick moments later.

Newtown should have wrapped up the spoils late on with Luke Boundford lashing over the bar before Fletcher released Kenton to force home goalkeeper Carl Jones into action.

Newtown continued to attack with Ethan Jones coming close to his first goal for the club in injury-time only be foiled by a save from Jones.

However the Robins had already done enough to clinch the spoils while hammering another nail in Prestatyn’s relegation coffin.

NEWTOWN: Perry, Williams, Sears, Mills-Evans, Roberts, Fletcher, Goodwin, Rushton (Harries), Kenton, Jones, Boundford. Subs: C Williams, Price, Kershaw.

Att -201