The New Saints target Euro progress

It’s all to play for in Oswestry following last Thursday’s 1-1 draw in the first leg of the first qualifying round tie in Northern Ireland.

Leo Smith’s fine individual goal gave Saints a first-half lead in Belfast before substitute Jamie McDonagh equalised for Glentoran eight minutes from time.

The winners of tonight’s tie will face either Europa FC from Gibraltar or Lithuanian club FK Kauno Žalgiris in the next round.

Asked what he’s learnt about Glentoran ahead of tonight’s return, TNS head coach Anthony Limbrick said: “We did a lot of research on them before that first game anyway and pretty much how they performed was how we thought that they would play. “They were as good as what we thought. I think they’re a really good side.

“A very tough draw for us. You could see from that game we did well, I think, to get a 1-1 draw.”

Limbrick added: “I thought it was more of like a UK cup tie game as opposed to the traditional European games that you might associate here with TNS from what everyone’s told me about.

“In terms of them, “They were pretty much as we expected, but as tough as what we expected. We’ve got a lot of respect for them and it was a really hard game, yes, really tough game.”

Facing Glentoran is Limbrick’s first taste of managing in European competition - and he’s relishing the experience.

He said: “What I would say is there’s a lot of good experienced people here who have been involved in Europe, so know a lot about it anyway.

“But for me personally, it was one of the big pulls of coming here to TNS, to get that European experience and play against different teams in different places.

“Yes, it’s been great so far and that’s why we want to win Thursday night and progress further and get more of those experiences.”