Feronikeli 0 TNS 1

(TNS win 3-2 on agg)

DEAN Ebbe came off the bench to head TNS to glory on a tense night in Pristina.

Ebbe had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds when he rose to steer home Simon Spender’s 67th minute cross.

The Oswestry side survived a nervous opening as the untried central defensive partnership of Adam Davies and Keston Davies came under a torrent of pressure.

Keston Davies made a vital interception with four minutes on the clock with Mevlan Zeka set to strike.

TNS weathered the early storm and came close to breaking the deadlock themselves with Aeron Edwards releasing Greg Draper only for the New Zealander to be denied by a brave save at his feet by home goalkeeper Florjan Smakiqi.

With the first-half ending goalless the Saints returned for the second-half with renewed energy.

Referee Espan Eskas ruled against awarding Jamie Mullan a penalty after the Saints winger was clattered in the area by Yil Hoxha.

However TNS dominated possession and controlled large spells of the game with Adrian Cieslewicz’ shot blocked before Mullan’s spectacular overhead kick went just wide of target.

The introduction of Ebbe changed the fate of the game and within seconds of his arrival the Irishman rose to head home Spender’s cross to give his side an aggregate lead with 20 minutes remaining.

The hosts were sparked into life and with 10,000 home supporters cheering them on the Kosovan champions dominated the remainder of the contest.

However TNS were not to be denied and held out to book their place in the second qualifying round and set-up a clash with Danish champions Copenhagen.

TNS: Harrison, Spender, Davies, Harrington, Redmond, Routledge, Edwards, Cieslewicz (Ebbe 65), Brobbel, Mullan, Draper (Nembhard 79). Subs: Roberts, Hughes, Clark, Byrne, Whitehouse