By Josh Thomas

Scott Ruscoe has rubbished suggestions that the TNS empire is crumbling after they lost two JD Welsh Premier League games in a row before responding with a win at Jenner Park at the weekend.

The New Saints manager reacted forcefully to claims the champions are on the wane after his team had showed their power by winning 2-0 at in-form Barry Town.

“You get people talking about TNS are gone, TNS are this, TNS are that. I have been at this club since 2002 and I have lost count of how many trophies I have won,” said Ruscoe.

“I know how to win football matches, so I am not being big-headed but I have been here and done it. That is just showing everybody where we are and our intentions for the future.

“We controlled the game. We never let them in behind, our structure was good and so was how we wanted to play. Joash Nembhard got his goal and I thought he was excellent . I just thought defensively we were sound and the way we dominated the ball, was like the TNS of old.”

Ruscoe praised his opponents after the win, which moved The New Saints onto the same number of points as Barry and Connah’s Quay Nomads, but back to the top of the table on goal difference.

TNS had gone into the game on the back of three matches without a win, but although Barry were beaten, Ruscoe conceded: “They’re certainly in there.

“They have got excellent coaching staff and good players. They bind into what the management wants, you can see that. You can see that they’re well structured – they have got some good players.

“I went to see them against Connah’s Quay last week and I have to say, towards the end, they should have won the game.”

“Connah’s Quay is a tough place to go but they probably would have felt a little bit hard done by.

“They have got everything here to push and be a successful Welsh Premier League club, just like they were back in the day when I used to play against them. They’re on the right track.”

Barry manager Gavin Chesterfield celebrated his 400^th in charge of the Vale and Glamorgan outfit, 11 years after his first against Garden Village in the Welsh League Division Two.

“Four hundred games have flown by,” he said. “I have had numerous highs and lows but the show rolls on.

“Our sights are set and quite simply this -we need to establish ourselves in the top six and once we do that, then we can earn the right to dream.

“In the future, who knows what this group of players can go onto achieve, because I do think they can grow and get better.

“Yeah, this is the best group of players I have had. There is no doubt about that. I have got players on the bench who deserve to be playing week in, week out.

“It is a competitive squad and they will improve again. We currently sit joint top of the JD Welsh Premier League but what excites me the most is how far this team can possibly go.”