Cymru Premier: Connah's Quay Nomads and The New Saints in final day title battle
- Published
Cymru Premier: Nomads' Andy Morrison and TNS' Anthony Limbrick eye title glory
Cymru Premier: Penybont v Connah's Quay Nomads |
|---|
Venue: SDM Glass Stadium, Bridgend Date: Saturday, 15 May Kick-off: 12:00 BST |
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales commentary on the BBC Sport website and app as Connah's Quay Nomads aim to clinch the Cymru Premier title at Penybont and updates from New Saints v Bala. |
Connah's Quay Nomads manager Andy Morrison has hailed the "incredible" title race between his side and rivals The New Saints ahead of the final day of the regular Cymru Premier season.
Champions Nomads, who visit Penybont, have a two point lead over Saints, who host Bala.
Saturday will be the first time in nine years that the Cymru Premier title will be decided on the final day.
"Both clubs should be very proud of what they've achieved," Morrison said.
"It's been an incredible race between the two of us up to this point,
"There's one game left and may the best team at the end of that over the season be the champions of the league."
Connah's Quay are in pole position, but Saints would secure the title if they beat Bala and Nomads fail to win at Penybont.
Morrison's side were crowned champions of last season's Cymru Premier under an unweighted points-per-game method after the season was ended because of the pandemic with 13-times winners Saints runners-up.
"It was so important to me that we gave an account of ourselves this year and we didn't just fade away," Morrison said.
"We showed last year we were the best team in the league over the period that the games were played and this season we've done it again.
"Any questions about last season have been firmly put to bed and that was really important to me personally.
"We earn everything that comes our way and our hard work this season has put us in a really strong position going into the last game of the season.
Connah's Quay won 4-1 at title rivals The New Saints in April
"I can't speak highly enough of my group of players. I'm incredibly proud of the position that we find ourselves in and we've got one mountain left to climb at Penybont."
Penybont won 2-0 at Connah's Quay in April and earlier in the season at the SDM Glass Stadium, during phase one, the champions were held to a goalless draw.
Nomads will be without their veteran former Saints striker Michael Wilde, scorer of a hat-trick in the recent 4-1 win at Park Hall, who is suspended after he accumulated five bookings.
For 13 times champions New Saints, the destiny of the title is out of their hands.
"All we can control is what we can control," said Saints' Australian head coach Anthony Limbrick, who replaced Scott Ruscoe in April with 10 games remaining.
"We've done that well in the last two games, winning 3-0 in both games, and we'll do exactly the same on Saturday - try and win our game and see where that puts us.
"But one thing I would say is whoever finishes top at the end of the season deserves to win the league and if that's us then great, if not then good luck to Connah's Quay and they deserve it.
"It's been good and exciting, with a lot riding on the games.
"You want to play or coach in the best games, with the most pressure on at the highest stakes and there's no more than that this weekend so we're going to go out an enjoy it and try and get the three points."
Saints are likely to be without the injured Dean Ebbe while Danny Redmond is suspended after picking up five yellow cards.