New Saints put two more points on the board as they saw off Haverfordwest County 2-0 in the Premier League's second round of fixtures. The hosts, who have been unbeaten in five, went ahead just before the break through J. Lock's strike in the 45th minute, then added a penalty to seal the result. By then, the visitors had already been outplayed in every department, running out of ideas as the home side tore them to shreds.
Lock's goal came at the death of the first half, catching Haverfordwest on the back foot. The home side were dominant in the air from set plays, and their corner count told the story — eight to none. When Hughes stepped up for the spot-kick in the 72nd minute, he ended a barren spell with a clinical finish that left the goalkeeper with no chance.
Haverfordwest's afternoon got worse when Z. Nolan picked up a yellow card in the 86th minute, though the visitors had been playing with ten men in spirit rather than body. They managed just two shots on target all game, compared to New Saints' eleven. To be fair, the visitors had shown glimpses of quality earlier in the season, but against a side sitting top of the table, those moments were few and far between.
The statistics painted a one-sided picture. New Saints controlled 75 per cent of possession and registered 155 attacks against 83 for their opponents. The home side's shots off target — thirteen of them — suggested they were creating chances in plenty, even if not all were finding the net. Haverfordwest's lone corner was a far cry from the eight that went begging for New Saints.
With the win, New Saints move seven points clear at the summit, having won six of their seven games this campaign. Haverfordwest remain rooted to 12th place, their single victory looking increasingly fragile against sides that fancy their chances against them. The gap between these two sides has never looked wider.