TNS boss Craig Harrison says Welsh Cup hunger fuelled by defeat

Perfectionist Craig Harrison insists The New Saints’ trophy hunger was fuelled by early-season frustration.

Returning boss Harrison made it back-to-back domestic doubles for the Oswestry side with Sunday’s 6-0 rout of Bala Town in Bangor.

The champions’ boss, though, recalled a penalty defeat to Connah’s Quay Nomads in early August, days after his appointment and sole league defeat. He said: “It could’ve gone better, we could’ve won the three trophies and gone unbeaten.

“We were beaten in Cardiff Met, our only domestic defeat, it’s the standards I drive. I’m fuming about those still! You’d think I’d get over Bala beating us in the Welsh Cup in 2017, but I was still fuming.

“We’ve got to keep driving the standards. The players have responded fantastically.

“It’s not just decided on the pitch, it’s decided Monday to Friday, how hard they work, the competition for places and the professionalism. We came up to a cup final and I was quite sad having to leave four or five players who have worked so hard out of the squad. It’s down to them, they keep everyone so focused and the competition for places.”