The New Saints returned to pole position in the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier after seeing off the plucky Seasiders at Park Hall for their seventh successive win.

Having briefly been replaced at the summit by Neath the previous night, TNS were made to battle all the way before retaining their lofty status thanks to three goals inside eight minutes either side of the interval.

Director of football Mike Davies admitted his side were not at their best despite pocketing the points.

“We made it hard for ourselves,” he said. “We were not at the races to start with, but got a goal back just before half-time and came out really well for the second half and scored twice more.

“We then became a bit sloppy, it was not a great performance, but it’s three more points on the board.”

Aberystwyth made a mockery of their early season struggles as they took a 13th minute lead when home defender Steve Evans mis-kicked an attempted clearance from a corner, and Wyn Thomas fired a superb shot into the top corner.

The sluggish hosts were living dangerously with keeper Paul Harrison soon forced into a double save from the lively Lewis Codling, with Scott Ruscoe clearing the ball to safety, before Codling fired over from a good position.

Greg Draper miscued at the other end from Chris Seargeant’s through ball, with Evans and Nicky Ward both directing efforts straight at keeper Steve Cann.

But the leveller finally arrived just before half time when Seargeant’s low corner eluded everyone in the box and found an unmarked Alex Darlington who made no mistake to fire home.

TNS came out with plenty of purpose in the second half and got their noses in front when Craig Jones fired home from a lay-off by Greg Draper, who then netted the third from close range after Jones turned provider with a left-wing run and cross.

Jones went close again but Aber were in no mood to surrender as they gave themselves hope of retrieving the game when Cann’s long clearance found Codling, who found the net via the inside of the far post.

Follows went close to levelling when forcing a near post save from Harrison, but TNS were not to be denied another win.

By JOHN BRIDGWATER