CONNAH’S QUAY NOMADS’ remit is simple - keep up the pressure on leaders The New Saints.

Nomads reduced the gap at the top to a single point as they defeated Barry Town United 1-0 at Jenner Park a day after Saints were surprisingly beaten 2-1 at home by Newtown.

Both Nomads and Saints are in action on Friday evening, Andy Morrison’s men hosting Caernarfon while the reigning champions face a tricky trip to third placed Bala Town.

The Flintshire outfit won’t be getting carried away with nine games of the season remaining, defender John Disney outlining the club’s game by game mentality.

“It’s fantastic to start off the second phase of the season really well,” said Disney. “Three points has taken us a point behind TNS, so we need to make sure there is everything to play for over the remainder of the games, that’s all we can do.”

Asked whether Nomads were capable of ending Saints’ eight-year stranglehold of the top-tier, Disney, pushing for a recall to the starting XI this evening, replied: “We hope so, we can only take it a game at a time now.

“We are a point behind them and we’ve both got tough games coming up, as they all will to the end of the season.”

Saints boss Scott Ruscoe can’t wait for his side to get back down to action at Maes Tegid looking to right the wrongs of last weekend’s defeat.

“We are top and you never, ever become a poor team overnight,” said Ruscoe. “I can’t wait for the next game to come because we can put things right and move forward.”

Bala midfielder Lassana Mendes, meanwhile, is expecting a tough time against Saints.

“We have the confidence of winning, but it’s a different game, so we can’t really relax,” said Mendes as Bala head into the clash on the back of a 2-1 win at Caernarfon. “We know TNS is a tough, tough, tough game and we will see how we get on.”

David Cotterill could be handed his first Barry Town United start as Gavin Chesterfield’s men, who will have Kayne McLaggon available after his red card against Nomads was rescinded, head to Latham Park to face Newtown tomorrow.