Craig Harrison rates TNS' start to season as ‘seven out of 10’

It’s the seventh of eight league and cup matches this month for Saints, with Craig Harrison’s side, who remain unbeaten eight league games into the season, two points clear of Connah’s Quay Nomads at the top of the table.

Caernarfon, this evening’s hosts, are currently fourth, six points behind Saints, following Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Pontypridd United. Saints added three more points to their own tally last Friday night as they turned on the style to run out impressive 5-1 winners at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

The Park Hall side have now won six and drawn two – against Barry Town United and Bala Town – in the league in the early weeks of the campaign.

Asked if he’s happy overall with the way things have gone so far this season, TNS head coach Harrison said: “Yes, reasonably. We’re in three cup competitions as well, where this time last year we were only left in one.

“Obviously, we got knocked out of the Scottish Challenge Cup first round off Dundee and we got beat off Connah’s Quay in the (Nathaniel) MG Cup first round as well.

“That’s very pleasing that we’re through, so very pleased about that.

“League-wise, I think the only disappointing result we’ve had really – look, we want to win every game – but Barry at home, to drop two points when we had dominated the game completely from start to finish and missed loads of opportunities and give away two poor goals, then that would probably be the only blot on our record really.

“Obviously, Bala’s not an easy place to go and a draw at Bala’s not the end of the world, so, yes, I think probably, if I was to mark it out of 10, I would say probably seven out of 10 up to now domestically, as in league-wise, and probably eight or nine out of 10 if you bring the cup competitions in there.”