UEFA Champions League

First Qualifying Round First Leg

TNS 1

Brobbel 57

Linfield 0

THE New Saints will head to Belfast aiming to finish the job and reach the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round after a narrow win over Linfield.

Ryan Brobbel’s solo goal early in the second half was enough to separate the sides at Park Hall as Saints dominated much of a tight game.

The winger, against his countrymen, slalomed past the Linfield right-sided defence to coolly slot home and give Saints the advantage at the halfway stage.

The opening 20 minutes was a cagey affair as the home side found their feet against a hardworking but limited Linfield.

Saints skipper Chris Marriott had his name taken on 25 minutes when he dragged back Linfield’s Stephen Fallon, much to the home side’s dismay.

The clash came alive with five minutes to go to the break when Connor Roberts, aiming to make the number one shirt his own, pulled off a stunning stop from Joel Cooper.

The veteran stopper stood tall to beat away Cooper’s effort and Danny Davies backed his keeper with a brilliant header off the line on the half hour.

The deadlock was broken 12 minutes into the second period when former Northern Ireland under-21 international Brobbel picked up Declan McManus’s switch-hit in the 18-yard box.

He then jinked his way past two Linfield defenders and calmly stroked home in the bottom right-hand corner.

And it should have been two minutes later when McManus narrowly floated over from 18 yards.

Saints maintained their lead but with no small thanks to Roberts who stood firm when Robbie McDaid managed to get one-on-one, using his chest to block the ball on 74 minutes.

Roberts was on-hand to save again as he fended away Fallon’s effort on the narrow angle just moments later.

Linfield’s big moment came and went when sub Kyle McClean failed to take advantage of finding himself free in the box with minutes remaining.

The ball landed at his feet but he somehow spooned the ball away and Roberts smothered it and Saints survived.

TNS (4-3-3): Roberts; D Davies, K Davies, Astles, Marriott; Routledge, Redmond (Clark 90), Smith; Williams (Cieslewicz 76), Brobbell, McManus.

Subs not used: Atherton, Pask, Daniels, Hudson, Canavan, Kirkman, Lock, Warder, Cornish.

Referee: Andrei Florin Chivulete (Romania)