IT’S not very often - if at all - that rival managers agree - but that’s what’s happened ahead of tonight’s clash between Connah’s Quay Nomads and Cefn Druids.

Nomads boss Andy Morrison believes Druids are a “really wounded animal” as they prepare to make the trip to the Deeside Stadium, and that notion wasn’t dismissed by Huw Griffiths.

“We probably are a wounded animal,” agreed the Druids boss, who saw his side beaten 2-1 at home by an Aberystwyth Town team that had been thumped 10-1 by The New Saints a matter of days earlier.

“We were disappointed after the defeat to Aberystwyth and we now need to show the kind of resilience we showed in the first three games of the season where we were unbeaten.”

But Griffiths knows that getting a positive result at Nomads won’t be an easy challenge for Druids, but he’s confident that his squad can cause some problems.

“We’ve got options in our squad to change things if we need to,” said Griffiths. “We have the upmost respect for Connah’s Quay, but we won’t roll over for them.

“Nomads will be up for the battle, but so will we. It will be a massive ask as we are the type of team Connah’s Quay have to beat if they want to be up there, which I’m sure they will be.”

Griffiths watched Nomads secure a 1-0 win over Cove Rangers to progress to the fourth round of the Scottish Challenge Cup on Saturday evening, Michael Bakare’s free-kick settling matters.

“They were efficient,” said Griffiths of tonight’s opponents. “The key thing is that Nomads can make changes to have an effect on the game. They might not have as many numbers as last season, but the quality is still there.

“I also think it was a little derogatory from the opposition to brand them a long ball team. They go long from the goalkeeper, but everything from there has a structure.”

Morrison, meanwhile, believes a repeat of the performance produced against Cove will go a long way to getting the better of Druids, who he is wary of.

“It’s going to be really tough,” said Morrison. “I know how hungry they are going to be, I know aggressive and intense they are going to be, and they’ve had the preparation time to get it right, so we are in for a real challenge.

“If the players do what they do well, do what we ask of them and follow the process we go through to win a game of football, then it will be very difficult for Cefn Druids to get a result.

“It is about us doing things right, because I know they’ve got many, many threats in their team - they’ve got good players.

“I’m sure Huw will come with a plan to cause us different problems knowing we’ve had a real challenging game and they’ve had those extra days rest.”

The likes of Ryan Wignall, so impressive as a second-half substitute against Cove, Jamie Insall, Declan Poole and Danny Harrison could all feature for Nomads tonight, while Druids are without Alec Mudimu, who is away on international duty, and the injured Aaron Simpson.

The New Saints know a victory over Newtown at Park Hall this evening will send them top of the table.