BANGOR City boss Neville Powell hailed his side as they breezed past ten-man Newtown last weekend.
Goals from Chris Simm, Sion Edwards and Alan Bull sealed a 3-0 victory for the Citizens, as Newtown avoided an embarassing scoreline by opting for a more defensive formation after the sending off of substitute Zack Evans after just 23 minutes.
The victory leaves City lying in second place, one point behind leaders Prestatyn Town and above The New Saints on goal difference, and Powell is glad to be in the league’s leading pack once again.
He said: “It was a big three points. Newtown are only seven or eight points behind us, and it gives us that gap now. There’s no bad teams in the league, every game you’ve got to earn the right to win the game.”
The deadly partnership of Les Davies and Simm, who tops the league’s scoring charts with 12, impressed once more, while the appearance record-holder also gave a commanding performance at the back after a short loan spell earlier in the season with Conwy Borough.
Powell added: “Peter Hoy, since he’s come back in, hasn’t put a foot wrong. Ryan Edwards had another great game in centre midfield, and Sion [Edwards] scored that goal.
“Chris has only been at the club three or four months, and you can see the understanding they’ve [Simm and Davies] got, he’s scored 12 goals, and that’s because he’s been playing alongside Les Davies.
“I think if I was been playing up there, I’d have scored two or three. He takes two men all the time and creates space for Simm, and they’re forging a good partnership.”
On a cold evening at the Book People Stadium, 684 fans, including 22 vocal guests from Norway, witnessed City cruise to a straightforward win against the Latham park outfit.
City looked sharp during the opening exchanges, and after Les Davies headed wide early on, the pressure told on the visitors as Davies’ cushioned knockdown from Sion Edwards’ cross led to Simm’s scuffed finish inside the far post, to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Just three minutes later, Les Davies produced a pinpoint cross from the right, which Edwards planted beyond keeper Dave Roberts to double the advantage.
Five minutes later, Zack Evans’ wild lunging tackle left Peter Hoy in a heap, earning him a red card, before an equally reckless challenge by Luke Boundford on keeper Lee Idzi bizzarely went unpunished.
The ten-men of Newtown frustrated City during the second period, as they stubbornly defended in two banks of four throughout.
Davies and Simm saw chances pass them by, before substitute Alan Bull produced a stunning first-time curler which beat Roberts all ends up, to make it 3-0 and draw a rapturous response from the Nantporth faithful.