UEFA Conference League

League Phase Game Three

Shamrock Rovers 2

Kenny 23

Watts 38

The New Saints 1

J Williams 15

THE New Saints’s hopes of taking a step towards Europa League knockout qualification were dealt a blow after defeat to Shamrock Rovers in Dublin.

Jordan Williams's first-half opener was not enough to secure Craig Harrison’s men back-to-back victories in a game where they were often second best.

Goals for Johnny Kerry and Dylan Watts before half-time were enough to give the Irish side their second win in Europe as Saints need four points from three games to secure progress.

Harrison, whose players lined up in dark blue against the green and whites of Rovers picked the same side that started the win over FC Astana in Shrewsbury.

The hosts had much of the early openings as Saints settled into a low defensive block in front of Connor Roberts.

After soaking up pressure, Saints could, and should, have taken the lead on 14 minutes as Jordan Williams’s fine cross – akin to his set-up for Rory Holden against Astana – was nearly turned in by Rovers, via Declan McManus’s head only for home keeper Leon Pöhls to pull off a fine save.

But as Saints kept possession, Ryan Brobbel’s cross a minute later was moved on by McManus and the Scouser Williams was on hand to bundle home to give the visitors the lead.

However, the home side drew level on 23 minutes when TNS were carved open for the first time and, despite Danny Davies’s nest efforts to recover, Kenny smashed home past Roberts and off the underside of the bar.

McManus, looking sharp without much end product, saw his tame effort stopped by Pöhls on the half hour.

With heavy winds arriving at the Tallaght Stadium, Saints were starting to face more pressure as Rovers forced corners.

And that pressure told in the 38th minute when Rovers took the lead as Watts slid home at the back post to convert Darragh Burns’s fine cross.

Saints started the second half well but soon the game fell back into the pattern of defend and break with Harrison’s men struggling to get going offensively.

TNS were relying on last-gasp defending by Davies and Jack Bodenham as Rovers tried to drive home their pressure to give themselves a two-goal cushion.

And it was goal scorer Watts who should have done that on the hour when his excellent work on the edge of the box wasn’t matched by his wasteful finish.

Danny Williams, on 70 minutes, saw his long-distance effort well gathered by Pöhls as he tried to join his namesake on the scoresheet.

Harrison threw on Ben Clark and Adam Wilson in a bid to salvage something from the game and take one step closer to the play-off competition.

However, despite a late flurry of chances for both sides, the score remained as it was and Saints were condemned to defeat.

Roberts, Daniels, Davies, Bodenham, Redmond, Holden (Clark 75), Smith, Williams D, Williams J (Wilson 83), Brobbel, McManus

Subs not used: Edwards, Pask, Cieslewicz, McGahey, Bradley, Baker, Canavan, Woollam, Ooforo, Jones