Winston Churchill will play a role in The New Saints’ bid to succeed in Europe.
Their 2-1 win against Lincoln Red Imps, champions of Gilbraltar, gives the Welsh club a chance of making progress, but it’s going to be a tough return leg.
Dean Ebbe and defender Blaine Hudson, with a late winner, scored the goals for Saints.
Now they must visit Imps’ stadium in Gibraltar next Thursday and that game will be at the Victoria Stadium in Winston Churchill Avenue where all Premier League games are played along with the League fixtures in the second tier and the women’s league.
Manager Scott Ruscoe and his team must surely score in Gibraltar if they are to make progress into the next round.
TNS struggled to find fluency and rhythm after they started brightly and went ahead after six minutes when Dean Ebbe fired home.
But instead of taking control, Saints seemed to sit back and Lincoln Red Imps gained confidence from their possession.
Spanish centre-forward Falu Aranda caused TNS centre-backs Blaine Hudson and teenager Ben Cabago, signed on loan from Swansea City, all sorts of problems.
Ebbe swept Saints ahead when he finished clinically after good work by Kane Lewis and Jamie Mullen, who pulled the ball back from the byeline. Lone TNS striker Ebbe controlled with his chest and volleyed home.
At that stage Welsh Premier League champions Saints looked in good shape, but they seemed intent on protecting their lead and Imps, who have a lot of technical ability in their team, stepped up the tempo.
Aranda seemed to bully Hudson and Cabago and the visitors, who have won the Gibraltar League title 22 times including 16 consecutive champions from 2003, were dominating possession.
The introduction of New Zealand international Greg Draper for injured Ebbe five minutes before half-time altered the TNS mindset and they went at Imps.
Draper, Welsh Premier League golden boot winner last season on 22 goals, brought a full stretch save from goalkeeper Manuel Soler after he made a beautifully timed run and flicked in a long towards the far post.
Soon after Aeron Edwards headed goalwards from a set piece and Soler threw himself across goal to save.
Saints named an unchanged starting line-up from their 4-0 win against Macedonian team KF Shkendija last week, although they went out 5-4 on aggregate and moved from the European Champions League to Europa League football.
The second leg of this clash is in Gibraltar next week and TNS badly needed a goal to take a lead into the away leg.
Daniel Redmond went close with a shot which was cleared off the line, but Imps went close when an Ortiz header was saved.
TNS scored their winner when Edwards headed back across goal at a set piece and Hudson nodded in after 83 minutes to earn the Welsh club victory on the night.
Now their task is to survive a second leg challenge against a talented Imps team in the return leg.
The New Saints: Paul Harrison (capt), Chris Marriott, Thomas Holland, Benjamin Cabango, Jon Routledge, Daniel Redmond (Adrian Cieslewicz 89), Blaine Hudson, Jamie Mullen Dean Ebbe (Greg Draper 40), Kane Lewis, Aeron Edwards. Subs not used: Connor Roberts (gk), Simon Spender, Ryan Brobell, Joash Nembhard, Kurtis Byrne.
Lincoln Red Imps: Manuel Soler, Jean Carlos Garcia, Joeph Chipolina (Andre Dos Santos 88), Anthony Hernandez, Ryan Casciaro (capt), Alejandro Moreno, Falu Aranda (Juanma Ortiz 64), Sykes Garro, Juan Manuel Montesinos Romero, Alvaro Oliver (Oliver Annesley 65), Diego Gamiz. Subs not used: Jaylan Hankins (gk), Lee Casciaro, Pedro Corral, Antonio Calderon.
Referee: Thorvaldur Arnason (Iceland).
