Champions League
Neath next-up after Saints despatch the Exiles
Saturday 28 January 2012
NEATH are next-up for The New Saints in the quarter-finals of the Welsh Cup after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Newport County at Park Hall.
With the Exiles also in Blue Square Premier action at Gateshead, manager Justin Edinburgh sent an inexperienced squad to Oswestry and they were despatched by four first-half goals.
The visitors could have drawn first blood when Myron Khan volleyed over the bar from a corner in the second minute but, a double salvo from the Saints virtually ended the game as a contest.
Scott Ruscoe's corner was drilled back into the box and defender Connell Rawlinson stabbed home from close range past keeper Danny Potter.
And, just four minutes later, Luke Holden's flag kick was returned into the box by Craig Jones for Alex Darlington to finish.
Greg Draper added a superb third on 26 minutes with a 25-yard volley and Jones hit an equally exquisite effort into the top corner two minutes before the break.
TNS dropped down a couple of gears in the second half with next week's game against Neath in mind and had little difficulty holding their visitors at bay, with sub Ryan Fraughan, Nicky Ward and Fraughan again all close to increasing the goal tally.
Quarter-final dtaw:
Bala Town v Llanelli AFC
Airbus UK Broughton v Carmarthen Town
Aberystwyth Town v Cefn Druids
The New Saints v Neath FC
Ties to be played on the weekend of 25/26/27 February.
Photo: Greg Draper hails Connell Rawlinson who put the Saints in front.
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TNS 3-2 FK Ventspils (2007)
Champions League record
12 July 2000 / Qualifying Round 1st Leg (Wrexham)
TNS 2-2 Levadia Maardu (Estonia)
19 July 2000 / Qualifying Round 2nd Leg (Tallin)
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
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