Dafabet Welsh Premier

STRIKER Nick Rushton has returned to Newtown on a loan deal until the end of the season ahead of the Robins clash with runaway league leaders TNS on Saturday (5.15).

Rushton joins from Gap Connah's Quay having spent the 2012 season at Latham Park on loan from Wrexham, scoring 13 times in 28 appearances.

The 24 year old front man becomes one of the first signings of the January window, and Chris Hughes is delighted to have bolstered his attacking options going into the second phase.

 Hughes said: "We have him until the end of the season, he is a goal scorer, and it will fit into our side.  I would also like to thank Gap manager Andy Morrison for helping the deal go through.”

“We have been a little bit light going forward after being hit by injuries, and we lost Craig Williams to injuries before that.

“Nick is familiar to the club, the fans will remember him fondly from his first spell here because he did so well for Newtown so we are hoping he will make a similar impact this time around.

Rushton first burst onto the Welsh Premier League scene in 2010 on loan at Airbus UK Broughton before a spell with the Robins where he featured in the side that reached the 2012 League Cup Final.

After returning to Wrexham, further loan spells at Barrow and Hednesford followed, before the striker left the Racecourse Ground to sign for the Nomads in May 2015, helping the club qualify for Europe last summer.

Newtown have further strengthened with the signing of teenage winger Joe Kenton from Midland Football League side Tividale having had previous spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town.

Hughes added: "He has come highly recommended to us, and we look forward to seeing him out there on the pitch.”

Also becoming part of the first team fold is youth team defender Jordan Jordan who spent time training with the first team in the summer and since impressed with the academy side.

“We have strengthened in areas we needed to, and with two signings coming in we hope that will pep us up a bit,” said Hughes. "We are also looking at other targets to bring in.”

The New Saints boss Craig Harrison insists he and his staff are identifying targets to bolster his record breakers ahead of their assault on four trophies in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile TNS manager Craig Harrison has not ruled out any mid-season dealings despite the club already on the verge of retaining the Welsh Premier title.

“We’re looking long-term and short-term, but we feel there are only one or two positions we need to strengthen,” said Harrison. “We’d like to bring someone in, but we’ll have to wait and see. “If we can get something done then  I’d like to, but at this minute, nothing’s happening. 

However the club has parted company with goalkeeper Chris Mullock who has joined Aberystwyth Town following a successful loan spell on the coast.

Harrison said: “Aberystwyth contacted me and wanted to  offer him a permanent 18 month deal and, more importantly, he’d be their number one.

“I could have held on until the end of the season, but this is an opportunity for the lad to play somewhere that wants him and to be number one. It’s a human decision, rather than a football one.”