Shropshire Star

The New Saints 0 Videoton 1 - report and pictures

A second-half strike from Adam Gyurcso left The New Saints with plenty to do in the return leg if they are to stay in this season's UEFA Champions League.

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Gyurcso's low 22-yarder 13 minutes from time gave Videoton a crucial away goal in their 1-0 first leg success.

It sentenced the Saints to their first home defeat at Park Hall since November 2012.

Craig Harrison's men are still in the hunt for the return to Hungary next week, but know they will need to make the most of what chances come their way if they are to progress to the third qualifying round.

The Welsh Premier champions were made to pay for one slip in the first leg when Chris Seargeant lost possession outside the box, allowing midfielder Gyurcso a sight on goal which he took with aplomb.

The Saints had spurned a golden chance in just the second minute of the first leg tie when Chris Marriott's free kick from the left caught the Hungarians cold.

The New Saints: P Harrison, S Spender, C Marriott, K Edwards, C Rawlinson, S Finley, C Seargeant (M Williams 80), A Edwards, A Cieslewicz (J Mullan 55) S Quigley, M Wilde (G Draper 84).

Substitutes not used: P Baker, A Darlington, J Reed, C Mullock.

Videoton FC: P Gabor, A Fejes, R Juhasz, R Szolnoki, P Vinicius, T Koltai (M Pajac 65), I Kovacs, M Patkai (D Trebotic 70) A Simon, A Gyurcso, F Oliveira (K Luijckx 82).

Substitutes not used: T Heffler, A Lang, V Sejben, D Trebotic, J Gyano.

Referee: Jan Valasek (Slovakia)

Both the unmarked Aeron Edwards and Mike Wilde both failed to make contact with the goal at their mercy.

Having swept aside Faroe Islanders B36 Torshavn in the previous round, it was soon apparent that Videoton would prove a tougher proposition.

The visitors were soon in their stride, looking lively going forward with some measured movement and passing in attack.

Some timely blocks thwarted a couple of strikes from the dangerous Filipe Oliveira, with the TNS defence at full stretch.

The foot of goalkeeper Paul Harrison's denied Gyuroso's low shot, after the midfielder had been put clear midway through the first half.

Videoton, however, were living a little dangerously themselves with goalkeeper Peter Gabor's clearance just eluding the outstretched leg of striker Wilde, a hat-trick hero in the previous round.

The Oswestry-based Saints, fielding the same side that served them so well in the previous round, also had their moments, only for the final pass to go astray as they failed to make the most of some promising positions.

Scott Quigley's deflected shot was gathered by Gabor under pressure from Wilde on the half hour, while Adrian Cieslewicz drove a scorching 25-yarder just wide following a strong run in the 35th minute.

Five minutes after the break, Videoton defender Andras Fejes sent a firm header straight at Harrison from a corner, but for most part clear cut cut chances in short supply.

Tamas Koltai glanced just wide from Gyurcso's cross from the left byline and sub Marko Pajac saw a goal bound shot diverted for a corner.

At the other end, Gabor turned away a Chris Seargeant free kick from the left that was heading into the top corner.

After the game's decisive moment arrived through Gyurcso on 77 minutes, Aeron Edwards almost pulled back a spectacular reply when his 25-yard volley fizzed inches over the bar two minutes from time.

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