TNS feel at home for Champions League test
The New Saints will look to pull off a famous Champions League coup in this evening's second qualifying round clash away to APOEL Nicosia.
They held the classy Cypriots to a gutsy goalless draw in the first leg at Park Hall last week.
The Saints know they will have to dig even deeper in the return leg if they are to keep their flag flying in the competition.
Manager Craig Harrison is confident his side can produce that kind of resilience in the Mediterranean heat.
It came in front of an anticipated hostile crowd at APOEL's 22,000 seater stadium in Nicosia.
Harrison put his team through their paces in a training session at the stadium last night.
He said: "We knew we would have to give them territory and defend last week but we were very disciplined and worked really hard to a man.
"It gives us a real boost to be going over there with something to hold on to. It will be the same game plan this week.
"It will be tough over there, it could be 30 degrees, so we are going to have to work just as hard, if not five or 10 per cent harder.
"They will have a passionate and hostile crowd behind them, but sometimes that can work against a home side.
"The longer we can keep a clean sheet, the more they may feel the pressure, so we'll be looking to test their mental strength.
"They may get a bit desperate, start to panic and make a few mistakes."
Should they prevail tonight in a game to be screened live on S4C (6pm), the Saints will face either Rosenberg, of Norway, or Swedes IFK Norrköping in the third qualifying round.
The Norwegians are 3-1 up in their tie. TNS can take heart from creditable displays on their travels in recent European sorties, but this promises to be one of their toughest.
And Harrison will be hoping his side can carry on from where they left off in last week's first leg at Park Hall.
He said: "The lads were fantastic. As a team, that was the best performance these lads have put in since I've been here."
The Saints will be checking the fitness of midfielder Aeron Edwards who was forced off with injury 10 minutes before half-time.
Defender Phil Baker is poised to set a new Welsh record of 31 appearances in Europe, beating that of club coach Scott Ruscoe.
