The NEW SAINTS boss Scott Ruscoe is backing his players to put European disappointment and defeat to Connah's Quay Nomads last week behind them as they welcome Carmarthen Town on Saturday.

Saints were beaten 1-0 on Deeside last Sunday, having only a few hours training after landing from Denmark after their 3-1 Europa League defeat to FC Midtjylland on Thursday.

But Ruscoe admits he is still unsure of how the south Wales side will present themselves at Park Hall on Saturday, given the upheaval of 2017/18 where a change of management was unforced, leading to Neil Smothers' appointment.

He knows this will allow him to focus on his own players.

"Ahead of Carmarthen on Saturday, we’ll look at a few players we’ve not been able to use so far," he said. "I think they’ve won one and lost one.

"But they’ve got a new lease of life with the management and players and the direction they’re going, so we’ll have to see what Carmarthen turn up.

"Usually, it’s one that was pretty regimented under Mark Aizlewood who usually came with a game plan to stop us. But we’ve just go to be on our guard and get back to the maximum we can give.

"We can just focus on us because of the changes there. But we expect to win every home game anyway. Every one we play, we expect to win and we should be, nine times out of 10, should be winning.

"We’ll train well this week and then work hard to get the three points on Saturday. Connah’s Quay was a one-off – I’ve been proud of the players all pre-season and I’m not going to have a go at them now because they lost to Connah’s Quay.

"We’ll move forward and hope to get the three points."

Kick off is 2.30pm.