ANDY MORRISON wants Connah’s Quay Nomads to be “ready to go to war” in their top-of-the-table showdown with The New Saints.

The current champions entertain Scott Ruscoe’s Saints in-front of the television cameras on Saturday evening with three vital points at stake in the title race.

Just three points separate the two teams after Saints snatched a 1-0 victory over Nomads at Park Hall back in October, and both clubs know the importance of the clash at the Deeside Stadium.

Nomads boss Morrison said: “It’s incredible because we go all the way back to when we played them and dominated them, completely bossed the game, ran all over them in every department and we lost.

“Results are all that matter. We’ve drawn two games this season, they’ve drawn two games and the only defining factor in the whole season is that they beat us at their place when we battered them.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re ready and we need to make sure that when we play we are ready to go to war, that every single one of us is ready and we leave nothing behind.”

Ruscoe, who saw Saints’ eight-year dominance of the top-flight ended by Nomads last season, insists his players need no extra motivation for Saturday’s game.

“The players know the importance of the game,” said Ruscoe, whose side were beaten 1-0 the last time they headed to the Deeside Stadium, a result that proved pivotal in deciding the 2019/20 title.

“It’s first versus second and with what happened last year, the league finishing sooner than we would have liked and Connah’s Quay winning the league, the players need to extra incentive to go and put on a show, put in a good performance and hopefully win.”

Asked whether it’s a ‘must not lose’ fixture for Saints, Ruscoe, November’s Manager of the Month, added: “If you went there, played really well and nicked it, or if you did your job and came away without losing, you’d be happy.”

One man Saints will have to keep an eye on is former striker Michael Wilde, who is in a rich vein of form for Nomads.

Wilde scored twice in last week’s 3-1 success at Aberystwyth Town to take his total for Nomads past the 70 mark.

Morrison is delighted with the impact the 37-year-old continues to have on Nomads.

“He was magnificent,” he said.

“He’s plied his trade in the Welsh league, but I always say to him that I don’t understand how he hasn’t played in the Football League and at a lot higher standard, because he’s magnificent.

“The age he is now, he’s still scoring goals, he runs, he’s big and strong, he leads from the front and he gives us so many qualities.

“He gives something that is a gift, and that is a love of the game. When he scores a goal, whether it’s his first, second or 70th, the smile on his face and the enjoyment is like a little boy who has scored his first goal.

“When you’ve still go that passion for the game there is no reason why you can’t keep playing.

“He now has eight in eight, which is a remarkable record and he’s a credit to me and everyone associated with the club.”