The New Saints boss Scott Ruscoe relishing return to action

Leaders Saints host third-placed Bala Town at Park Hall (5pm kick off), with manager Scott Ruscoe declaring “It is certainly nice to be back.”

TNS last played a league match on December 19 when they beat Penybont 2-1 at Park Hall.

League fixtures were then suspended because of Covid-19 restrictions, but, having had their elite status reinstated, the JD Cymru Premier resumed earlier this week when Newtown beat Penybont 2-0 on Tuesday night. All 12 of the division’s clubs are playing tomorrow.

Oswestry-based Saints are currently three points clear of Connah’s Quay Nomads - who have a game in hand - at the top of the table.

Bala complete the top three, nine points behind TNS, having also played one game less than the table-toppers.

Saints have won 14, drawn two and lost just one of their 17 league games this season, scoring 49 goals in the process.

TNS have played a number of friendly fixtures in recent weeks ahead of the resumption of their league campaign.

Ruscoe said: “It’s one where we’ve never quite known when we’re going to be starting again.

"Mid-December, we were looking at playing on Boxing Day or wherever it was and games on New Year’s Day, but now we’re here and we’re in March. It’s a long time.

“We’re nearly a year into when we left the building and were told we couldn’t train and play any more, so it is certainly nice to be back.”

Bala, tomorrow’s visitors to Park Hall, are enjoying another good season, with Chris Venables once again proving a consistent goalscorer.

“They’ve had another very good season,” said Ruscoe. "Strengthened in certain areas and you’ve also got Venables that keeps doing what he does very well year on year.

“He’s been an excellent player in this league, so we have to be wary of him and we have to be wary of other players that they’ve got of real quality.

“When Saturday comes we’ll know where their dangers lie.”

As for being league leaders as their season restarts, Ruscoe added: “I would certainly rather be at the top than second, third, whatever, because it does give you that edge.

“And it does give you that sort of steely determination to say ‘right lads, you’re there on what you've done earlier on in the season, you’ve got to earn it again now and you’ve got to stay there.’

“It’s okay looking up if there’s 10, 15, 20 games to go, but when you’re at that top, can we get that gap, can we get a gap that all the other teams are looking and they’re feeling pressure underneath us.”