Europa League Third Qualifying Round

First leg

Ludogorets Razgrad 5

The New Saints 0

The New Saints' European campaign is all but over after they were thrashed in Bulgaria in their Europa League third qualifying round first leg clash against Ludogorets Razgrad.

A Ryan Harrington own goal kicked-off a miserable evening for the Welsh Premier League champions before a Mavis Tchibota double, plus goals from Jody Lukoki and a Cosmin Moti penalty.

It means that the Saints' European campaign will end next week when they host the Bulgarian champions at Wrexham's racecourse ground.

Saints's worst fears were founded on 10 minutes when Harrington was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the ball bounced off him from Jordan Ikoko's effort into his own net.

Saints reacted well to going a goal behind with Simon Spender the unlikely challenger on the home goalkeeper Plamen Iliev, while Ryan Brobbel also worked the stopper with a well-struck free-kick.

But a sloppy pass out of defence from Keston Davies lead to Ragrad doubling their lead on 28 minutes when Tchibota slotted home to give TNS an uphill battle.

Saints' first-half frustrations were best summed up when Jon Routledge was cautioned in the 35th minute, his third of the European campaign and meaning he will miss the return leg in Wrexham next week.

Dean Ebbe – once again preferred to Greg Draper – spurned a fine chance on 38 minutes when he was gifted a through ball by a mistake but he failed to make contact with the ball and it ran out for a goal kick.

It was game over and probably tie over when TNS conceded a third with two minutes left before the break, as Harrington was dispossessed in his own box by Lukoki, who finished well.

Davies was replaced by Blaine Hudson at the break as Saints looked for more solidity.

Saints spurned another chance to claim an all-important away goal on 53 minutes, but Anton Nedyalkov was able to recover and clear the danger.

Ruscoe sent on Draper on the hour to claim that goal but it was the hosts who scored next to add a fourth on 65 minutes when Tchibota slotted home for his second.

It went from bad to worse for Saints when Ludogorets were awarded a penalty after Chris Marriott was penalised for handball.

Paul Harrison saved well only for Moti to smash home the rebound and make it five on 76 minutes.

Saints continued to push for a goal and Brobbel tested Iliev with a 25-yarder and he was equal to the task and pushed it wide for a corner.

Saints: Harrison, Spender (Lewis 69), Harrington, Davies (Hudson 46), Marriott, Routledge, Edwards, Mullan, Brobbel, Redmond, Ebbe (Draper 61)

Not used: Roberts, Cieslewicz, Nembhard, Whitehouse