TNS win again as Linfield show their intentions ahead of Champions League
Anthony Limbrick is hoping The New Saints peak in time for their mammoth Champions League clash with Linfield – as the Northern Irish champions laid down a marker.
TNS made it two wins from two pre-season friendlies with a strong 5-1 Park Hall victory over last season’s Cymru Premier runners-up Bala Town in Oswestry.
Goals from Adrian Cieslewicz, twice, Ben Clark, Jordan Williams and youngster Nick Grogan earned the Welsh champions the win.
Limbrick said of his side: “It was good to see us be quite clinical in front of goal with the chances we’ve had.
“It was more like a league game than a pre-season friendly, but that’s good, that’s what we needed and they needed too.
“We were happy with parts of the game, we still know we’ve got a couple of weeks to go before we want to peak for our first European game. There’s plenty to learn from but real positives.”
Meanwhile Linfield, who TNS have been drawn against for next month’s Champions League first qualifying round tie, tested themselves against international standard opposition in a warm-up fixture against this year’s World Cup hosts Qatar in Marbella – where they emerged victorious 1-0.
Linfield, 56 times champions of their country, scored a first-half winner through striker Chris McKee to see off the Middle East nation, who are ranked 51st in the world.
TNS face off against Linfield on July 5 and July 12.
