Shropshire Star

The New Saints looking to bounce back

The New Saints will look to shrug off their first defeat of the season when they visit St Mirren for Sunday's IRN-BRU Scottish Challenge Cup semi-final (4.10).

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It will be the battle of the Saints as TNS head north of the border looking for a place in the final of a competition they have entered for the first time this season.

The runaway Dafabet Welsh Premier pacesetters make the trip to Paisley on the back of a 1-0 loss at Carmarthen Town, their first defeat in any competition this season.

But boss Craig Harrison insists there will be no hangover as his high flying side look to quickly get back to winning ways in pursuit of an historic quadruple of trophies.

"That defeat will have no bearing at all," he said. "You want to win every game you play, so we will dust ourselves down and go again for what will be another tough game. We will be 100 per cent focused.

"It would have been more disappointing had we not played well last week, but the lads were excellent.

"We turned the screw in the second half, pinned them back, but just could not get the goal when the opportunities came along.

"Carmarthen are strong, physical and well organised. We had chances, but did not take them."

Despite the defeat, TNS still stand an imposing 21 points clear at the top, and four points from their remaining eight outings would secure a sixth successive league crown.

The Saints will be making their third trip north of the border for the IRN-BRU Cup after overcoming Forfar Athletic 3-1 and Livingston 3-0 in the earlier rounds.

St Mirren have suffered a difficult campaign, and are currently rooted to the foot of the Ladbrokes Scottish Championship. seven points adrift.

Nevertheless, it promises to be the toughest test so far in the competition for TNS if they are to make the final. The game will be screened live ony S4C.

Despite their league form, the Buddies reached the Scottish Cup quarter-finals last weekend with a 3-2 win at East Fife.

Their manager, Jack Ross, joined from Alloa Athletic last October, just days after his former club defeated another Welsh Premier side Bala Town in the cup.

The other IRN-BRU Cup semi-final, between Queen of the South and Dundee United, will be contested on Saturday, with the final to be played on the weekend of March 25/26.

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