TNS manager Scott Ruscoe believes his side are almost prepared for their UEFA Champions League clash in Macedonia next week.

TNS beat Scottish Championship side Falkirk 2-0 on Friday night at Park Hall with Ryan Brobbel and Adrian Cieslewicz on target while new signing Kurtis Byrne made his debut following his arrival from Northern Irish side Linfield.

The Saints concluded their preparations with a behind closed doors friendly at Scottish Premiership side Glasgow Rangers on Tuesday before turning full attention to their trip to Macedonian champions KF Shkëndija next week.

“We did really well on Friday night”” said Ruscoe. “I was more pleased with the performance than I was with the result.

“Falkirk had been training for a week but they are a Scottish Championship club and these are the sides we want to be competing against.

“We were able to take the lads off at 60 or 70 minutes and the people who came on did just as well.”

Byrne became the Oswestrians’ of the summer following his arrival last week.

The Saints had already strengthened with the arrival of Swansea City on loan defender Ben Cabango, former Liverpool defender Kane Lewis, ex-Staines Town defender Joash Nembhard, former Hamilton Academical midfielder Danny Redmond, ex-Accrington Stanley midfielder Josh Hmami and goalkeeper Connor Roberts from Bangor City.

Ruscoe confirmed the squad for the first leg in Macedonia was all but settled with nine starting places sealed.

“There are nine spots pretty sorted with two starting places up for grabs still but the other places can go either way and there are still places to play for.

“When you’ve got a squad of 22 you need to have these headaches. You need to have a competitive squad and we’re seeing it in training. The edge is there and the togetherness is there too.”

TNS will hope this season finally ends a long wait to progress to the lucrative group stages with their 2010/11 run to the third qualifying round and a meeting with Belgian giants Anderlecht remaining the club’s best ever European campaign,

Format changes this season mean defeat for TNS would still ensure a second chance in European competition in the Europa League.