Ayr United 1
The New Saints FC 1
Friendly

Match Report

After friendly matches against Larne and Linfield last weekend, tonight The New Saints travelled north of the English border to face Scottish Championship side Ayr United.

With their UEFA Champions League tie against KF Shkëndija just 11 days away, it was another competitive test for the JD Cymru Premier champions as they continue building momentum ahead of that all-important fixture.

It was an evenly-matched start to the contest, with both sides trading possession in the middle of the pitch.

Neither goalkeeper was tested inside the opening 20 minutes, but it was the home side who had the first chance of the night.

With 21 minutes played, a cross from the right reached Scott McMann at the back post, but the Ayr United man failed to hit the target with his volleyed effort.

Three minutes later, Zack Clarke almost broke the deadlock at the other end of the pitch, heading narrowly wide after a superb Jordan Marshall cross.

In the 33rd minute, Ryan Astles came to the rescue, heading the ball off the line as the Honest Men continued to push for the opener.

Just seconds before the break, Clarke had another opportunity to score after a superb first touch, but the former Caernarfon Town man failed to hit the target with his eventual effort.

Four minutes after the restart, the game’s opening goal finally did arrive, although it was Scott Brown’s side who scored it.

A cutback from McCann found Ethan Walker inside the penalty area, and the number 21 made no mistake as he fired past Jack Edwards in the TNS goal.

With torrential rain affecting play throughout the second-half, chances were more limited than than the first, but Craig Harrison’s side did grab an equaliser with 12 minutes to go.

After some good work down the left from Sion Bradley, the Wales C international’s cross ricocheted off the shin of Clarke and nestled in the back of the net to make the score 1-1.

That’s how it ended at the K-Park Training Academy, as the game proved to be another useful exercise in The New Saints’ pre-season preparations.

Match report written by TNS Online