Welsh Premier League Football - Sharp hero to villain in Saints' win

CHRIS Sharp went from hero to villain as 10-man The New Saints battled to a 2-1 Sunday win over Bala Town at Park Hall.
The striker gave the Saints a seventh-minute lead as they returned to the bread and butter of domestic league action following their heroics in Europe.
A superb cross from Christian Seargeant just eluded Craig Jones at the far post, but he retrieved the ball and passed inside to present Sharp with a simple chance in front of goal.
But Bala got back into the game on 23 minutes when a Danny Williams free-kick found the head of Ross Jefferies and his effort was heading for the far corner before being hooked away by Steve Evans.
From the resulting corner, Mark Jones sent a crashing shot into the net via the underside of the bar in the 23rd-minute.
Sharp was red-carded early in the second half for foul and abusive language to leave the Saints to play the remaining 39 minutes with 10-men and the Saints soon also lost defender Phil Baker with a hamstring injury.
But despite the setbacks, TNS always looked the more likely winners and man-of-the-match Jones provided the pinpoint cross for substitute Alex Darlington to head the 82nd-minute winner.
Photo: Chris Sharp is red-carded by referee Matt Bridges [Phil Blagg].