Bangor steal Welsh title from under TNS's nose

Bangor City FC are Welsh champions for the third time after Craig Garside's 68th-minute goal secured victory in their winner-takes-all decider against The New Saints FC.

Garside prodded the ball beyond the reach of TNS goalkeeper Paul Harrison after David Morley headed on a long throw to seal the north Wales side's first Premier League title since 1995. "This is the highlight of my career and with our last season at this stadium it's a dream come true," said manager Neville Powell.

It was a remarkable campaign by Bangor, who started the season with 15 successive wins. A run of six fixtures without a victory in March and early April handed TNS the impetus and a fifth title in seven years would have been theirs had they defeated Neath FC last weekend. A home reverse coupled with two wins in three days for Bangor put the matter back in the melting pot though a draw at Farrar Road would have seen TNS home. It was not to be.

"The players deserve all the credit in the world – after we won two games last weekend we started to believe it could happen again," Powell said, defender Michael Johnston adding: "After we were on top of the league for so long, people started to write us off when we slipped up but the lads have been fantastic."

Bangor could make it a double next Sunday when they face Llanelli AFC in the Welsh Cup final. Powell's side have won it for the past three years.