Get ready for the big one – The New Saints v Connah’s Quay Nomads

The New Saints v Connah’s Quay Nomads
JD Cymru Premier League – Saturday 5.15 pm, live on S4C

The game of the season so far in the Cymru Premier takes place tomorrow at Park Hall Stadium.

Top two sides The New Saints and Connah’s Quay Nomads are level on 66 points apiece with six rounds of matches each left to play.

TNS have a goal difference advantage of +21 over current champions Quay going into Saturday evening’s crunch clash.

Andy Morrison’s Nomads will be anxious to rid themselves of an unwanted record against the 13-time title winners.

Since they have been known as either Total Network Solutions or The New Saints, the Oswestry-based full-timers have never lost at home to the Deesiders.

Quay’s last away win over the club came in 1995 when it was named Llansantffraid.

Nomads boss Morrison, who has enjoyed a decent record versus TNS since he took over at Deeside Stadium in 2015, expects a massive test tomorrow.

Quay’s last two visits to Park Hall have seen much improved performances in 1-0 and 2-1 defeats.

“It’s a great game; they have been this season,” Morrison told the Connah’s Quay Nomads website. “They’ve been terrific games of football at both their place and ours.

“It’s the two top teams in the league and rightly so. It should get the attention it deserves. For far too many years there’s been no competition in the league.

“I’ve said it many times, people aren’t interested. If there’s a heavyweight boxer who’s fighting in the wrong weight division no-one will go and watch it and it’s been like that (in the Cymru Premier) for the best part of a decade.”

Last season that ended when Nomads won the title for the first time, ending Saints’ run of eight successive championships.

Morrison added: “We’ve now made it a real competition. And I think people have begun to warm to it and there seems to be a lot more interest – and that can only come from competition.

“They’ve (TNS) done great, they’ve had a fabulous season up to now, they’re on a good run of form and we are as well. All to play for – I’m really looking forward to the game.”

This season’s matches

2020/21

Oct 13, 2020 – TNS 1 Nomads 0
Louis Robles’ goal was enough to ensure Nomads suffered their first league defeat of the 2020-21 season.

Dec 12, 2020 – Nomads 2 TNS 0
Two goals in the second half were enough to see Nomads go level on points with the league leaders back in December.
Former TNS players Aeron Edwards and Michael Wilde found the net.

Andy Morrison’s record as Nomads manager v The New Saints

League: Played 19 Won 6 Drawn 3 Lost 10 Goals For 15 Goals Against 27
Cup: Played 6 Won 1 Lost 5 Goals For 2 Goals Against 14
Total record: Played 25 Won 7 Drawn 3 Lost 16 GF 17 GA 42.