TOP DUO REMAIN UPBEAT DESPITE WEXITS

THE NEW SAINTS and Gap Connah’s Quay can now fully focus on gearing up for the new Welsh Premier League season after both clubs were knocked out of European competition this week.

TNS, who picked up an impressive goalless draw against Apoel Nicosia last week, were soundly beaten 3-0 in Cyprus to end their interest in the Champions League.

The Welsh champions held out for 54 minutes on Tuesday night before Nektarios Alexandrou gave Apoel the lead.

Pieros Sotiriou and Tomas de Vicenti then made the victory secure as TNS exited at the second round qualifying for the second straight season.

Proud Saints boss Craig Harrison said:“I am gutted, we all are, but it shows you the expectation there is now at this club.

“We competed for 90 minutes last week and for an hour in Nicosia and when they scored it did not change our plan as we knew a goal would still be enough to see us through.

“For 65 minutes we worked our socks off but Apoel are a very good team. We have once again worked so hard to go as far as possible in the Champions League and have won two, drawn one and lost one of our four games in the competition this year.”

Connah’s Quay, who had fallen to a 1-0 defeat in Serbia last week, put up a valiant fight but ultimately saw their debut Europa League campaign end after a 2-1 home loss to FK Vojvodina on Thursday night.

Serbian U19 international Dejan Meleg scored from a free-kick and then a penalty to put the game beyond the Nomads before Wes Baynes’ late consolation at Rhyl’s Belle Vue Stadium.

Despite the defeat, optimistic boss Andy Morrison is predicting an exciting season ahead.

“I take so many positives and I’m so proud to do what we’ve done against a very good team,” he said.

“We’re going to be a very, very formidable force next year.

“The spirit within our group, the heart and desire, we take a lot of positives from this run.”