Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Glentoran and The New Saints drew 1-1 in a pre-season friendly at The BetMcLean Oval. Ben Wilson scored early for TNS but Jordan Jenkins equalised before half-time in a useful workout for both European-bound sides.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
The Welsh champions struck with just nine minutes on the clock. Jordan Williams delivered a pinpoint cross from the right flank and Ben Wilson arrived inside the six-yard box to convert, giving TNS an early lead.
Glentoran's best response came through former TNS winger Joshua Daniels — facing his old club for the first time since a permanent switch in February — whose 28th-minute strike from the edge of the area forced Nathan Shepperd into a save.
The leveller arrived 11 minutes before half-time. An excellent delivery from the right found Jordan Jenkins, who powered a header past the TNS goalkeeper to make it 1-1 at the break.
The turning point
Both managers rotated heavily at half-time. Craig Harrison changed his entire TNS XI to spread minutes across the squad — a clear statement of pre-season priorities over winning the game. That wholesale change let Glentoran back into the contest after they had been outplayed in the opening quarter.
Key performers
- Ben Wilson (TNS): Scored the early opener with a sharp close-range finish, continuing his bright pre-season form.
- Jordan Jenkins (Glentoran): Rose highest to power home a header and level the scores, maintaining an encouraging pre-season goal run.
- Brad Young (TNS): The summer signing threatened after the break, denied by a fine Billy Crellin save within four minutes of the restart and later embarking on a mazy run into the box that drew multiple defenders.
- Connor Edwards (TNS): Kept the scores level with a low save to his left from James Douglas's effort five minutes from time.
Player of the match: Jordan Jenkins — his header was the moment of quality Glentoran needed to avoid defeat against a strong TNS side.
By the numbers — interpreted
The match page shows two goals from limited chances across both sides. That modest attacking output is typical of a pre-season friendly where both teams changed personnel heavily — TNS's entire XI at the break — disrupting any sustained rhythm. The 0 cards recorded reflect the friendly nature of the contest. Glentoran created the clearer chances, particularly Jenkins's headed goal and Douglas's late attempt saved by Edwards.
What it means
For Glentoran, this was the penultimate test before their UEFA Conference League First Qualifying Round tie against Latvian champions RFS on 9 July 2026. Declan Devine's side have one more friendly scheduled before competitive action begins.
For The New Saints, the draw continues their build-up to the UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round. Harrison's squad rotation — 11 changes at the interval — showed a focus on conditioning over result. They face H&W Welders on 26 June before their European opener.
Verdict
A useful workout for both clubs, with the scoreline secondary to minutes in legs and tactical sharpening. Glentoran will take confidence from matching the Welsh champions, while TNS's depth — evident in the full XI swap — bodes well for a long European campaign.
Match Events
Key match events between Glentoran and The New Saints — 2 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Rivalry since 2021
Glentoran vs The New Saints Head to Head Results· 2
Glentoran and The New Saints have met 2 times — Glentoran won 0, The New Saints won 1, with 1 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2021. The New Saints leads the head-to-head with 1 victory from 2 meetings. A combined 4 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.00 per match (1 for the home side, 3 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 1 match (50%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 0 games (0%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–0 in 2021.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 27 Jun 2026