Penybont 1 TNS 1

The New Saints left it late to come from behind to earn a point during a tough afternoon at Penybont.

After James Waite had opened the scoring for Penybont, Declan McManus came up with the equaliser six minutes from time to rescue his side’s unbeaten start to the season.

The Bridgend side started brightly and Keane Watts had the first chance of the match in the fifth minute with his header from the edge of the six yard box failing to test TNS stopper Paul Harrison.

Ashley Evans tested Harrison 10 minutes later with the goalkeeper needing to be alert to tip the ball behind for a corner.

TNS had their chances and home goalkeeper Ashley Morris was forced to top over Declan McManus' lobbed effort with the Scotsman continuing to pose a threat with his 25th minute strike forcing Morris into action.

Just a minute into the second-half McManus had a great chance to open the scoring at the back post but failed to control his shot from Jon Routledge's cross.

Harrison made a comfortable save to deny Watts, before Morris made one of his own to catch a Leo Smith corner, as the two sides looked to make the breakthrough.

The Saints were punished on 72 minutes when the home side were rewarded for a patient build up as James Waite fired home from close range.

The goal galvanised the Saints with Ryan Astles' acrobatic effort going just wide as the Oswestry side ramped up the pressure.

With just six minutes to go the pressure yielded a breakthrough as McManus stabbed home the equaliser at the back post.

The drama was not yet over there as the home side almost retook the lead four minutes later when Kane Owen’s free-kick caused chaos in the TNS goalmouth before the Saints survived to return to Shropshire with a hard-earned point.

PENYBONT: Morris, Owen, A Evans, Jefferies, Davies, Harling, Waite, J Evans (Walsh 75), Watts (Wynter-Coles 90), Reynolds, Griffiths (Borge 80). Subs: Wilson, Goodwin, Stevens, Greenwood

TNS: Harrison, Marriott, Astles, Routledge, McManus, Hudson, Williams, Robles, Smith (Redmond 61), Baker (Clark 75), Holland (Brobbel 61). Subs: Roberts, Davies, Leblanc-Akpo, Daykin