The New Saints and Connah’s Quay will go head to head this weekend in the first of two crucial matches that will define the Cymru Premier title race (live on S4C, 5:15).
Just goal difference separates the two sides ahead of Saturday’s top of the table clash at The New Saints’ Park Hall home, before they face each other again the following weekend.
The New Saints have the luxury of a 21-goal difference advantage as recently appointed head coach Anthony Limbrick attempts to reclaim the title from the Nomads.
A draw would preserve The New Saints’ goal difference and keep Limbrick’s side in pole-position with only five rounds remaining of the season, but the Saints boss has refuted suggestions his team could take a more conservative approach.
“When I first came in to take this job, there were 10 games to go and the target was to try and win every game,” he said. “We have so far, which has been great but we’ll always look forward to winning the next game.”
The New Saints arrive at the game on the back of an impressive run of form having recorded seven-straight victories. Four of which have come under Limbrick, during which period they are yet to concede a goal.
“When we’re at home I think it’s important you get into that mentality and that’s the mentality we’ll have going into the game on the weekend.
“We want to try and win the game, we’ll be on the front foot. We want to try and score goals, obviously keep the clean sheets that we have done, but there’s no doubt about it, we’ll be looking and trying to get on the front foot and try to win the game,” he added.
Limbrick’s opposite, Andy Morrison, must find a new way to overcome The New Saints in order to keep Connah’s Quay’s title defence on track.
The Nomads’ hopes of retaining the title took a setback in January when promising defender Priestly Farquharson joined Newport County after establishing himself as one of the Cymru Premier’s top talents. Two weeks earlier, The New Saints broke their transfer record to secure the services of former Cardiff Met marksman Adam Roscrow from AFC Wimbledon.
“We’re going to have play differently, we don’t have Priestley Farquharson – we wanted our best young player to go into the Football League and that’s probably the difference,” explained Morrison.
“Our player went from the Welsh league into the League, and [The New Saints] have taken a player out of the League and into the Welsh [league], and that’s probably the different dynamics between the two clubs.
“Danny Holmes is out, Aeron Edwards is suspended so we’re going to have to look it at a totally different way to what we’ve done the last few times we’ve gone there.
“We’ll come up with a plan, we’ll work hard this week and we’ll go up against the team who’ve monopolised the league for the best part of a decade,” he added.
Bala Town can take a huge step to cementing a third-place finish and secure themselves an automatic European spot – if they can overcome fourth-placed Barry Town.
A win would push Bala 11-points clear with only 15-points to play for however, Barry manager Gavin Chesterfield hopes his team can bounce back after surrendering a two-goal that forced them to settle for a midweek draw against Penybont.
“It’s another tough game as they all are now and it’s a challenge you look forward to. I know for a fact they’ll be ready to respond on Saturday,” he said.
The race to win the Play-Off Conference continues with Newtown searching for a third-straight win against basement side Cefn Druids.
A four-game unbeaten run has put the Robins within two-points of leaders Haverfordwest. Meanwhile, the Pembrokeshire side shipped six goals in a catastrophic first-half against Cardiff Met midweek.
A miserable sequence of four of their last five games has seen their eight-point lead all but diminish ahead of the visit of Flint Town United to the New Bridge Meadow stadium.
JD Cymru Premier weekend fixtures
Friday: Aberystwyth v Cardiff Met. Saturday (2:30): Bala Town v Barry Town, Haverfordwest v Flint Town, Newtown v Cefn Druids, Penybont v Caernarfon, The New Saints v Connah’s Quay (5:15)
Featured image courtesy of FAW/John Smith