Linfield slipped to a narrow defeat to The New Saints in their Champions League first qualifying round, first leg tie in Oswestry.

The only goal of the game came on 56 minutes when Declan McManus found Ryan Brobbel with a diagonal ball who, in turn, slotted the finish beyond Chris Johns into the far corner.

The sides had traded chances in the scoreless first half, with McManus heading over at the near post early on while Brobbel fired just over from inside the box after half-an-hour.

Linfield might have edged in front soon after that only for Joel Cooper to just fail to connect with Robbie McDaid's low cross, and then a few minutes after that when Matthew Clarke saw his header cleared off the line.

The home side almost snatched the advantage just moments into the second half through McManus who fired just over from a good position.

They did, of course, find the net just before the hour and might have doubled their advantage just minutes afterwards when McManus cut inside to flash an effort just past the top corner.

Linfield had numerous opportunities to level in the closing quarter-of-an-hour.

McDaid was played in by Cooper only to be denied by keeper Connor Roberts, who also thwarted Jordan Stewart five minutes later.

Then Chris McKee teed Stephen Fallon up but his close range effort was kept out by Roberts again before, in the closing minutes, Kyle McClean failed to control the ball after being found by Cooper inside the box.

Linfield will have the chance to turn the tie around in the second leg next Wednesday (13th) at Windsor Park, kick-off 7:45pm.

The New Saints: Roberts, Marriott, Davies, Astles, Routledge, Brobbel, McManus, Redmond, Williams, Smith, Davies subs Atherton (not used), Pask (not used), Daniels (not used), Cieslewicz (replaced Williams 76), Hudson (not used), Clark (replaced Redmond 90+1), Canavan (not used), Kirkman (not used), Lock (not used), Warder (not used), Cornish (not used)

Linfield: Johns, Roscoe, Shields, Millar, Cooper, McDaid, Hall, M. Clarke, Finlayson, Fallon, Mulgrew subs Williamson (not used), Walsh (not used), Newberry (not used), McClean (replaced Mulgrew 67), Stewart (replaced Millar 73), McKee (replaced McDaid 79), Devine (not used), Pepper (not used), A. Clarke (not used), Palmer (not used), Archer (not used)