JD Cymru Premier - Matchday 21 SATURDAY 6th MARCH 2021 PARK HALL STADIUM, OSWESTRY KICK-OFF: 5:00pm Oswestry Town and Llansantffraid FC The New Saints Football Club Park Hall Stadium, Whittington, Oswestry, SY11 4AS Tel: 01691 684840 Fax: 01691 659553 WHO’S WHO AT PARK HALL First Team Manager Scott Ruscoe Life President Mike Hughes First Team Assistant Chairman Mike Harris Steve Evans Manager Finance Director Helen Harris Head Sports Therapist Phil Davies Chief Operating Officer Ian Williams Tel: +44(0)1691 684840 Head of Academy Chris Seargeant Fax: +44(0)1691 659553 Coaching Email: chris.seargeant@ Mob: 07734 276292 tnsfc.co.uk Email: ian.williams@ tnsfc.co.uk Head of Performance Simon Smith Phase Email: simon.smith@ Football Operations Jacob Williams tnsfc.co.uk Manager & Club Secretary Email: jacob.williams@ tnsfc.co.uk Mob: 07715 521710 Head of Academy Jason Brindley Email: jason.brindley@ Community & Foundation Gill Jones tnsfc.co.uk Mobile: 07816925074 Manager Email: gill.jones@ tnsfcfoundation.org.uk Head of Academy Connor Roberts Goalkeeping Media & Communications Stewart Bloor Officer Head of Foundation Phase Ash Russell Media & Communications Sam Wood Head of Development Kieran Lee-Birch Assistant Club Doctor Stadium PA Announcer Keith Weaver Dr. Brian Johnson TNS FC Photography Brian Jones & Phil Blagg Head of Security Garry Jones OUR SPONSORS k .u o c . PlanetHipp Heavy Weight Hosting Heavy Weight Web Hosting OFFICIAL BALL SUPPLIER MATCH PREVIEW Back to JD Cymru Premier action, as we welcome Bala Town to Park Hall With the last competitive after a number of recent Today’s game – which had game for The New Saints on friendlies against the likes the original allocation of December 19th last year, it’s of Burnley U-23s, Liverpool MD21 – has a 5.00 p.m. kick- back to JD Cymru Premier U-23s and Stoke City U-23s. off time and will be shown action today (March 6th), as live on S4C. In addition, you we welcome Bala Town to Leading the league goal- can follow updates via the Park Hall. scoring chart, The New TNS FC Twitter account, as Saints has found the net 49 well as commentary on TNS Although the Lakesiders, times so far this season, Radio. The link for the latter who are in third spot, are while Bala Town are 10 is on the home page of our nine points behind TNS – behind, on 39. website. who lead the way at the top of the table – they do have a TNS has conceded just The officials are as follows: game in hand. 10 – the same as Connah’s Iwan Griffith (referee), Ian Quay Nomads – while Bird and Johnathon Bebee- In addition, as well as the Lakesiders’ defence Bryant (assistant referees) playing the leaders, Colin has been beaten on 16 and John Jones (fourth Caton’s side also take on occasions. official). Stephen Hames is second-placed Connah’s the referee observer. Quay Nomads before the 22 game split, which is the first week in April. All three teams have lost just once this season so far, which indicates how important Saturday’s game is, not just for the two teams on the Park Hall pitch, but also for the Nomads. Scott Ruscoe’s side goes Macron Store Llanelli - [email protected] • 07800 634 264 [Ray] into the game well-prepared, Macrone Store Neath - [email protected] • 01792 321 364 [Ray] Macron Store Ebbw Vale - [email protected] • 07800 903 724 [Matt] Macron Store Cardiff - [email protected] • 02920 811 053 [Amanda] 4 www.tnsfc.co.uk Macron Store Wrexham - [email protected] • 01978 355 794 [Andy] SCOTT RUSCOE The Saints manager answers questions ahead of the JD Cymru Premier restart Q: “It was mid December the like that which I always go on A: “I’d certain rather be at last time we trained and had a about. the top than second or third competitive game at the end of because it does give you that the week. It goes without saying, “I think without playing games edge, and it does give you that it’s good to be back.” and having that competitive determination to stay there. edge, it wouldn’t have gotten us A: “It is, it’s one where we’ve where we need to be.” “It’s okay looking up if there’s never quite known when we’re 10, 15 or even 20 games to go, going to be starting again. In Q: “It’s Bala Town here at Park but when you’re at that top, it’s mid December we were looking Hall on Saturday. We’re nine about creating that gap that at playing on Boxing Day and points ahead of the Lakesiders causes all of the other