Shropshire Star

TNS boss Craig Harrison looking to complete a treble of trebles

The New Saints have the chance to clinch a domestic treble as they prepare to face Connah’s Quay Nomads in tomorrow’s JD Welsh Cup final (5.25pm).

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Saints have enjoyed a stunning unbeaten season in the JD Cymru Premier, finishing 33 points clear at the top of the table as champions.

Having also lifted the Nathaniel MG Cup, the Welsh League Cup, earlier this season, the Park Hall side are now chasing more silverware ahead of their final match of another highly successful campaign.

Tomorrow’s Welsh Cup final, at League Two club Newport County’s Rodney Parade ground, will be the sixth time Saints and Nomads have met this season.

Saints have won the previous five matches between the clubs, including last weekend’s 2-0 victory on the final day of the league season when the three points were secured by two late goals.

Reflecting on the possibility of completing a treble, TNS head coach Craig Harrison said: “Yes, that would be fantastic. That’s what we’ve set our sights on trying to do. Fortunately in my time here, I’ve done it twice. It’s something really, really special. The Welsh Cup is really special.”

But Harrison is well aware that Nomads, the league runners-up, will again provide his side with tough opposition in South Wales after a close game in Oswestry last Sunday.

He added: “Connah’s Quay just proved the point that we’re not going to turn up and it’s not going to be a formality, far from it. Connah’s Quay probably deserved to go 1-0 up in the game and then it could have been completely different, so, yes, it’s going to be tough.”

Saints, the Welsh Cup holders, retrieved a two-goal deficit to get the better of Cardiff Metropolitan University 6-2 in last month’s semi-final at Newtown’s Latham Park.

Harrison’s side beat Ruthin Town 5-0, Trethomas Bluebirds 7-0, Carmarthen Town 3-0 and Briton Ferry Llansawel 5-1 in the earlier rounds of the historic competition.

Meanwhile, TNS goalkeeper Connor Roberts said it was “fantastic” to have helped Saints enjoy an invincible league campaign with a record of 30 wins and two draws from their 32 JD Cymru Premier fixtures.

Roberts added: “I’ve said countless times TNS have had some unbelievable sides that haven’t got quite managed to do that, so to be a part of a team that has achieved that is fantastic.”