THE New Saints suffered final day heartbreak as Connah's Quay Nomads retained their JD Cymru Premier title.

The Oswestry side overcame a 19th-minute Ryan Harrington red card to beat Bala Town 2-0 on Saturday, but that scoreline was mirrored by Nomads in Bridgend as the claimed back-to-back championships.

Anthony Limbrick’s side opened the scoring at Park Hall through midfielder Ben Clark’s stylish opener. It was the perfect start to the game for the hosts, and a riposte to Nomads, who had opened the scoring away at Penybont after just five minutes through captain George Horan’s astute back post header. But Saints turned to sinners nine minutes later when defender Harrington was dismissed for a foul on Anthony Kay; the referee adjudged him to be the last man.

Polish striker Adrian Cieslewicz doubled the home side’s lead early in the second half with a crisp and clinical low left-footed strike, piling the pressure back on the champions.

But they responded when Aeron Edwards climbed to nod in a cross 16 minutes from time to put them in the driving seat against Bont. Both games finished 2-0 and Nomads are left to celebrate back-to-back titles – their first two after eight in a row for TNS.

More to follow…