STRONG BELIEVES SURFACE WILL HELP CHAMPIONS

THE NEW SAINTS v RHYL
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 2.30pm
RHYL player-manager Greg Strong believes the artificial surface at Park Hall Stadium can help rather than hinder his team when they visit there to take on The New Saints on Sunday (2.30pm).
Strong was part of the Lilywhites side which triumphed 3-0 on the all-weather pitch last season on their way to winning the Welsh Premier League title.
"It's not an ideal surface to play on and last season it was very icy and perhaps the game shouldn't have been played," said the Lilies boss, a former Premiership, Football League and Scottish League player.
"But looking back I remember playing on artificial pitches at Preston, QPR and Luton and TNS' pitch is 100 times better than what theirs were.
"I think the pitch will help us football-wise as we like to keep the ball on the floor so it will be to our advantage in that respect."
Strong is fully aware, however, how difficult Sunday's task will be against a Saints outfit which won 2-0 at fellow high-flyers Llanelli last weekend.
TNS could go above Rhyl on goal difference if they beat them by two clear goals, while the Lilywhites lost the leadership of the table last night after Llanelli's 1-0 win at Haverfordwest.
"We won there well last season but we've got different players now and so have they," added Strong.
"We'll do our utmost to get a result, but we know they are a good team with good individual players and a very good manager."
Strong hopes to have a full complement of players to choose from with no injuries carried over from Tuesday's night 4-0 Loosemores League Cup semi-final victory over Gap Connah's Quay.
That result booked Rhyl a 5-2 aggregate win and a meeting in the final with holders TNS.
"I'm absolutely delighted to make my first final as a manager," Strong beamed. "We showed good attacking skills and though overall it wasn't pretty we did what we had to do.
"I've used the competition to rotate the squad and I've got to pay tribute to all the players who've got us to the final - they've done a fantastic job. In the final, I'll be sticking with the lads who got us there."
But first there's the matter of TNS to deal with this Sunday. Rhyl have taken only one point out of six in their battles with the "big four" to date, so will be keen to put things right at Park Hall.
"We'll be doing our utmost to gain a victory and if we don't, then as long as we come away having given 150% I won't be complaining," stressed the manager.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
2008/09 - TNS 0 Rhyl 3; Rhyl 2 TNS 1
2007/08 - TNS 1 Rhyl 0; Rhyl 0 TNS 1
2006/07 - Rhyl 0 TNS 0; TNS 2 Rhyl 0.
2005/06 - TNS 1 Rhyl 0; Rhyl 0 TNS 0.
2004/05 - TNS 2 Rhyl 2; Rhyl 1 TNS 2.
2003/04 - Rhyl 1 TNS 0; TNS 2 Rhyl 3.
2002/03 - Rhyl 0 TNS 1; TNS 5 Rhyl 0.
2001/02 - TNS 1 Rhyl 2; Rhyl 1 TNS 1.
2000/01 - TNS 3 Rhyl 0; Rhyl 2 TNS 0.
1999/00 - TNS 2 Rhyl 1; Rhyl 2 TNS 4.
1998/99 - Rhyl 0 TNS 3; TNS 6 Rhyl 0.
1997/98 - TNS 1 Rhyl 0; Rhyl 2 TNS 1.
1996/97 - TNS 0 Rhyl 1; Rhyl 1 TNS 3.
1995/96 - TNS 5 Rhyl 1; Rhyl 3 TNS 0.
1994/95 - TNS 3 Rhyl 1; Rhyl 3 TNS 1.
PLAYED: 30
TNS WON: 16
RHYL WON: 10
DRAWN: 4