TNS 4 Newtown 0

TNS maintained their fine New Year form with a Friday night stroll against derby rivals Newtown.

Teenage prospect George Hughes was added to the Newtown line-up after his loan switch from Shrewsbury Town was sealed just before kick-off.

The Robins arrived buoyant having secured a top six place with a festive double over Aberystwyth Town.

Luke Boundford headed straight at goalkeeper Paul Harrison while Kurtis Byrne steered Jon Routledge’s cross over the bar for TNS but defences remained on top for much of the half.

Eight minutes before the break Newtown conjured the first opening of the evening with Ethan Jones feeding Callum Roberts only for the ex-TNS loanee to be denied by Harrison.

However two minutes into injury-time and TNS snatched the lead with Jamie Mullan granted the freedom of Park Hall to slot under an advancing Dave Jones to break the deadlock.

With Newtown still reeling from the set-back the Saints doubled their lead when Byrne’s long ball found the visiting defence wanting as Mullan raced clear to lob home.

Newtown were left with a mountain to climb to save the game in the second-half but instead their night went from bad to worse when Mullan turned provider to cross for Aeron Edwards to head home from close range on 55 minutes.

Just a minute later Edwards seized upon sloppy play in the home defence to release Ryan Brobbel to cut inside and curl home a fourth.

TNS continued to dominate against a nervous Newtown side with Kieran Mills-Evans slicing a clearance inches over his own goal on the hour.

Mullan was denied by a goalmouth block while Brobbel’s cheeky lob went just over the bar with 13 minutes remaining but TNS had already done enough to secure a comfortable victory and maintain pressure on the leading pack.

TNS: Harrison, Hudson, Marriott, Spender, Redmond, Holland, Routledge, Edwards (Cieslewicz 72), Brobbel, Mullan, Byrne (Draper 60). Subs: Dutton, Ebbe, Nembhard, Lewis.

NEWTOWN: D Jones, Roberts, Denny, Mills-Evans, Hughes, Fletcher, Mitchell, Boundford, Kenton (Williams 78), Rushton, E Jones (Leslie 65). Subs: Phillips, Cook, Perry, Evans.

Att - 340