Williams completes comeback as New Saints toast treble
TNS completed a historic domestic treble for the first time since 2016 after overcoming the challenge of Connah's Quay Nomads in the JD Welsh Cup final at Rodney Parade.
A bizarre opening to the cup final in Newport saw the Deesiders mistakenly name the injured Kai Edwards in their starting line-up.
The Nomads wanted to replace him with Chris Marriott who had not initially been included among the substitutes which prompted an objection from the Saints.
Bizarrely Nomads named substitute goalkeeper Jon Rushton in the starting line-up with Marriott added to the bench.
Rushton did not take his place on the pitch at Newport's Rodney Parade and remained on the bench with Nomads opting to start with only 10 players.
When the ball went out of play inside the opening minute Nomads made the substitution which saw ex-TNS captain Marriott enter the field.
Nomads led inside the opening seven minutes as Rhys Hughes crossed from the right for Declan Poole to make no mistake from the edge of the six-yard box.
TNS soon responded and Rory Holden curled a 20 yard free-kick past the diving George Ratcliffe to get his side back on terms just 10 minutes later.
Four minutes before the interval there was a great opportunity for the JD Cymru Premier champions to take the lead but Dan Williams failed to turn home cross from Jordan Williams.
TNS led for the first time on 54 minutes as Jordan Williams headed home Danny Redmond's cross from the edge of the six-yard box after some slick TNS possession.
Max Woodcock's curling effort dipped over the bar before Harrison McGahey prevented substitute Fumpa Mwandwe from working an opening on 65 minutes.
With 12 minutes to go, captain Redmond came to his side's rescue as he made an important challenge to deny Poole at the back post as the Deesiders laid siege to the Oswestrians late on.
However, the Saints were not to be denied as the Oswestry club completed the treble.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Bale's brutal dig that irritated Ferdinand before replacing him on TNT Sports
Gareth Bale made Rio Ferdinand feel uncomfortable before taking the Manchester United legend's job (Image: Getty Images) Gareth Bale has never been one to shy away from a bit of banter, and his cheeky swipe at Manchester United earlier this year left Rio Ferdinand visibly rattled. The incident, which took place during TNT Sports' coverage of Tottenham's win over United in the Europa League final back in May, has taken on new significance now that Bale has officially replaced Ferdinand as a pundit on the broadcaster's Premier League panel. Back in Bilbao's San Mames stadium, Tottenham ended their 17-year trophy drought with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a fortuitous Brennan Johnson goal. Bale, who won the PFA Player of the Year twice while at Spurs, was on punditry duty and couldn't resist a dig at United's expense. Commenting on Tottenham's social media post poking fun at the term 'Spursy' - often used to describe their historical tendency to falter in big games - Bale flipped the script. "It could be a Unitedy thing now, I'm telling you!" he quipped with a grin, suggesting the Red Devils had inherited the unwanted label of underperforming in crucial moments. READ MORE: TNT Sports unveil line-up for new season with two huge names joining after Rio Ferdinand exit READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand issues three-word response after Man Utd make 'unrealistic' transfer move The remark left Ferdinand, a United icon, squirming. "Can we get off air now?" he reportedly muttered, clearly unimpressed by Bale's jab. The exchange was a light-hearted moment for viewers and offers a window into the charisma and quick wit that may have drawn TNT Sports to the 36-year-old. The broadcaster officially announced Bale's appointment on Monday, along with four other newcomers: ex-West Ham star Michail Antonio, former Lionesses Fara Williams and Anita Asante, and ex-Scotland women's ace Jen Beattie. Bale, pictured here with former Wales team-mate Ben Davies, couldn't resists taking a swipe at Man Utd following Tottenham's Europa League final win (Image: Getty Images) Bale sticks out as the cream of the crop, with the five-time Champions League-winning Welshman able to bring his global football pedigree to the studio. His illustrious career - which included a legendary eight-year spell at Real Madrid, two stints at Tottenham and a pivotal role in leading Wales to the 2016 Euros semi-finals - gives him unmatched credibility. Unlike Ferdinand, whose analysis often leaned on his defensive expertise and United-centric perspective, Bale offers a broader lens, shaped by his experiences across top clubs and different countries. His playful jab at United showed he's unafraid to stir the pot, a trait that could make him a fan favourite in the studio. Tottenham's victory and Bale's subsequent commentary also highlighted his enduring connection to the club. He praised then-manager Ange Postecoglou's tactics, crediting the Australian for delivering a trophy despite a shaky Premier League campaign. Bale has joined TNT Sports' punditry team full time (Image: Getty Images) "I like the football he plays," Bale said, though he cheekily added that Postecoglou "lacks a bit of a plan B." Such candidness, paired with his natural charm, suggests Bale will bring a fresh dynamic to TNT Sports. Ferdinand has been one of their most recognisable faces on TNT during Premier League, Champions League and Europa League matches and has been an ever-present since joining in 2015 under the channel's previous name BT Sport. The 46-year-old said he wanted to experience a new chapter and focus on his own YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents, as well as his other business interests. Bale, meanwhile, will join a host of famous names still with the broadcaster, including his former Spurs team-mate Peter Crouch, Chelsea icon Joe Cole, Liverpool greats Michael Owen and Steve McManaman and Scottish legend Ally McCoist. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
'Ridiculous bloodlust': Celtic and Rangers stinging criticism slammed by man who knows it all too well
