Saints can't dwell on Champions League exit - Harrison

Head coach Craig Harrison says The New Saints cannot "feel sorry" for themselves following their Champions League exit.

The Cymru Premier champions lost 2-1 at home to Sabah of Azerbaijan in the second leg of the first qualifying round and went out 4-1 on aggregate.

Saints now drop into the Uefa Conference League and Harrison said his side must refocus ahead of the trip to face Flora Tallinn in Estonia next Thursday.

"We can't feel sorry for ourselves," Harrison said.

"We've given everything we have but we've not been good enough and Sabah have been better than us, so we've got to accept that.

"When we had moments, good times or good spells, ultimately we didn't convert that pressure into goals.

"But there's lots of positives as we're moving into the next game.

"It's not going to be easy but if we combine the two performances then we'll give ourselves a great chance of going through."

Saints were without striker Brad Young, who rejoined the club during the close season, for both legs due to injury.

Harrison said it was unlikely the former Aston Villa youngster would be fit for next week's first leg in Estonia.

Adam Wilson, Ben Wilson and Rory Holden were among a number of players also absent through injury.

"We had eight players that weren't available to start the game and all of them would have been in contention," Harrison told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"But no excuses at all because I thought the lads that came in did extremely well, worked so hard and took their opportunity."

Saints started brightly against Sabah, the champions of Azerbaijan, but goals from Joy-Lance Mickels and Rahman Dashdamirov put the tie beyond them.

"We had a couple of good chances before they scored and it would have been interesting to see what would have happened after that," Harrison added.

"But unfortunately at half-time it was 2-0 and ultimately, unless there's a miracle, the tie is probably over.

"Is said to the boys 'let's go and win the second half – don't cower down or shrink into a shell' I would rather us get beaten heavily than shy away."