Saturday, February 04, 2012
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Abbott's goal sends Saints to the top

Bala v TNS

THE New Saints returned to the top of the Welsh Premier table with a well-deserved 1-0 win at Bala Town's Maes Tegid.

The only goal of the game arrived three minutes into the second-half when a deep left-wing cross from Scott Ruscoe eluded Town defender Danny Jellicoe at the far post and Steve Abbott produced a cool finish past keeper Leon Bimpson into the far corner.
With keeper Paul Harrison never tested by the Lakesiders, the Saints dominated the game and had strong shouts for first-half penalties when Jellicoe stopped Abbott with a half-Nelson inside the box and a defender later handled the ball.
After the goal, Pip Baker side-footed against a post and Chris Sharp failed to find his elusive first goal in green and white, lobbing Bimpson only to see his effort hit the angle of bar and post.
Abbott had another shot blocked and cleared to safety, while John McKenna was just wide with an outstretched leg to a Ruscoe cross.
Photo: Steve Abbott gets past Bala's Ross Jefferies.

European record

1996/7 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS'' CUP
8 August 1996 / Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 1-1 KS Ruch Chorzow (Poland)
22 August 1996 / Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Warsaw)
KS Ruch Chorzow 5-0 TNS
2000/2001 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
12 July 2000 / Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 2-2 Levadia Maardu (Estonia)
19 July 2000 / Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Tallin)
Levadia Maardu 2-2 TNS
2001/2 UEFA CUP
9 Aug 2001 / Qualifying round 1st leg (Lodz)
Polonia Warsaw 4-0 TNS
23 Aug 2001 / Qualifying round 2nd leg (Wrexham)
TNS 0-2 Polonia Warsaw
2002/3 UEFA CUP
15 August 2002 / Qualifying round 1st leg (Lodz)
Amica Wronki (Poland) 5-0 TNS
29 Aug 2002 / Qualifying round 2nd leg (Newtown)
TNS 2-7 Amica Wronki
2003/4 UEFA CUP
14 Aug 2003 / Qualifying round 1st leg (Manchester)
Manchester City 5-0 TNS
28 Aug 2003 / Qualifying round 2nd leg (Cardiff)
TNS 0-2 Manchester City
2004/5 UEFA CUP
15 Jul 2004 / Qualifying round 1st leg (Vaxjo)
Osters IF (Sweden) 2-0 TNS
29 Jul 2004 / Qualifying round 2nd leg (Wrexham)
TNS 1-2 Osters IF (Sweden)
2005/6 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
13 Jul 2005 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Anfield)
Liverpool 3-0 TNS
19 Jul 2005 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 0-3 Liverpool
2006/7 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
12 Jul 2006 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Anjalankoski)
MyPa-47 1-0 TNS
19 Jul 2006 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Newtown)
TNS 0-1 MyPa-47
2007/8 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
17 Jul 2007 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Newtown)
TNS 3-2 FK Ventspils
25 Jul 2007 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Ventspils)
FK Ventspils 2-1 TNS
2008/9 UEFA CUP
17 Jul 2008 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Marijampole)
FK Suduva 1-0 TNS
31 Jul 2008 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Newtown)
TNS 0-1 FK Suduva
2009/10 EUROPA LEAGUE
2 Jul 2009 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Reykjavik)
FRAM Reykjavik 2-1 TNS
9 Jul 2009 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Oswestry)
TNS 1-2 FRAM Reykjavik
2010 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
13 Jul 2010 / 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Dublin)
Bohemian 1-0 TNS
20 Jul 2010 / 2nd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Oswestry)
TNS 4-0 Bohemian
27 Jul 2010 / 3rd Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 1-3 Anderlecht
3 Aug 2010 / 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Brussels)
Anderlecht 3-0 TNS
2010/11 EUROPA LEAGUE
19 Aug 2010 / 4th Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Sofia)
CSKA Sofia 3-0 TNS
26 Aug 2010 / 4th Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 2-2 CSKA Sofia
2011/12 EUROPA LEAGUE
30 Jun 2011 / 1st Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Oswestry)
TNS 1-1 Cliftonville
7 Jul 2011 / 1st Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Belfast)
Cliftonville 0-1 TNS
14 Jul 2011 / 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Oswestry)
TNS 1-3 FC Midjtylland
21 Jul 2011 / 2nd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Herning)
FC Midtjylland 5-2 TNS