Stars Abroad: Adam Wilson features in New Saints' crucial win
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 01.01.25. | 12:05
The player, who is at the club on loan from English League One outfit Bradford City, was making a return to the starting team after sitting out the club’s 5-2 win last week against Caernarfon
Harambee Stars striker Adam Wilson managed 76 minutes as The New Saints (TNS) defeated Connah’s Quay Nomads 2-1 at Park Hall to move top of the JD Cymru Premier (Wales Premier League) table for the first time this season.
The player, who is at the club on loan from English League One outfit Bradford City, was making a return to the starting team after sitting out the club’s 5-2 win last week against Caernarfon.
The attacker was substituted in the 76th minute with his side 2-1 up, making way for Adrian Cieslewicz.
Ryan Brobbel opened the scoring for The Saints with 27 minutes on the clock, but the visitors hit back just four minutes later through Noah Edwards.
Jordan Williams then took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake to restore the Saints' advantage eight minutes before the break, and the defending champions saw out the game to secure an important three points.
It took a while for things to get going at Park Hall, but it was The New Saints who had the first chance of the afternoon with 10 minutes on the clock with the Kenyan attacker at the end of a counterattack, but his efforts went wide of the goal.
Just a minute later, Craig Harrison’s side were in again, but after going one-on-one with the goalkeeper, Williams dragged his effort wide of the far post.
It was a much quieter opening half than in both of their previous matches, but the defending champions did eventually make the breakthrough in the 28th minute.
Drifting inside from the left with the ball at his feet, Brobbel sold Ben Nash with a deft piece of skill before slotting the ball past Ratcliffe and into the far corner of the net.
The TNS lead lasted all of four minutes, however, as Edwards volleyed home an equalizer from the centre of the box following a corner on the left.
With 36 minutes on the clock though, the Saints restored their lead following a mistake from Nomads’ keeper, Ratcliffe.
Things then went from bad to worse for visitors in the second of three additional first-half minutes, as Jack Kenny was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Williams, leaving them a man-light for the remainder of the match.
Ten minutes after the restart, there was a great chance for Adam Wilson to increase his side’s advantage, but after receiving the ball from Williams following a defensive mistake, the on-loan Bradford City man dragged his effort wide of the post.
With conditions worsening as the second half wore on, chances were much sparser than in the first, but The Saints saw out the remainder of the game professionally to move top of the JD Cymru Premier for the first time this season.
