The New Saints delivered a chilling warning to the rest of the Cymru Premier with a 9-0 demolition of Ammanford on Friday night, a result that casts a long shadow over Briton Ferry's upcoming trip to Park Hall. A Brad Young hat-trick led the rout as the champions extended their winning run in all competitions to 14 games and maintained their six-point lead at the summit.

Craig Harrison's side took the lead in the 14th minute through a Rhys Hughes free-kick. Young headed in a second ten minutes later and completed his treble on the hour mark after tapping home five minutes into the second half. Further goals from Isaac Jefferies, Jack Bodenham, Jordan Williams and Dynel Simeu completed the humiliation for the newly-promoted visitors, who had won their previous two matches.

"9-0 is a fantastic score," said Harrison, the New Saints head coach. "I hate to say it, but it could have been and should have been a few more as well." His team have now scored 53 league goals in just 14 matches this season, including 24 in their last three outings alone.

Briton Ferry's mountain to climb

For Briton Ferry Llansawel, who sit 12th in the table with 12 points from 14 games, the spectacle at Park Hall outlines the scale of their challenge. Their league record stands at three wins, three draws and eight losses, with a goal difference of minus twelve having scored 13 and conceded 25. They travel to face the league leaders on Saturday 14 November, a fixture that now looks key for their season. The Ferry are 28 points behind Saints in the title race and are coming off a 3-1 defeat to Caernarfon Town last week, a result that featured goals from Sion Bradley and a Harry Charsley double before Luke Bowen's late consolation.

Their recent form shows two wins, one draw and two losses from their last five matches, a sequence that includes a 5-0 win over Afan United and a 1-0 victory against Colwyn Bay, but also defeats to GAP Connah's Quay FC and Caernarfon. The last meeting between the sides in August ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for The New Saints.

While Harrison's men prepare to host Connah's Quay Nomads this Saturday, Briton Ferry must regroup. Their next match is the ultimate test, away at the home of a team that has just put nine past an opponent without reply.

This story first appeared at Shropshire Star