The New Saints aim to extend their winning run to six matches when they visit Holywell Town at Barton's North Wales Stadium on Friday evening. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:45pm in a Cymru Premier fixture that pits the league leaders against the bottom side.

The Saints sit first in the table with 34 points from 12 games, having won 11 and drawn one. They are six points clear of second-placed GAP Connah S Quay FC. Their recent form is formidable, with five consecutive victories and a goal difference of plus 33. Their last outing was a 9-0 demolition of Cambrian & Clydach just six days ago, a result that showed their attacking power.

Holywell Town, in contrast, are yet to win a game this season. They have played 12 matches and are rooted to the foot of the table, four points from the relegation playoff spot and with a goal difference of minus 25. They lost 2-1 to Ammanford last weekend despite taking an early lead, a result indicative of their struggles. Their recent results include a draw with Briton Ferry and heavy defeats to Haverfordwest County and Colwyn Bay.

Historical context

The last meeting between these sides was over a decade ago in September 2015, when The New Saints won 7-1 in what was then called the Word Cup. Club legend Greg Draper, now the U19s manager, scored five goals that day, with Alex Darlington and Scott Quigley also on the scoresheet.

Team details

Holywell Town will wear their traditional red and white striped shirts with red shorts and socks, while their goalkeeper will be in all-yellow. The New Saints will be in all-blue, with their goalkeeper in orange. The match officials are led by referee Tom Owen, assisted by Jake Smith and Harvey Williams, with Alex Livesey as fourth official. Iwan Griffith will serve as the video assistant referee, supported by Mark James.

The New Saints' last starting XI, from their win over Airbus UK in September, featured N. Shepperd in goal with a defensive line of D. Corness, J. Bodenham, D. Williams and D. Simeu. The midfield included R. Hughes, D. Davies and Z. Nolan, while the attack was led by B. Wilson, J. Lock and R. Holden. Fans can check the latest squad news and team selections on our squad page.

Following this trip to Holywell, The New Saints' next fixture is a top-of-the-table clash at home against GAP Connah S Quay FC on Saturday, 31 October.