Top v bottom as The New Saints look for 20 point lead

The sides are currently separated by 48 points, with TNS having won 16 and lost just one of their 19 league games so far this season.

That’s much in contrast to the record of Cefn Druids, who have collected just two points from their opening 19 fixtures, with two draws and 17 defeats.

Saints enjoyed a 4-0 victory at Caernarfon Town in their latest match on Friday night.

Looking ahead to this evening’s match, TNS head coach Anthony Limbrick said: “We want to make sure that the performance is exactly what we want it, in terms of attacking and defending, and doing, I think, the basics very, very well. I think that will help us in this game in particular.

“Just like when we play the other teams, maybe in different positions to where Druids are, we focus on the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses, but then also what we’re going to do in the game too.

“It’s no different to any other game. We’ve planned and prepared exactly the same as we have done, whether this is against Connah’s Quay, who won the league last year, or whether it’s against Druids, and the position they’re in.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for the opposition.”

Meanwhile, TNS striker Dean Ebbe has joined Bala Town on loan until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old striker has struggled for game time this season for the Cymru Premier league leaders – making four appearances and scoring just one goal.

The Irish forward, who hails from Dublin, has previously played for Shamrock Rovers and Inverness has been with the Saints since 2018.

However, in that time he has made just 60 appearances and netted 29 times.

Now he will bolster the Lakesiders’ forward line as they look to turn around their poor start to the campaign.

n Former hotly tipped Wolves star and ex Walsall winger Zeli Ismail has penned a deal with Cymru Premier outfit Newtown.

The 28-year-old Albanian born winger came through the ranks at Molineux and went on to make nine appearances at the club between 2012 and 2016.

And he also went on a number of loans to EFL clubs - including the Saddlers, where he went on to make a number of appearances.

And as recently as 2021 he was turning out for Bradford City - before signing for National League North outfit Hereford.

Recently the winger, who was hotly tipped to become a future star at Wolves and who represented England at youth level, has been linked with a move to York City.

However he has turned down the move - in favour of a switch to Chris Hughes’ Cymru Premier outfit.

He becomes Newtown’s second signing of the January window after former Shrewsbury Town defender Ryan Sears returned to Latham Park following a stint at Grimsby Town.