TNS 7 Cefn Druids 0
TNS reinvigorated their JD Welsh Premier title defence with a rousing derby victory at home to an outclassed Cefn Druids on Boxing Day.
Danny Redmond denied by Druids goalkeeper Mike Jones inside the opening five minutes and the Saints led on 10 minutes with Ryan Brobbel dancing a route to goal to slot home.
Druids looked to respond with Dean Rittenburg firing into the side netting but were grateful when Brobbel could only curl wide after being released by Kurtis Byrne on 15 minutes.
Three minutes later and Byrne doubled the Saints lead with a sweeping finish from Simon Spender’s cross as TNS underlined their class.
Byrne continued to impress with a sharp turn and shot in the area forcing Jones into action on 37 minutes with the Wrexham visitors continuing to struggle to make a mark on the game.
It was all over by half time as TNS added a third to their tally with Jamie Mullan breaching the Druids offside trap to slot home and seal the points.
Tom Holland lashed wide as TNS started the second-half as brightly as they ended the first.
Holland released Byrne on 52 minutes with the Irishman maintaining his Boxing Day form to net his second as TNS threatened a rout.
TNS maintained their dominance with Brobbel’s cross dipping just wide of target on the hour and 10 minutes later the former Middlesbrough player tested Jones from the edge of the area.
Jones continued to be the last bastion preventing a Druids hammering and produced another smart save to deny substitute Greg Draper from six yards with 13 minutes remaining.
However Jones had no answer when Brobbel burst inside from the right and fired home with eight minutes remaining to complete his brace and add a deserved fifth to the Saints tally.
TNS were not done yet and in the final minute Brobbel completed his hat-trick with a headed effort from Redmond’s cross.
Even then TNS pressed and added a seventh in injury time with Draper slotting past Jones from Spender’s cross to complete the scoring in the most one sided Boxing Day derby in many years and ensure the Saints remained in the title race.
TNS: Harrison, Spender, Hudson, Cabango, Redmond, Routledge, Holland, Mullan, Edwards (Draper 65), Brobbel, Byrne. Subs: Dutton, Cieslewicz, Ebbe, Hmami, Nembhard, Lewis.
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