Striker Ashley Ruane is in contention to make his debut for Rhyl in tonight’s Denbighshire derby against Prestatyn Town at the Corbett Sports Stadium.
International clearance has been received for the 29-year-old front man, who joins the Lilywhites from Warrington Town, having previously played in the Welsh Premier for Caernarfon Town in 2008/09.
Ruane joins fellow recent recruit Carl Lamb in a potentially new-look Lilies strike force, which is missing top-scorer Aaron Bowen, who has an ankle injury.
FOR KEY BATTTLES IN TONIGHT'S GAME CLICK HERE
Defender Matty Woodward is due to return for Greg Strong’s side, who are still without long-term casualties Paul McManus and Liam Benson.
Rhyl have never lost to this evening’s opponents since Prestatyn joined the Welsh Premier in 2008/09.
This will be the ninth league meeting between the clubs, the Lilywhites having won four and drawn four.
They have clashed twice this season, drawing 2-2 at the CSS before the Lilies triumphed 2-1 at Bastion Gardens on January 2 in front of 1,028 – the highest WPL crowd of the campaign.
Tonight marks the start of the league’s second phase, with Rhyl and Prestatyn involved in the bottom half Play-Off Conference.
Rhyl managing director Mike Jones said a good result tonight is crucial to the club, who have won just once at home in the league this season.
“We need to start turning draws into wins,” he stressed.
“A win tonight would set us up nicely for next weekend’s Welsh Cup tie at Llanrhaeadr as we’ve set our heart on getting a long cup run.
“We want to get ourselves on a run of wins, but to do that we’ve got to start putting our chances away. Beating Prestatyn would be an ideal start towards what we’re trying to achieve.”
Bottom side Prestatyn are now nine points adrift in the relegation zone after gap Connah’s Quay’s surprise 1-0 victory at Bala Town on Wednesday.
Manager Neil Gibson will tonight be without suspended pair, strikers Jordan Davies and Michael Pritchard, while Ross Stephens has departed for Aberystwyth Town.
Town have brought in forward Lee Beattie from Welsh Alliance League club Meliden while former Tranmere Rovers scholar Connor Shackleton, a recent addition to the squad, is in the frame to feature this evening.
The Seasiders face an uphill task over the next 10 games to save their WPL status.
Club media officer Tony O’Reilly said: “We’ve still got a lot of belief in the squad we’ve got.
“Neil and Martin (Jones, assistant manager) are talking to players in a bid to strengthen the squad but if we’re to bring anyone else in they’ve got to be the right players.
“In our two games against Rhyl this season we feel we’ve more than matched them and we will certainly be up for Friday’s derby.”
Rhyl (from): Ramsay, Woodward, Thompson, Astles, Brewerton, Halewood, Walsh, Stones, Mackin, Ruane, Lamb, Hughes, Stott, Kenny, Gossett, Carthey, Rowlands, Cadwallader.
Prestatyn (from): Williams, Weaver, J Lewis, Hayes, Maher, Wilson, Parker, Stead, Parkinson, Z Edwards, Shackleton, Beattie, Dean, Lee, Kemp, Gibson, R Lewis, N Edwards.
