HUW GRIFFITHS would love to see Connah's Quay Nomads end The New Saints' top-flight dominance - but his Cefn Druids won't be giving them an easy ride tonight.

Nomads have set the pace at the top of the Welsh Premier League with over a quarter of the season gone, the Flintshire outfit leading Saints by two points.

Andy Morrison's men have the chance to extend that advantage ahead of Saints' home clash with Llandudno tomorrow, and turn up the pressure on Scott Ruscoe's outfit.

But Griffiths will be doing friend Morrison no favours at the Deeside Stadium, despite his craving for someone to end Saints run of seven consecutive - and eight in nine seasons - league titles.

"They are putting TNS under pressure," said Griffiths of Nomads, who overcame Druids 2-1 with nine-men the last time the two teams met in Flintshire. "I hope they can sustain the challenge - after we've played them that is!

"When you look at teams that are equipped to challenge TNS then Connah's Quay are definitely one of those, but it's about making sure they don't drop points when they shouldn't.

"Yes, Connah's Quay beat TNS, which is great, but then they have to go and beat the likes of Caernarfon, Carmarthen and Cefn Druids. TNS don't drop points against those types of teams."

Morrison's teams have always been solid defensively, but they have impressed in the final third this term, scoring 23 goals in nine outings, which is second only to the Saints.

Griffiths continued: "He's got more footballers this season and players who will go past people, which is making them a real threat going forward on top of a solid defence.

"They are top for a reason, they've been brilliant."

Griffiths is also full of praise for Morrison, who has transformed Nomads from top-flight strugglers to Europa League regulars in next to no time.

"He's the best in the league," said Griffiths. "Could he win manager of the year?

"It's a stepping stone for him and a great learning curve, one which will stand him in great stead because he's learning very quickly."

Druids were without a game over the weekend while Nomads were battling it out with Coleraine in the Scottish Challenge Cup third round.

Nomads booked their place in today's quarter-final draw courtesy of goals from George Horan and Andy Owens.

Morrison knows he must lift his players, who were made to work overtime in their quest to beat their Northern Irish visitors.

"We can't rest," said Morrison, who could hand starts to John Danby, Laurence Wilson, Craig Jones and Michael Bakare.

"We will be ready for Cefn Druids, which will be a really tough game.

"There was a lot of energy sapped against Coleraine.

"I'm not sure whether a couple of the players were dazed by the first 10-15 minutes because of the wind and their energy."

Alec Mudimu misses out for Druids due to his international commitments with Zimbabwe, but James Davies, who scored the only goal of the game as the Ancients beat Aberystwyth 1-0 last time out, could start.