Dramatic late fightback ends TNS hopes of retaining Welsh Cup and domestic treble
The New Saints’ hopes of retaining the JD Welsh Cup came to an end with a dramatic 2-1 third round exit at Cardiff Met.
Just like a fortnight earlier when Cardiff Met grabbed a stoppage time winner to beat Saints 3-2 at Park Hall in the JD Cymru Premier, a late goal again proved decisive on Friday night.
With Saints holding a first-half advantage given them by Jack Bodenhem, Cardiff Met completed a late turnaround by finding the net twice in the closing stages.
Jasper Payne equalised for the side from the capital four minutes from time, before Matthew Chubb headed an even later winner to send the cup holders out.
Asked by S4C’s Sgorio that there will not be a domestic treble for The New Saints this year and that must hurt, head coach Craig Harrison said: “Massively, massively, you don’t understand how much it hurts me and I’m sure it hurts the players as well.
“It’s bitterly disappointing, but we’ll dust ourselves down, we’ll get on with it.
"We’ve got a big game next week against Caernarfon and then after that we’ve got a League Cup semi-final, so it’s something that we need to move on from quickly, but we need to learn from quickly as well.”
Saints started brightly on Friday night with Jack Nadin’s header deflected against a post. The Park Hall side took the lead in the 28th minute as defender Bodenham converted a Dominic Corness free kick from the right.
That’s how it remained until the 86th minute when Payne broke into the penalty area after a good move and kept his cool to place his shot past TNS goalkeeper Nathan Sheppard.
Cardiff Met then struck again a minute into stoppage time when Chubb headed home the winner.
Saints, nine points clear at the top of the JD Cymru, resume their league campaign at home to third-placed Caernarfon Town on Friday night (7.45pm).
