CRAIG’S CHUFFED WITH HIS SUPER SAINTS
CRAIG HARRISON reckons The New Saints put in their best performance in five years to deny Apoel Nicosia an away goal in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Welsh Premier champions, who knocked out San Marino’s Tre Penne in the first qualifying round, put in a disciplined performance against the Cypriots, drawing 0-0 against a side that reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League as recently as 2012.
The Saints head to Cyprus next Tuesday knowing a win or score draw would see them through to the third qualifying round against either Norwegian side Rosenborg or Swedish champions IFK Norrkoping.
Delighted boss Harrison said:“I think that’s the best team performance since I’ve been here and I am delighted with the players.
“We wanted to win and I’m a big winner but sometimes it’s not about the actual result, it’s about the performance. Everyone did their job exactly how we prepared them to do.
“It’s going to be hard out there, they’ll have a noisy, passionate crowd but if we can keep it tight they’ll get frustrated.The pressure will be on them and we’ll give them a good challenge.”
Meanwhile, Gap Connah’s Quay were denied a famous Europa League draw in Serbia by an 86th-minute FK Vojvodina strike on Thursday evening.
The Serbs enjoyed 87 per cent of the possession but had to wait until four minutes from time for Aleksandar Palocevic to break the deadlock.
The Nomads welcome Vojvodina to Rhyl’s Belle Vue Stadium on Thursday and boss Andy Morrison is targeting an early goal back on home soil.
He said:“I’m extremely proud of the lads as it was a very difficult game. It’s an 86th-minute deflected shot that has looped over John Danby and that’s the only way they were going to beat him.
“It was a big eye-opener for us.They had a lot of talent and it was very tough but we’re very much still in it.They’ve got to fly over to Wales, play on a tighter pitch and if we can get an early goal, I think they will fold.” BARTON Town Old Boys are planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary of England’s World Cup win in style by restaging the 1966 final – and they’re pulling out all the stops.
Players from the Northern Counties East Premier Division outfit will don the colours of England and their final opponents,West Germany.They will be wearing 1966-style replica kits which will be as close as possible to the original England and West Germany outfits.
The Barton Town Band have been lined up to play the national anthems and there will be a matchday programme with a nod to the original 1966 souvenir edition.
The Lincolnshire outfit are encouraging fans of all NonLeague clubs to attend the match and bring their England flags and banners with them to celebrate the national team’s greatest football achievement.
Achievement