ASSISTANT manager Andy Morrison returned to the dugout on Sunday for the first time since undergoing major surgery 10 weeks ago.

And, despite missing only one game watching from the sidelines since being released from hospital, "Jock" was delighted to return to the thick of the action alongside Andy Preece.

"That was my first game back and what a game to come back into, it was a great game, a competitive game and the type of game you want to be involved in," Morrison reflected.

"I thought the players did great again, we don't have a problem playing against TNS, the problem we have is trying to maintain that level of focus every week.

"To get that performance and that intensity from the players when they have been working all day and they have missed training sessions due to work commitments is impossible for a part-time team over 32 games of the season.

"That's why we can't bridge the gap to TNS in the league table, although we've shown time and time again that we don't have a problem when we play them because the players lift themselves."

Morrison says he respects the reigning champions for what they have achieved, but can't see what challenges they have to motivate them.

"On a personal level I see it very much as my own football career. When I was a player I always wanted to challenge myself against the best players and the best teams.

"Where's the glory when there's no team better than you to try and beat?"

"That's no different in my coaching when I want to challenge myself all the time, but where's the glory when there's no team better than you to try and beat?

"In the English pyramid you can get promoted and you are then challenged by better teams and better coaches.

"But I don't know where their manager, coach and players get their professional pride from after a result.

"I don't see where the glory is in what they are doing but you have to say that, at the moment, their chairman has got a template that nobody can get near.

"I take my hat off to the chairman of TNS who has seen an opportunity to monopolise the financial rewards from the league.

"But how do they judge success? We judge our success every week in the Welsh Premier League but the only way TNS can judge theirs is on a level playing field when they face full-time clubs in Europe.

"As has been pointed out by another manager in the league, since we have been involved in the Welsh Premier, they have had six opportunities to over-achieve and on all those six occasions they have failed.

"At the moment we still have foes that are level with us or on a better level than us.

"But when you have no foes in the league and your only challenge is in Europe, what does that say about your aspirations?"