How patience helped Lock earn New Saints breakthrough

Patience has been the key word in Josh Lock's young footballing career so far.

Lock, 22, came off the bench for his first appearance in four years for The New Saints in their recent Champions League qualifier against Sabah of Azerbaijan.

His late consolation goal was a bright spot on a disappointing night for the Saints as they exited the Champions League.

"First appearance in a European game and first goal, very happy," Lock said following the game.

Lock is a graduate of the New Saints academy but no sooner had he penned his first professional contract in 2022, he was loaned out by the Park Hall club.

He had spells with Cefn Druids, Denbigh Town, Newtown and Caernarfon Town, but was far from being out of the picture with Saints who were willing to play the waiting game.

"It's real pleasing for me and for our coaches because we had a conversation three or four years ago when I came in," said Saints head coach Craig Harrison.

"We all made a decision that we were going to give him longer than we give most others because of his technical ability and the physicality he'd develop.

"And it has, and I'm really pleased for him, because he's played a major part in himself.

"We've only put him on the road to that, but he's had to do that himself."

Lock acknowledges that his season and a half loan at Caernarfon was beneficial, where he was part of the side which won the Welsh Cup for the first time in their history.

"It's all about experience," Lock said.

"I played a few games for them in the league, got lots of minutes under my belt.

"That's what it was really, just getting experience playing against men, in men's football, in the league.

"I feel like I held my own, so it's only going to benefit myself, isn't it?"

For Harrison, Lock's late goal against Sabah was a "positive" on an evening which saw them defeated 2-1 to go out 4-1 on aggregate.

"It's a pivotal point at the football club because Josh Lock's come all the way through the system," Harrison said.

"Josh Lock has always been a talented lad but from a physical point of view he's a bit of a late developer

"There's a lot of talk in football about athleticism, size, height, etc. Josh Lock's not the biggest, he's not the strongest, but technically he's fantastic.

"He's got a great turn of pace and he's a brave footballer. He can get kicked and he can get on with it."

Lock will remain with Saints this season and hopes to feature in the Cymru Premier champions' first team.

"That's the plan if everything goes the way that I want it to," Lock added.

"But it's obviously out of my hands. All I can do is just keep trying to perform to the best of my abilities and hopefully I get a chance."

Having exited the Champions League at the first hurdle, Saints now drop into the Conference League and on Thursday travel to face Flora Tallinn in the second qualifying round first leg.

"It's just looking forward now," Lock said.

"That's all we can do is not dwell on that defeat and look forward to that game and try and put in a good performance over there."