The New Saints boss Scott Ruscoe admitted there were positives and negatives to his side’s thrashing of basement club Carmarthen Town on Saturday.

Both sides traded five first-half goals, with Saints going behind in the second minute before taking a 3-2 lead at half-time, while the win was only sealed in the dying minutes with Jamie Mullan’s 90th-minute finish.

Ruscoe was happy to see his side pile on the goals as they returned to the top of the table, but he wants them to be getting on the scoreboard earlier.

“We were disappointed to give two goals away – they’re bottom of the league, four points and the worst start they’ve made probably since the league started,” he said.

“It was disappointing they can come to our home pitch and score, and at one time in the first half, they could have made it 3-3.

“Paul Harrison made a save low down to his right and he’s kept us in front. There were a few choice words at half-time because we were playing a ‘lesser’ team, who are struggling for confidence.

“They were nowhere near our ability because they caused us problems. It’s nothing physically, it’s nothing mentally – it’s just about starting games quicker.

“It’s not about preparing better because we give the boys the information but it’s about how they use it as an individual. But at the end of the day, we could have had seven or eight goals and I’m pleased we scored five.

“The obvious down side is that we conceded two.

“But it’s a positive that we’re scoring. We’re always creating and we’re always going to score goals. It’s just a matter of when we score because if we get to 30 minutes and we don’t have that one, teams always get an extra spring in their step.”

Ruscoe reserved praise for his New Zealander striker Greg Draper, whose 16th-minute goal restored parity for TNS.

He added: “I thought Greg did really well; we started 4-4-2, with two forwards up there.

“On another day, if we’d been happier with how we’d play, we’d have kept that but we switched it around.

“We gave Blaine Hudson 45 minutes and moved Aeron Edwards into midfield. It was a little disjointed and everyone had a little 20 per cent more in them.

“But I thought Greg did really well.”