The New Saints 2, Cardiff Met University 1

Tomos Williams and James Parry scored the goals for TNS in their FAW Youth Cup semi-final against Cardiff Met University.

Saints’ victory earns them a place in the final for the first time and they take on holders Swansea City with the date and venue to be confirmed.

A closely fought TNS v Met tie was decided in three frantic first half minutes with the three goals scored one after the other at snowy Latham Park, Newtown.

Goalkeeper Lewis Dutton did well to tip a Cardiff Met cross over the bar for a corner after seven minutes, while James Parry flashed a TNS effort across the face of goal four minutes later.

The deadlock was broken after 25 minutes when the Cardiff goalkeeper failed to collect a shot cleanly and Williams slotted the loose ball into the net.

Met’s Archers hit back when Ioan Evans netted from inside the six-yard-box.

The TNS lead had been shortlived, but Met found themselves behind again even faster. From kick-off, Saints took the ball forward and Parry fired home to restore the lead.

Dutton was in action shortly after the restart when a cross from the left was met by Evans in the penalty area and the Saints’ number one needed to be at full stretch to keep out the volley.

Parry and substitute Owen Jones, who fired against a post after 75 minutes, both went close for Saints.

With two minutes left Met thought they had equalised when the ball went in, but the referee had spotted a handball in the build-up and the effort was disallowed.

Victories over Bridgend Street, Port Talbot Town and Risca United had booked Cardiff Met a place in the quarter-final against Llandudno, before Llandudno withdrew from the competition and set up the semi-final clash with TNS.

TNS: Lewis Dutton, Harry Woledge, Ismail Ozdemir, Josh Bailey, Louis Bradford, J Jones, Ethan Short, Aaron Lloyd, James Rutter, James Parry, Tomos Williams. Subs: R Williams, Lewis Rees, Owen Jones, Luis Edwards.

Oli Cooper, the son of former Cardiff City player and coach Kevin, scored the only goal for Swansea in their FAW Youth Cup semi-final against the Bluebirds at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli.

The young Swans are on course for a 10th consecutive FAW Youth Cup success.