TNS TREBLE TRIUMPH AS THEY OVERCOME NEWTOWN

TNS 2 V NEWTOWN 0
FAW CUP FINAL @ PAVEWAYS LATHAM PARK [NEWTOWN]
2 MAY 2015----2.30PM

A HAPPY CRAIG HARRISON TNS MANAGER WITH THE FAW CUP AFTER THE FINAL WHISTLE
 

Check out the 'we all stand together' Facebook page for a selection of pictures from this game in the next day or so
The New Saints achieved a remarkable treble with this 2-0 victory over Newton in the Welsh cup final and it was thanks to a double from Matty Williams.  TNS added the Welsh Cup to the Premier League title and The Word Cup and added another treble with this the third year running that the Saints had collected the cup.

THANKS TO BARNEY AND TRENT THE
 EARLY TRAIN WAS MADE ON TIME

The game in a bit but a little about the day, as ever, first if you want to take a look at the ground review you can see that earlier in the season when the blog visited for a game versus Carmarthen.  Another early start with a departure just after 6 for 'fast arrow' to base station and then around three hours train travel.  The blog decided to go a little earlier than normal to take a further look around Newtown and be certain of being there for the opening of the turnstiles just in case the gate was going to touch the capacity at Latham Park, it is also a concern that the train to Newtown is only every two hours from Birmingham.
So having been delivered safely by Red Arrow by the only original driver left on the route since its inception, Barney, it was a quick walk for the Birmingham train.  Always a worry with the 4 carriage Cross Country trains normally pretty full, but thankfully the first through train is normally, and was today, a good old HST 125 so with 7 carriages a seat was not an issue.  A 15 minute change at Birmingham became less of a problem when through trains from Birmingham International were delayed due to vandalism.  Journey to Newtown was in the accompaniment of large back packs and young people all off on a bank holiday expedition and then from Shrewsbury grump old mans favourite unruly kids and parents!

ON STREET ADVERTISING HIGH ABOVE NEWTOWN

MATCH PUBLICITY

Time picked up from late departure saw the blog arrive at the quaint Newtown station at a few minutes after 1000.  A steady walk around this lovely town followed but due to an insistent rain that was never not raining or light showering, just annoying, the decision to pop into Wetherspoons was made. 
However the place was quite busy, beer festival on in town, and so I retired to the Express Café in the Bears Precinct with the local paper who were covering todays final admirably and although there was no ale festival here I had to sit outside on the concourse.
The town we were told was excited about the final and it was true that every shops seemed to have a poster up advertising the final and the street banners were floating high above the towns thoroughfare.  Another circuit of the town, once again reviewed earlier in the season, saw a quick visit to the statue to Robert Owen social reformer and first co-operator and then an amazing first time look at the WH Smith store from the front entrance.  Last time I visited it from the precinct entrance but this time from the on street side and what an amazing visit back in time its all wooden panelled with magazines and papers laid out in old style station newsagent style and as you approach the newer part of the store you creak along the wooden floor.  Indeed this store even has a museum upstairs I was later to find out from an employee I met, sadly now closed but with a view to re opening?
Mid day had come and gone, just, and I decided to walk through the park to the ground the first thing I noticed since my last visit was the change to the bus station it had been re designed and moved 45 degrees.  The T4 had just arrived an amazing route from Newtown to Cardiff via Merthyr and Llandrindod, sorry its becoming a transport fest.  But when you use public transport its always good to be aware of what's on offer and this appears when heck of a journey.

AS MUCH OF AN AERIEL VIEW THAT YOUR GOING TO GET FROM THE BLOG OF LATHAM PARK

The route through the park certainly makes it a very quick route to Latham Park and following a walk around and ultimately climb up the hill behind the ground for a quick picture I opted to enter the ground at around 1230, 2 hours before the kick off but never bored in the build up.
Upon entrance there were a selection of junior games on the new 4g at Latham Park added to the normal facilities here today were a large beer tent well enjoyed by many supporters within good boundaries it has to be said and a hog roast stall which seemed to do a fair trade if positioned in a somewhat bottlenecked and tight area of the ground.  As on previous visits here the Newtown stewards were very friendly and welcoming and a credit to The Robins. 

NICKY JOHN PREPARES A PIECE TO CAMERA FOR SGORIO

The walk around encountered a supporter from Coventry, Dave Collins from the excellent Welsh Football Magazine [well worth getting hold of] and the various presenters of Sgorio including the now slightly less blond Nicky John.

NEWTOWNS ASST PHYSIO SOPHIE LOVE PREPARES FOR THE MATCH

Newtowns assistant physio Sophie Love was also just arriving and it really is a family affair with her dad and a brother being associated with the club in playing and managing teams at Latham Park.

