Welsh FA Cup semi-final

The New Saints 1

Barry Town United

Goals from Greg Draper and Jamie Mullan have kept The New Saints’ hopes of a double intact after they reached the Welsh Cup final.

Draper’s stabbed finish and Mullan’s stoppage-time goal saw the Saints past a spirited Barry side who struck the woodwork twice.

Barry started well but it was Saints who came closest to opening the scoring on nine minutes but no-one was there to convert Blaine Hudson’s header.

Ryan Brobbel showed why he has bene in such good form recently when he stung the palms of Michael Lewis in the Barry goal on 18 minutes, with Aeron Edwards unable to divert his rebound header at goal.

Barry could have taken the lead when Kayne McLaggon’s shot somehow evaded challenges but crashed against Paul Harrison’s crossbar and away to safety.

Saints strength at the set-piece was shown again on the half-hour as again Hudson headed back across the box but no one converted.

The first half then became somewhat fractious as TNS found themselves on the end of some robust Barry Town tackling.

Edwards came close to scoring twice in a minute when on 51 minutes, he headed wide and from the resulting goal-kick, he was played in by Draper but blazed over.

Saints came flying out of the blocks in the second half and they got the goal their domination deserved when that man Draper stabbed home from eight yards on 56 minutes.

The ‘visiting’ Barry fans were starting to get frustrated as their team created little and referee Bryn Markham Jones gave decisions against them.

Scorer Draper made way for Dean Ebbe with 10 minutes to go as Scott Ruscoe looked to freshen things up.

With seven minutes to go, TNS were given yet another huge scare as Jonathan Hood’s firmly struck shot rebounded off Harrison’s right-hand post and away to safety.

And it was left to Mullan to tap home at the back post in stoppage time to break Barry’s hearts.