A VIEW FROM THE STAND

from Connah's Quay Nomads vs The New Saints (21-02-2020)

NOMADS GO TOP WITH WIN

A VIEW FROM THE STAND By Will Catterall

Hello and welcome to the Deeside Stadium under the floodlights for another massive Friday night game. We always have the ethos of our next game being the biggest ever, but there’s no denying that tonight is an especially significant occasion.

Long-time fans and critics of our league have always lamented the lack of a title race in seasons gone by, but thanks to us, there can’t be any talk of that this time round. We go into tonight’s match top of the league, but will need a win to stay there against opposition who have time and time again showed why they’re the champions in games like these.

We last met TNS over a month ago at Park Hall, where we lost 2-1 in a game that might have had a more favourable score line for us had certain things gone our way. But as Andy Morrison has already said, our reaction speaks volumes, as we’re unbeaten since.

Tonight’s result will of course have an impact on the fate of the title come April, but there’s seven more vital games after this, and all ones where we’ll need all the support we can get.

This season so far has been one of the best ever in terms of our growing fanbase, both home and away, and we hope to see even more of you backing the red and white army as we get down to the business end of the JD Cymru Premier.

We’re also still fighting on two fronts, so make sure you’re here next week to see us take on Cardiff Met in the JD Welsh Cup quarter finals on Saturday the 29th for a 2:30pm kick off. A win there would see us reach the semi-finals of Wales’ premier domestic cup for the fifth consecutive time, and we’ve every intention of reaching the final for a third.

Our next away day is in my opinion one of the toughest games of the whole season – Bala away. It has in recent seasons been a pivotal fixture for us, and of late we’ve picked up some fantastic victories there. It’s not an easy place to get to, but do let us know if you’re planning on making the journey down.

For now, get behind the lads in what is bound to be a huge 90 minutes in the JD Cymru Premier, and another night of history at Deeside – Come on Nomads!

Player of the Week: Michael Wilde

An apt player of the week going into this fixture, Wildey spent several seasons at TNS where he rightfully earned the reputation as one of the league’s leading strikers. Since joining us he’s continued that form, quickly becoming a mainstay in our starting line up and lifting the JD Welsh Cup, Nathaniel MG Cup, and going on no less than four European tours. With seven goals in his last five games, we know he’ll be gunning for more tonight!