Llanelli are coming towards the end of an outstanding season in search of a treble. Having already reached the finals of the Welsh Cup and the League Cup, they are firm title favourites and need victory against Nomads to be crowned league champions at Deeside on Saturday. If Llanelli draw or lose against Nomads and Saints win at Airbus on Friday night, their claim to the crown will at least be delayed. They certainly wont lack confidence against Nomads, as they are unbeaten in away games all season and have only conceded two draws. They have also scored 46 goals in their 15 away games this season and striker Rhys Griffiths is the WPL's top scorer with over 50 goals in all competitions. Manager Peter Nicholas will have done his research and will be aware that his side are up against a Nomads team that has the worst defensive record in the WPL. Llanelli must be red hot favourites for this game.

Nomads still need a point to be mathematically certain of avoiding relegation, unless Llangefni lose at home to Bangor City on Friday night. In that case, the pressure will be off us so that we can relax and play for our pride with a good performance in front of the cameras. Otherwise, we will be playing under pressure to preserve our WPL status. Statistically, we may appear to have no chance, but that was true in our home game against Saints earlier in the season, when we knocked them out of the Welsh Cup. It's also worth noting that relegation doomed Porthmadog won at Llanelli against all odds earlier in the season, so Llanelli are by no means invincible.

A presentation of his Wales Under 18 Schoolboy cap, will be made before the game to Michael Cronshaw. He left Wrexham FC earlier this season and played for the Welsh schoolboys in the international tournament involving England, Scotland and N Ireland. We are glad to have recruited Michael to Nomads and we look forward to him playing for us for many years to come.

After two successive away draws, Jim and Andy are unlikely to make significant changes to the Nomads squad and line-up. With S4C TV cameras present for the game at Deeside, hopefully Nomads will get good support from you all and reward you with a creditable performance and a result that will delay Llanelli's crowning as League Champions.

Match preview from Llanelli website:-

Llanelli go in search of the win needed to clinch a historic first ever Welsh Premier title at the Deeside Stadium on Saturday aiming to extend their winning run to seven games and complete a league double over Jim Hackett's side.

The Reds won 4-0 at Stebonheath Park last December thanks to goals from Wyn Thomas, Mark Jones and a Rhys Griffiths double, however the Westenders proved a tough team to break down that day with all four goals coming in the last eleven minutes.

Llanelli welcome back 52 goal top scorer Rhys Griffiths after illness forced him to miss last Saturday's 1-0 win over UK Airbus Broughton and Rhys just needs two goals to complete 100 goals for the Reds in just 93 competitive games.

Boss Hackett eager to pass screen test

Apr 11 2008 by Paul Wheelock, Flintshire Chronicle

JIM Hackett says now the pressure is off his Connah’s Quay Nomads players, he wants them to put on a show for the TV cameras when champions-elect Llanelli come to town tomorrow (2.30pm). The Deeside Stadium clash is the top match on S4C’s Y Clwb Pel-Droed as victory for Peter Nicholas’ pacesetters would guarantee them the title. That is unless Nomads’ neighbours Airbus UK Broughton win at home to second-placed reigning kings The New Saints tonight (7.30pm) as that would ensure Llanelli of top spot without kicking a ball. But whatever the permutations, Hackett is looking for a performance from his 14th-placed side – who entertain the Saints in a re-arranged game on Tuesday night (7.30) – after they effectively secured their safety with a 3-3 draw at rock-bottom Porthmadog on Saturday. He said: “We can go into the last few games, which were always going to be difficult, without the burden of having to get points and hopefully that will allow the players to go and play with a bit of freedom. Llanelli are coming to win the league and our ambition is to make sure they don’t do it at our place, spoil their party and show what good a team we can be. We’ve not been on telly too many times this season and when we have we’ve not done ourselves justice so that’s something we want to put right.” Hackett, undertaking his UEFA Pro License alongside the likes of Derby County’s Paul Jewell, is still waiting for a firm response from the club’s bosses to his plea to still be in charge next season. From the Evening Leader:- Nomads out to stop champions-elect in their tracks Connah's Quay nomads welcome Llanelli striving to improve on last week's disappointing performance and stop the Reds being crowned champions at the Deeside Stadium. Whilst the performance at Porthmadog was not ideal, manager Jim Hackett insists that at this stage of the season it is results that matter and with Llanelli, The New Saints and Carmarthen their last three league fixtures, that point could prove valuable. He said: "The players are disappointed with their own displays but the flip side is that we have got a point from a game where we did not play anywhere near the levels we can. It was crucial we got something from last weekend to ensure we did not go into these last three fixtures needing points. We have 31 points and that has never been a total where clubs are in any danger." After the turmoil of last season many people had Connah's Quay marked as relegation candidates, and Hackett added: "This season has been satisfactory, we have achieved what we wanted to – staying in the league. A lot of people had us down for no hopers at the start of the campaign but to be fair we have done well. From now on we can look at the players and assess what we need to push on." Having scored just 37 league goals all season Nomads are keeping an eye out for an attacker, and one man any team would welcome is goal machine Rhys Griffiths.  The hit man is on fantastic form and recently reached 50 goals in all competitions. Hackett however indicated Nomads would be foolish to focus on the former Port Talbot man, saying: "We will of course try and stop him, but their league position indicates they are more than a one man team. They play well as a unit and keep the ball well." The Westenders will be without injured duo Gary Pinch and Alan Hooley for their remaining fixtures after staff decided it would be wise to rest their current knocks.