TNS chief Anthony Limbrick pleased with pre-season variety
The New Saints head coach Anthony Limbrick feels variety has been key to his side's pre-season plans.
The Saints, who kick off in Europe in under two weeks, return from Scotland today after a friendly against Ayr United, which caps a week in St Andrews in which they also drew 1-1 against East Fife.
Limbrick, in his first summer in the job, revealed he was keen to mix up TNS' opposition this summer in preparation for the start of their UEFA Conference campaign against Northern Irish outfit Glentoran.
He said: "Playing against different teams in different leagues is good because that's what we'll face when we're in Europe.
"Coming to different grounds, against teams we don't know, is really valuable, to get a different flavour of other teams during pre-season is good.
"That's where this training camp has been great for us, to get out of our environment and have different experiences."
Attacking stalwart Adrian Cieslewicz was on target from the penalty spot late on to earn TNS a draw against East Fife on Wednesday to remain unbeaten this summer. Limbrick involved five TNS scholars in the fixture against the third tier Scots.
"There was a great tempo to it, an excellent test for us, a different type of test against a really well-organised, physical side who tried to play the right way too," Limbrick added.
"We hadn't conceded in pre-season so to concede one and see the reaction was really important.
"Louis Robles came on and did great up front, did what he usually does, running in behind and down the side, preying on team's mistakes and he won the penalty."