GILBERT WOOLLEY TNS MEDIA OFFICER

During the week I had checked with TNS and their media man Gilbert Woolley details of the game and mentioned I hoped to see him at the game.  Today amidst his duties he was up on the executive balcony above the clubhouse but he popped down for a quick chat and it was once again a pleasure to be welcomed by him, as it was when the blog visited Park Hall.  A lot of clubs fail to welcome visitors/hoppers but TNS as I have said before are one of the clubs who have got it right.
By now the players were out warming up alongside todays referee Mr Dean John and his assistants and the beer tent was becoming more vocally supportive.  The pre match rehearsals had been completed and we were ten minutes short of kick off for the Welsh cup final 2015.

SCOTT QUIGLEY TNS, IMPORTANT PART SOON TO BE PLAYED IN THE GAME

Last season TNS had come back from 2 goals down against Aberystwyth at Wrexham to win their second final in a row could they make it three today against Newtown who so nearly beat the champions a few weeks earlier but were not helped by a missed penalty.  Newtown were last in a Welsh cup final in 1897 and last won it in 1895 so there were not many here today who remembered the day!

NEWTOWN MANAGER CHRIS HUGHES SMARTLY TURNED OUT

Newtown and boss Chris Hughes had achieved a great success in reaching the final and of course know wanted to go that extra step in securing the gleaming cup.
The FAW had made the brave decision, with TNS's agreement, to stage the game at Newtown's home ground, with the hope of a big crowd and also giving the town of Newtown a real honour to stage the final.  Mind you the excellent facilities here are being regularly used by the FAW and it is of course a credit to the club and its town.  Last seasons this was the blogs major thought that Wrexham is an excellent host but its just too big and a smaller ground would make the atmosphere a lot better, so although it seemed weird to be playing at one of the clubs home grounds lets give it a try.

WARM UP IN FRONT OF THE BEER TENT

NEWTOWN CAPTAIN MATTY COOK SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

 

With Welsh national anthem sung and presentations made there was the chance for both teams to line up for a quick pre match team picture and then it was over to the referee to get us under way.

NEWTOWN AFC FAW WELSH CUP FINALISTS 2015

TNS 2015 FAW WELSH CUP FINALISTS AND SOON TO BE WINNERS

The first half, well what came I say to be kind? It wasn't the best with Newtown sat so deep that TNS played the ball around trying to break down the home sides massed ranks and it produced a stale affair with hardly anything in the way of goal mouth action.  But of course finals are often cagey affairs and when the second half started it seemed to be going to the same way, Newtown were probably looking for a set piece goal or a penalty shoot out, of course accepting its not easy to play against TNS I thought they would have had a little more of a go at the champions.

CHRIS MARIOTT [TNS] IN CONTROL

So the first half was a non event and the second started in similar fashion until the most wonderfully floated defence splitting pass from Phil Baker saw Matty Williams run on and fire home from just inside the edge of the penalty box after 54 minutes.

I hoped for the game to open up but it didn't really and it wasn't until five minutes from time that TNS extended their lead when substitute Scott Quigley powered his way into the box and was upended in full flight by Newtown's central defender Shane Sutton who was shown a straight red by referee John. 

SHANE SUTTON [LEFT] NEWTOWN AFC THE BLOGS MAN OF THE MATCH

This was a great shame for Sutton who had been a tower of strength in Newtown's attempt to repel TNS and indeed the blog had him as the overall man of the match, although I suppose understandingly TV went for Matty Williams who stepped up to dispatch the penalty for his and TNS's second.

2-0 TNS MATTY WILLIAMS GETS HIS SECOND FROM THE SPOT

Overall it had been a quite a poor spectacle although well organised by the FAW and Newtown FC!
With the rain now falling ever sharper I decided to leave the 1645 train to its devices and pop round to take some pictures the only shame was the podium was not really lined up for fans at the front of the stand but at an angle for TV and so a bit later we managed to shout a few players and manager Craig Harrison over for a photo or two.

TNS CAPTAIN PAUL HARRISON LIFTS THE CUP

The crowd of 1,579 was a nice effort all round and after most had left the blog finally departed and with just under 2 hours to wile away before the next train I popped back into Newtown via the park and tried The Black Boy Wetherspoons again.  Still busy I managed to plonk my coat on a seat and obtain a meal order from the bar upon return the attached table had been occupied by a couple from Newton and we had a cracking conversation about the town.  The lady worked at WH Smith in the town as earlier discussed and her husband had previously worked for Laura Ashley the fabrics company who became big in the 80's starting in nearby Carno and developing into Newtown and the surrounding area.  Overall a very pleasant hours or so and then it was time to reverse my steps to the station.
It was sad to leave Newtown because it is a gorgeous town in a lovely setting and its football club is excellent.  Busy train to Birmingham arrived on time and the train back to base was once again a 125 HST which although slightly late dropped me off a just after 10pm.
A wonderful day the game was nothing to write home about but the whole journey had so much going for it that it became irrelevant to worry about a poor 90 minutes.
Thanks Newtown AFC you hosted the FAW Cup final 2015 with real credit to you and your town.

HST 125 TO BIRMINGHAM AND THEN LATER BACK FROM BIRMINGHAM