The New Saints look to extend gap against closest rivals

Saints, who remain unbeaten at the top of the table, are four points clear of second-placed Connah’s Quay and also have a game in hand.

Nomads took the chance to close the gap between the clubs when they beat Aberystwyth Town 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Saints will follow up this evening’s trip to the Deeside Stadium by facing Airbus UK Broughton twice over the festive period.

TNS will welcome the league’s bottom club to Park Hall on Boxing Day before the return fixture on New Year’s Eve (both 2.30pm).

But the immediate focus for Saints is getting ready for tonight’s big match against Connah’s Quay.

TNS head coach Craig Harrison was manager of Nomads, having previously been assistant to Andy Morrison, before returning to Park Hall to begin a second spell in charge in early August.

“It’s never an easy place to go,” said Harrison, ahead of the clash at the Deeside Stadium.

“It’s not been an easy place to go for a long, long time.”

Harrison added: “It will be tough, of course it will be tough, but we are 100 per cent concentrating on ourselves. We understand the threats that Connah’s Quay bring. We understand what problems they’ll cause us, but on the flip side as well we know what we’re good at.

“We know the problems we’ll cause them and we’ve got to make sure that we fully concentrate on how we’re going to affect the game and not so much think about how they’re going to affect the game.

“We’ve got to make sure we go into every game thinking positively and we’re going to go and push ourselves on to teams.”

Saints have not played since turning on the style to beat Aberystwyth Town 11-0 on December 2.

The weather has since intervened with scheduled matches at Caernarfon Town and Flint Town United postponed.