UEFA Conference League The New Saints 0 Panathinaikos 2 Full time

New Saints' Ben Clark tackles Giorgos Vagiannidi

The New Saints' dreams of creating further European history were dealt a reality check by Panathinaikos as the Welsh champions suffered a third straight Conference League defeat.

Goals from former Southampton striker Filip Duricic and Greece international Fotis Ioannidis were enough for the visitors.

TNS - the first Welsh league side to reach the group stages of European competition - were far from outclassed against the Greek giants.

But they struggled to create find openings to hurt their opponents once they fell behind on 15 minutes when Serbia international Duricic pounced from close range.

TNS manager Craig Harrison might well feel aggrieved at the awarding of a penalty for a foul on Duricic, which visiting captain Ioannidis converted for the game's second goal just after the hour mark.

And while it was another competitive performance that was not short of pride, the points needed to extend TNS' stay in Europe were again out of reach.

The result does not eliminate the Welsh side before next week's final fixtures, but they are now likely to need other results - as well as goal difference - to go in their favour.

They remain on three points from their solitary victory over Astana - two points behind Basaksehir who currently occupy 24th place and the final play-off position.

TNS' final fixture is in Slovenia against Celje, the lowest seeds in their pairings who were beaten against Pafos in Thursday's penultimate round of games.

Panathinaikos, meanwhile, should be now assured of progress beyond the group stage in Europe for the first time since 2010 before their final fixture with Dinamo Minsk.

Fotis Ioannidis scored from the penalty spot to seal victory for Panathinaikos

The Athens club's second win of the campaign was certainly celebrated by the 900-strong choreographed contingent in the away end.

However, it was not a performance that suggested they are set to echo the achievement of "eternal enemy" Olympiacos who lifted the Conference League trophy last season.

But they remain an iconic name, a club that were reaching European finals when TNS were still playing amateur village football in Llansantffraid.

It is why the gate of close to 6,000 - 26 times higher than TNS' usual home crowd - arrived in Shrewsbury hoping to see a shock that would have immediately found a place in Welsh football history.

Inspired by performances to date - where TNS have at the very least shown they are not pushovers at this level - and fuelled by talk of belief among Harrison's squad, there was a temptation to think this could be a night to remember in front of the biggest crowd a Welsh league side has drawn at home in two decades.

Nevertheless, while this was not a classic Panathinaikos it was still a team with nine full internationals in their starting XI, two of whom featured in Greece's recent win over England at Wembley.

It should not have been a surprise that their class would tell in the key moments, with Harrison's side unable to shake off the impact of the first 15 minutes on the tie.

If the opener was a cruel reminder to supporters of the reality of the task, it was particularly harsh on TNS goalkeeper Connor Roberts who had saved brilliantly to initially deny Duricic, maintaining the reputation he has built up through the European fixtures.

But the 44-cap Serb lurked with intent to finish from close range as the danger remained for his second goal of the Conference League campaign.

Even at that early stage, the goal had been coming and the visitors maintained a steady stream of pressure on the green and white goal.

But, with arguably more attacking intent shown than in the defeat to Swedish side Djurgarden, TNS caused some problems of their own. Josh Pask forced a save when he met Ryan Brobbel's corner at the near post, while Ben Clark proved a nuisance.

Roberts ensured Harrison's side remained in the game at the break as Willian Arao and Iceland centre-back Sverrir Ingason both threatened.

And then, just a few minutes after the restart, Giorgos Vagiannidis somehow failed to score into an open net after he rounded Roberts.

But Ioannidis avoided a similar fate when he was offered the chance from 12 yards on 62 minutes, dispatching confidently in front of green-flag waving fans after McGahey's foul on Duricic.

TNS attempted to counter their way back into proceedings, with the likes of Adam Wilson and Declan McManus offering threat off the bench.

And although Scottish striker McManus tested goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski with a free-kick on the edge of the area, and fellow substitute Sion Bradley had an injury-time effort blocked, the fairytale finale never came.

Home fans applauded their players off the field, while Panathinaikos' fans loudly saluted theirs.

Above all, the atmosphere and experience will have reminded the Welsh fans why European nights can be so special.

It remains to be seen whether they will have more at home this season.