Clinical TNS secure seventh JD Welsh Cup win
Domestic
5 May 2019

Clinical TNS secure seventh JD Welsh Cup win

The New Saints delivered a clinical display of football in the 132ndJD Welsh Cup Final to secure a 3-0 victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads and win the competition for the seventh time.

Connah's Quay 0-3 The New Saints

JD WELSH CUP FINAL

  • Sunday, 5 May 2019
  • The Rock, Cefn Druids FC

In what was Scott Ruscoe’s first time lifting the JD Welsh Cup as TNS Manager, having won it a number of times as a player with the Park Hall club, the Saints were clinical throughout the game as an early goal from Greg Draper was followed by two sublime strikes from Ryan Brobbel to seal a 3-0 win on the day at Cefn Druids, who hosted the Final for the first time in their history. 

It was a first half of frustration for the holders as the Nomads very much held their own throughout and found themselves in great attacking positions regularly, but they didn’t make those opportunities count and found themselves 2-0 down going into the interval.

The New Saints had the first chance of the game as Ryan Brobbel headed inches wide of the goal after Jon Routledge did well to break the defensive line and find space to cross, but Greg Draper made no mistake after seven minutes when he tucked home a spilled save from John Danby to make it 1-0 from five yards out.

The Nomads had the first of a host of first-half chances after 14 minutes when Mike Wilde beat Jack Bodenham to a header, brought the ball down and let a shot fly from the edge of the box, but it was dragged wide. Jay Owen had another opportunity to level for Connah’s Quay soon afterwards, but his close-range effort was blocked and cleared.

Just as the holders had started to take control of the game, however, The New Saints dealt them another blow as Ryan Brobbel scored a wonderful free-kick from 30 yards out – an effort taken from out on the left wing that looped over a hapless Danby and nestled in the top corner for 2-0.

The Nomads responded well to the set-back, however, and continued where they left off but just couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities they were creating. Jamie Insall had a glorious chance on the stroke of halftime to make it 2-1 as he attempted an acrobatic overhead kick from six yards out from a Connah’s Quay corner, but Paul Harrison was alert enough to pull off a sublime save to keep his clean sheet intact.

With 1,256 fans in attendance at The Rock to witness the final between Wales’ top two sides, they will have been expecting the Nomads to come out fighting in the second half and they did not disappoint, as John Disney and Mike Wilde both had great chances to pull a goal back in the ten minutes following the restart.

Ryan Brobbel celebrates after scoring one of two goals in the JD Welsh Cup Final.
Ryan Brobbel celebrates after scoring one of two goals in the JD Welsh Cup Final.

TNS continued to threaten as well, with Brobbel at the heart of everything and he forced a huge save from Danby after 55 minutes with a curling effort from the edge of the box after nice interplay with Adrian Cieslewicz.

Brobbel did grab his second soon afterwards though, and it was almost identical to his first, as he rocketed a 30-yard free-kick from a wide position beyond Danby to nestle in the far corner for 3-0 after 61 minutes and give the Nomads a mountain to climb.

Connah’s Quay were dealt a blow as they continued to fight to get back into the game, as substitute Andy Owens was shown a red card with ten minutes to play, enabling The New Saints to see out the victory.