ANDY MORRISON is keeping his fingers crossed that Connah’s Quay Nomads’ attempts to defeat The New Saints will be boosted by the return of key players.

Reigning champions Saints head to the Deeside Stadium tonight with Nomads sweating on the fitness of the likes of George Horan, Priestley Farquharson, Callum Morris and Michael Wilde.

The quartet missed Tuesday’s League Cup quarter-final success over Flint Town United with Morrison saying: “I’m hoping Wildey, George and Callum Morris will be back, Priestley might be fit, Nathan Woolfe has gone out and played, but he’s carrying a knock and there are one or two others who are under the weather.

“We need to come up with a game plan for TNS and we always know it’s a tough game against them.”

Nomads head into the televised encounter in second spot, one place and one point ahead of The New Saints.

Victory over Flint in midweek made it 15 domestic matches unbeaten for Nomads since the start of the season, and Morrison is eager to make it 16 this evening.

“It’s pleasing that, on the domestic front, we are unbeaten still over 15 games, which is very good at any level of football,” he continued. “What we’ve got to try and do now is get as many people back as we can to be able to freshen it up.”

Saints boss Scott Ruscoe knows what to expect from Nomads, who won the first fixture at the Deeside Stadium last season, Andy Owens’ strike securing a 1-0 home win.

After that, Saints won the next three matches, scoring six times without reply, and Ruscoe said: “They are always big games against Connah’s Quay.

“We did well against them last season, apart from the second game in when we lost 1-0, but it could have gone either way that day.

“It’s always a tough, stern test against Connah’s Quay. It’s only three points, but when you come up against someone around you in the table it’s important that you get those three points.

“We know how they play, I don’t think they are going to change in their style of play, so it’s about reinforcing any messages that need to be put out there.

Current leaders Barry Town United could take advantage of any dropped points by Nomads or Saints by collecting all three points at Caernarfon Town tomorrow.

Barry have won eight and drawn the other three of their 11 outings to date to take control of top spot, but boss Gavin Chesterfield isn’t getting carried away.

Chesterfield said: “Being top of the league now doesn’t really mean much, it’s the end of the season when it matters.”