teams to New Years Day, but now we’re although they do have a game in feel the pressure when they look here and we’re in March. It’s a hand, but they’ve only lost once up at us.” long time. this season. It’s very tight at the top.” Q: “We’ve put in some good “We’re nearly a year in to when performances in friendlies we left the building and were A: “They’ve had another recently, how hard as it been told that we couldn’t train or very good season. They’ve choosing the team for today?” play anymore so it’s certainly strengthened in certain areas nice to be back.” and they’ve also got [Chris] A: “I think, come Saturday, Venables who keeps doing what we’ll probably have near Q: “We’ve played a number of he does very well year on year. enough everybody available for friendlies in recent weeks, how selection. We’ve got a decent important have they been, in “He’s been an excellent player squad, but it’s always difficult. terms of match fitness and an in this league so we’ll have to incentive for the players to at be wary of him and we have to “It’s not nice to keep players out least have something to look be wary of other players that that have done really well for forward to during the week?” they’ve got of real quality. By you, or can do well for you, but Saturday, we’ll know where their it’s about managing them and A: “Sometimes it can be a bit dangers lie.” telling them that their time will monotonous just training and come. coming in without a focus, but Q: “We do go into the game as I think what it does do is give league leaders, does that have “If somebody does something you a different perspective on any psychological benefit to the that changes my opinion, they’ll different formations and things players?” be given the chance.” www.tnsfc.co.uk 7 MATCH REPORT MID SEASON FRIENDLY MATCH REPORT MID SEASON FRIENDLY STOKE CITY U-23s v THE THE NEW SAINTS FC v BANGOR NEW SAINTS FC MATCH REPORT CITY MATCH REPORT With the return of the JD after, but it was the home defender got an unfortunate With the visit of Bala Town, The highlight of the half their focus back to the JD Cymru Premier just seven side who grabbed the touch on the ball following and the long-awaited return came 15 minutes from the Cymru Premier, hosting Bala days away, The New Saints second goal, equalising with a corner from the left, of the JD Cymru Premier just end though, as Ben Clark Town today, where they’ll traveled to Stoke City’s a well-placed header from and diverted past his own four days away, Tuesday’s caught a volley perfectly, look to put right Tuesday’s Clayton Wood training the edge of the six-yard box goalkeeper. friendly against Bangor City hitting the crossbar from disappointment. ground last weekend, where in the 36th minute. was The New Saints’ final 30 yards out, and the ball their preparations for the The Saints’ preparations for match before the competitive appeared to bounce in over season restart continued It didn’t stay that way for the season restart continued action restarts. the line. with a friendly against the long though, as Louis on Tuesday, as they took TNS FC 0 English Championship Robles scored with a header on JD Cymru North side, Despite a spirited TNS However, the officials were BANGOR CITY 1 team’s Under-23s squad. of his own just minutes Bangor City. display at Park Hall, it was unconvinced and play before the half-time whistle, the Citizens who claimed a continued, denying the As was the case in the 5-0 after being found in the narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to number 19 what would’ve victory against Airbus UK penalty area by Ryan Astles. a late Salvatore Pascarella been a certain goal of the Broughton two weeks ago, it header. season contender. was another superb Saints And shortly after the STOKE CITY U-23 1 performance, with another restart, The Saints took It was a closely matched Boosted by that stroke of TNS FC victory, 3-1 on this occasion, a comfortable grip of 3 game, with little in terms of fortune, the visitors, who’d the reward. the game, when a home goalmouth action, and that put in an equally positive was evident in the first-half, performance themselves, Scott Ruscoe’s side took as a curling Leo Smith strike continued to push, and got the lead with just 16 minutes from outside the penalty their reward just six minutes played, benefiting from a area was the closest either from time.