Scott Ruscoe believes his side needed their poor winter to fire on all cylinders and seal an eighth straight Welsh Premier League title.

The Saints confirmed the title with a 4-0 win at Barry Town through goals from Greg Draper, Jamie Mullan, Aeron Edwards and Jon Routledge in a hugely-dominant showing from the Green and Whites.

But Ruscoe, while immensely proud at securing his second title as manager, admitted his side have benefitted from being pushed all the way this season, including a winter of discontent which left many wondering if he was for the sack.

“The immediate feeling is that I’m really pleased and proud again,” he said.

“This season has been really different, but in a perverse way I think we’ve been even better.

“The football has at times been better because it’s had to be. This will stand us in good stead for Europe because we’ve had to be pushed and pushed.

“But we’ve had the same in the last seven weeks and it’s been fantastic, especially our style of football here tonight.

“Not many teams come here and score four goals at a place like Barry.

“The first half was really good; their keeper has pulled off lots of saves and I don’t think Barry were really in our half.

“They certainly didn’t have a shot in the first half and it was really impressive to see from our lads. I enjoyed watching.

“In the second half, they had a spell at the start and in football, you’re always going to get that because they were losing and they had to come at us.

“They had nothing to lose.”

Ruscoe showered praise on his experienced stars who he feels have stepped up to the plate in delivering an eighth title on the run.

He added: “The players always have to believe in what we’re doing and they have to trust us, and they did.

“The run of form they have been on is one of the best we’ve been on in years – by that I mean if you look at Ryan Brobbel, Mullan and Edwards, they’re chipping in.

“Yes it’s great Greg is scoring 30 goals plus, but they have scored 15 or so each and it’s brilliant.

“When questions have been asked of them, they have stood up and answered them. It’s a long journey home and there certainly will be a few beers.”