A jubilant Scott Ruscoe believes it was crucial his side laid down the marker of winning the Welsh Cup and Welsh Premier League double after beating Connah’s Quay Nomads.

A Ryan Brobbel double of free kicks after Greg Draper’s opener was enough to seal a first league and FAW Cup double since 2016 at The Rock.

But he admitted that Nomads boss Andy Morrison’s pre-match comments fired his side as well as showing Saints’ stars their cup run so far.

“Last season, we won the league and league cup double but to do the league and cup double this year was very important,” he said.

“It shows that we’re still where everyone else wants to be. I told them to enjoy because no-one wanted to see them on that stage.

“Everyone wants to be where we are and they say they’ve closed the gap but they haven’t.

“We showed the players the footage in their cup run and how they got there, and said it’s there for them if they wanted it.

“We said make sure they do because in a cup final, no-one remembers the losers – it’s only the winners’ names on there.

“I said it was the best way to finish the season, to go out there and win that double.

“I think the build-up has got to Morrison with coming so close in the league and nearly wrapping that up but then that was taken away from him and we’ve won it by 12 points.

“It was his chance to turn things around and make it a one-off game which is what a final is and anything can happen.

“We went and beat them again last week too so from my point of view it shows we’re still dominant and we’re that team that everyone wants to beat.”

Ruscoe admitted he was delighted with the start his side made, settling any nerves inside the first 10 minutes.

And it was ‘big game’ stars for TNS that got them over the line, according to Ruscoe, after skipper Paul Harrison’s crucial half-time save and Brobbel’s double with Draper’s opener.

He added: “It was the perfect start for us, Greg scoring after seven minutes and I’m really pleased for him because he was in the right place to finish it off.

“That’s good for him because it’s another goal he’s scored this season. He’s been in and out, but Greg has been excellent from the bench and now he’s deserved the right to start, as he has done in the last few weeks.

“Paul’s save right on the stroke of half-time was crucial. If that goes in, it’s a totally different game but then we get one more and the game is done.

“Ryan has simply been quality – he’s got 17 or 18 goals now and what a great season he’s had personally.

“He started it injured and it’s taken him some time to get back into the team and do what he’s done – first class.”