THE New Saints saved their best until last in the Uefa Futsal Cup preliminary group B in Geneva on Friday night.
They lost 7-11 to Irish champions EID on another sultry evening in the Salle Henry Dunant but demonstrated the rapid strides they have made since starting to play the five-a-side game just three months ago.
The Saints fought back to equalise through Adam Jenkins and Barry Haralambous after going behind twice in the first nine minutes.
Haralambous and Scott Quigley then added further goals before the Saints finished the game with a flourish.
Captain and coach Eric Ramsay twice succeeded from the second penalty spot and, with the Dubliners pressing without a goalkeeper, completed his hat-trick with a long range effort into an unguarded net.
Hosts Geneva Futsal became the first Swiss side to reach the next stage with a 5-2 win over Nautara Kaunas but it was the TNS squad, with an average age of just 18, who won the admiration of the crowd and their opponents for their maturity and sportsmanship throughout the competition.
Photo: The Saints celebrate Eric Ramsay's final long range goal.