THE New Saints manager Scott Ruscoe will not blame anyone for his side’s defeat on penalties which saw them exit the UEFA Europa League on Wednesday.

Ruscoe’s men lost on penalties against B36 Tórshavn of the Faroe Islands after drawing 2-2 after extra time.

The game came to life shortly after half-time when Tórshavn’s Michal Przybylski put the hosts ahead, before Saints’ Leo Smith continued his good scoring record to level the scores in the 80th minute.

Dean Ebbe put TNS ahead with eight minutes of extra time remaining, but Stefan Radosavljevic sent the game to a penalty shootout in the 122nd minute.

Ebbe and Danny Redmond failed to convert their spot kicks, handing the Faroese side the victory and a place in the next round.

Although a defeat on penalties was difficult to take, Ruscoe says no one was at fault for the result.

“It’s hard to take, penalties are a lottery aren’t they,” he told TNS TV.

“I’ve got no complaints about the penalty shootout, we’ve won our fair share of them and we’ve lost a few as well.

“But I just thought after we got that goal to go 2-1 up that we would be able to see it out.

“It was an open game, they had their chances in the first half. I don’t think we played great in the first half in terms of keeping the ball and creating many chances.

“I felt that the longer the game went on we’d have more chances which was the case.

“Penalties come around and players have cramp and tiredness and mixed emotions from how the match has gone.

“It’s a psychological battle and walking up to the spot from the halfway line is a lonely walk and if you’re not in the right frame of mind you can change your decision

“I’m not blaming anyone for us going out on penalties.”

It was a night of heartbreak for the TNS players, but Ruscoe believed it was always going to be a tough task to get a result away from home.

He said: “Coming away from home and playing one leg is a bit like a cup final as I’ve said before.

“I’m just disappointed and I’m gutted for the players.

“When their lad stepped up and hit the bar in the penalty shootout we thought luck might have been with us.”

He will now look to prepare his side for their next JD Cymru Premier game which will see them face Cardiff Met at Park Hall on Sunday.