The New Saints produced another late show to stay hard on the heels of the Welsh Premier leaders with a timely three points at Farrar Road.

Having struck a triple salvo in the last five minutes to defeat Connah’s Quay the previous week, time was again running out for TNS at Bangor when substitute Connal Murtagh hooked in the winner three minutes from time.

Head coach Andy Cale felt the Saints merited the spoils courtesy of their second half display, earning a victory that keeps them just one point adrift of leaders Rhyl.

“We struggled a bit in the first half but I thought we were fantastic in the second and took the game to them,” he said.

“It was game of ‘almosts’, it looked like being one of those days, but we’re delighted with the three points that I felt we deserved.”

The game’s key moment came when the ball bobbled about in the Bangor box, subsitute Ryan Marriott managed to flick on and Murtagh turned to hook low into the left corner from 10 yards.

It was reward for the Saints’ second half efforts as they upped the ante, Steve Evans heading against the underside of the bar, Matt Berkeley looking lively on the break while substitute Marriott was twice narrowly off target after making his mark.

The full-timers, however, had toiled in the first half as Bangor looked the more lively without seriously threatening Paul Harrison in goal.

Clive Williams went close to making the breakthrough for the hosts after the break when his powerful header from Jamie Reed’s cross was blocked by Paul Harrison who also made a late save from James Brewerton to ensure the clean sheet.