The New Saints seeking a performance in Luxembourg
Defender Harrison McGahey says The New Saints have to “go and perform how we know we can away” as they attempt to keep their European hopes alive in Luxembourg tonight.
Saints go into their Uefa Conference League second qualifying round return leg against Differdange 03 (7pm) trailing 1-0 after last Wednesday’s initial meeting between the sides at Park Hall.
Artur Abreu’s first-half goal has left Saints, who found clear chances hard to come by in Oswestry, with it all to do as they look to turn the tie around against the champions of Luxembourg.
Reflecting on last week’s home match, McGahey said: “It’s obviously a tough one to take. Getting beat at home is tough.
“We’ve just got to put it to one side now and go and perform how we know we can away, and I’m sure we’ll get the job done.”
McGahey, who played in the Football League for Blackpool, Sheffield United, Rochdale, Scunthorpe and Oldham before joining Saints last June, added: “I don’t think there was much in the game. I think a 0-0 would have been fine in this game, but obviously they took the lead, so it’s difficult for us.
“But we’ve got to just pick ourselves up and move on from it.”
McGahey was part of the TNS squad which enjoyed such an impressive European campaign last season.
Saints memorably became the first JD Cymru Premier side to qualify for the league phase of a European competition, with high-profile matches against the likes of Fiorentina and Panathinaikos the club’s reward for enjoying progress in the Conference League.
They eventually played 14 European matches between last July and December during an exciting run.
McGahey said: “I think last season was incredible, what the club done, but that was last year.
"We’ve now got to do it this year, but we’ve now got to do it the tough way.”
TNS head coach Craig Harrison has enjoyed some special European nights with the club.
He will now be looking for another one as Saints strive to extend this season’s European adventure.
Reflecting on the tie with Differdange following the first leg, Harrison said: “The boys are bitterly disappointed, but it’s in our own hands again.
"What would have been bitterly disappointing, if they had have maybe scored a second on the counter-attack when we’re throwing the kitchen sink in the last 15, 20 minutes, and that would have been a real uphill challenge.
“Obviously, it’s a challenge as it is, but it’s a challenge that from me, from my staff and from the players, we spoke about after the game that we’ll go and look at things and make things better.
“And we’ll relish the opportunity and the chance to go out there and try and put things right.”
The winners of the tie between Saints and Differdange will progress to a third qualifying round clash against either Estonian club FCI Levadia Tallinn or FC Iberia 1999 from Georgia.
