TNS 2 Penybont 1

TNS sealed top spot at Christmas with a battling victory at home to Penybont.

However the Saints had to do things the hard way with Ben Ahmun firing the Bridgend side into a sixth minute lead after breaking into the home box to lash home.

TNS saw penalty appeals rejected when Greg Draper's shot looked to have been deflected by a Penybont corner while goalkeeper Ashley Morris was also called upon to turn Leo Smith's corner over the bar.

The Saints were level from the resulting corner with Ryan Harrington converting following a goal mouth scramble.

TNS led on 28 minutes with Ryan Astles' cross deflected by Daniel Jefferies and beyond Morris.

Penybont rallied before the break with long range efforts from Nathan Wood and Matthew Harris failing to test TNS goalkeeper Paul Harrison.

TNS looked to put the game to bed with Louis Robles forcing Morris into action and Danny Redmond firing wide in the early stages of the second-half.

Unlike the first period, Ruscoe’s side started the second-half on the front foot, and Louis Robles forced a save from Morris just six minutes after the restart.

Penybont remained a threat on the break and almost snuck an equaliser with 13 minutes remaining only for Harrison to produce a smart save to deny Sam Snaith.

Eight minutes later Harrison was again called upon to deny Lewis Harling as TNS held out for a hard earned three points.

TNS: Harrison, Marriott, Routledge, Draper (Ebbe 81), Redmond (Boateng 84), Cieslewicz (Mullan 69), Harrington, Astles, Robles, Clark, Smith.Subs: Williams, Davies, Hudson

Penybont: Morris, Owen, Evans (Georgievsky 67), Jefferies, Davies, Ahmun (Snaith 69), Wood, Traylor, Dalton, Harris (Harling 62), Yakubu. Subs: Brad Borge, Billy Borge.