Dafabet Welsh Premier League

THE NEW SAINTS 4, BANGOR CITY 0

The New Saints maintained their 100 per cent winning start to the season in style with a convincing win over second-placed Bangor City at Park Hall on Sunday.

This latest win, the Saints’ sixth in as many games, sees Craig Harrison’s side open up a six-point lead over both City and Gap Connah’s Quay.

The first chance of note came for the Saints after just five minutes when Robbie Parry headed over from eight yards after a fine cross from Chris Marriott.

They took the lead three minutes later when Jon Routledge’s great through ball found Alex Darlington, who controlled before calmly firing his right foot shot into the corner beyond City keeper Connor Roberts.

The hosts almost doubled their lead when Ryan Brobbel exchanged passes with Simon Spender before firing a right-foot shot over the bar from 20 yards.

A momentary lapse in concentration saw Connell Rawlinson almost gift City a goal, when his header back towards Saints keeper Paul Harrison almost crept over the line.

Brobbel then went close again when his well-struck effort from 25 yards was superbly pushed around the post by Roberts.

Saints’ pressure eventually told in the 36th minute when the ball was miscontrolled by City’s Pavel Vieria, which allowed Darlington to pounce as the in-form forward raced clear and coolly slotted home his second of the game.

The second half saw early City appeals for a penalty waved away after a clumsy tackle in the box by Steve Saunders.

City went close in the 57th minute when former Saint Dan Gosset cut insie from the right before firing a shot just over the bar from 25 yards.

The Saints should have had a third when Routledge’s measured ball put Parry in one-on-one with Roberts, but the winger’s attempted chip was easily gathered by the keeper.

City thought they had reduced the arrears when substitute Dan Nardiello fired home a loose ball inside the box, but the offside flag had already been raised against his team-mate Rodrigo Blanco-Araujo.

Saints did hit a third when Brobbel’s free-kick reached the far post and fell to Saunders, who fired in from close range.

There was an injury blow for Saints two minutes later when substitute Scott Quigley seemed to pull a hamstring as he chased a through ball and had to be replaced.

Despite the setback, the Saints finished the game in style when Brobbel’s low ball found Jamie Mullan, who ran on before chipping the ball over Roberts and into the net.

The New Saints play Bala Town at Park Hall on Saturday. Kick-off is at 5.15pm.