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09.07.2009 at 19:00 Park Hall
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Attendance: 933 |
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The New Saints
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1 - 2
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Fram Reykjavik
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Referee: |
EUROPA LEAGUE / 1st qualifying round, 2nd leg |
Steve Evans (11)
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Almar Ormarsson (16)
Sam Tillen, pen (66) |
Chris Marriott (17)
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Sam Tillen (76)
Hjalmar Thorarinsson (81)
Kristjan Hauksson (85) |
Saints denied in Europe again
THE New Saints failed to end their barren run of results in Europe as they went down to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Fram Reykjavik.
But they could consider themselves a trifle unlucky after dominating for most of the game, with the hosts indebted to young keeper Hannes Halldorsson, who made several fine saves.
TNS got the perfect start, wiping-out their first-leg deficit after just 12 minutes.
Scorer of their away goal, Steve Evans was pressed into service as a striker and the move paid dividends when he headed home at the far post after Chris Marriott had flicked-on a Tommy Holmes cross.
A defensive error five minutes later put Fram level, a long ball over the top finding Almar Ormasson who turned Phil Baker and slotted the ball past Paul Harrison.
Alex Darlington's header was tipped away by Halldorsson, before Evans hit the post with another header from a Scott Ruscoe cross.
Another Evans effort was deflected agonisingly wide of his own post by defender Jon Fjoluson and Haldorsson then took centre stage, saving from Evans twice and Baker.
The killer blow arrived on 66 minutes when, totally against the run of play, Sam Tillen netted his second penalty of the ties after Baker had brought down Thorarinsson following a suicidal back pass by Barry Hogan.
TNS had more efforts on goal but the task of scoring three times in the remaining 20 minutes was beyond them - but Andy Cale's men were very unfortunate to bow out at the first qualifying round stage. |
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