Ex-Hoops boss hits out at treatment of Rodgers and Martin Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Neil Lennon believes there is a 'ridiculous bloodlust' surrounding Rangers head coach Russell Martin and even Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers during the early part of the 2025/26 season. Rangers were booed off the Ibrox pitch on Saturday after drawing 1-1 with Dundee with the help of a disputed stoppage-time penalty, leaving Martin with two points from his first two William Hill Premiership games. Celtic have started with wins over St Mirren and Aberdeen without conceding a goal but Rodgers revealed after a 2-0 victory at Pittodrie that he had heard someone claim his team had not played good football for two years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Martin looks set to lead Rangers into the Champions League play-offs on Tuesday when his side take a 3-0 lead into their qualifier second leg against Viktoria Plzen and Lennon, who has had two spells in charge of Celtic, believes he will need time to put his stamp on Rangers' domestic form. Rangers head coach Russell Martin. | SNS Group 'It's early days,' the Dunfermline manager said on TalkSPORT. 'Rangers have got to qualify for the Champions League so there are mitigating circumstances, I always think, at this time of year, because you are playing tough European games in midweek and then having to play against a team who are really motivated. 'I had problems myself as a manager in those sort of spells. And then Russell is just in the door. He still has to put his imprint on the way he wants the team to play. But the bloodlust at the minute up here is ridiculous. You are talking one or two games and people are questioning his tenure. 'Then on the other side of the city people criticising Brendan or his style of play when they have made a perfect start to the season. Look, you have just got to be laser-focused and block out the noise and just not listen to it. It's ridiculous.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The hangover effect Lennon experienced major criticism during his final season at Celtic despite winning 11 trophies as a player and 10 as a manager beforehand. Discussing Rodgers' comments, he said: 'I think with some there's still a hangover and some can't get over and forgive him for the way he left the first time. But he's come back and won two titles, four trophies and made the knockout stages of the Champions League. I think the majority of the Celtic fans are delighted to have him in the building. 'It was a good win on Sunday, Pittodrie is always a difficult place to go but Celtic negotiated the game pretty well, the second goal was outstanding. And I think Celtic will add to the squad and try to bring more quality in as they go along. And then Russell has a bit of surgery to do on his squad and then in two weeks' time there will be real acid test when both come together.' Lennon added: 'He has still got a problem, I think, with the culture in the dressing room. They played great against Plzen the other night and then they find it difficult to raise themselves for the bread and butter games. That was so apparent last year. They had some great victories and then they couldn't do the bread and butter games, particularly at home.
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
First Match of the Day panel since Gary Lineker's BBC exit revealed
The first Match of the Day panel since Gary Lineker left the BBC has been revealed. Ex-England striker Lineker, 64, spent 26 years in the Match of the Day hotseat before leaving the BBC in May. The presenter announced last November that he would stop hosting the iconic football highlights show at the end of the Premier League season. Lineker was due to continue working with the BBC on their coverage of the FA Cup and next summer's World Cup but agreed to leave completely after apologising for sharing an antisemitic post on social media. The BBC have hired Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates as three new hosts of Match of the Day following Lineker's exit. In The Mixer: Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every week – sign up, it's an open goal. According to the Daily Telegraph, Chapman will be given responsibility to host the first Match of the Day programme without Lineker. They say that 'barring any last-minute hitches', Chapman will be joined by new star pundit Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer on the flagship show. The first Match of the Day of the season will be shown on Saturday night and include highlights of champions Liverpool's opening game against Bournemouth and Burnley's first game back in the top-flight. Chapman, Logan and Cates will share presenting duties across Match of the Day, which is shown on Saturday night, and Sunday night's Match of the Day 2. The BBC has signed Manchester United and England legend Rooney as a pundit on a two-year deal worth around £800,000. Despite Lineker's exit, Chapman does not expect a huge amount of change from Match of the Day going forwards. 'I know people keep saying, 'Oh, this will change, or that will change'. I genuinely don't think anything will change,' he said recently. 'It will still be showing all the highlights and having a little bit of a chat. So, if you're wanting a lot of change I suppose you're going to be a bit disappointed by it. 'I think we still do the same thing, and talk about football, and have a laugh and that'll be that.' More Trending Lineker held back tears as he signed off from his final edition of Match of the Day on the final day of last season's Premier League. 'It's been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century,' he said. 'It's been utterly joyous. Speaking directly into the camera to viewers at home, he added: 'And my final thank you goes to all of you. 'Thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special, and I'm sorry that your team was always on last.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Andi Oliver 'wants to kill' Radio 1 DJ after lewd comments towards daughter Miquita MORE: Jack Grealish sent warning after Everton agree £50m loan move MORE: Barcelona star responds to Manchester United and Chelsea transfer interest
