Toner at the double for Saints

A brace from John Toner set The New Saints on the road to victory at Connah's Quay, but it needed a late goal from Tommy Holmes to settle the nerves after Nomads had mounted a spirited fightback.

Saints handed league debuts to Bosnian Nikola Andelic and 17-year-old English Colleges representative John McKenna ina game where the first-half produced virtually no chances for either side.

But within 15 seconds the the restart, Saints went ahead when a long ball over the top from Phil Baker found Toner, who coolly lobbed keeper Paul Pritchard from the edge of the box.

Barry Hogan was narrowly wide a minute later from Toner's cross, while Michael Wilde wasted an opportunity after breaking clear of the defence.

The second goal arrived just past the hour when Toner scored his sixth goal in four games with a spectacular overhead kick after Nomads had failed to clear Andelic's right-wing corner.

But poor defending on the edge of the box gifted Quay a goal four minutes later, Ged Courtney applying the finish, to signal some sustained pressure from the hosts, who won a succession of corners and free-kicks with their best effort another Courtney shot that was well tipped over the bar by keeper Paul Harrison.

Hogan and Alfie Carter both went close to adding a third before sub Tommy Holmes stole in at the back post to convert when Chris King's left-wing cross eluded Pritchard.

Stats and report courtesy of welsh-premier.com