CAERNARFON Town manager Sean Eardley is looking for a response following his side’s 6-2 loss at title-chasing Connah’s Quay Nomads.

The Canaries suffered their first loss in seven games at the JD Welsh Premier League leaders thanks to a clinical display from Andy Morrison’s men, and they face another stern test of their credentials this Saturday during their trip to Newtown (2.30pm).

Eardley, said: “It was a bit of a difficult one as I didn’t think it was a 6-2 game. The two penalties were disappointing, and I always look at the reaction of the players, which tells you everything.

“I said at half-time that we needed to start playing and get the wide men involved and we were excellent in the opening stages of the second half. We defended our box exceptionally well as they have threats all over the pitch. Their play is direct but very effective. They attack the ball aggressively and you have to stand up to it or you get found out.

“I am looking for a reaction from the boys, we have a good balance of youth and experience and it will be up to the experienced lads to get an arm around the younger members of the squad this week.

“They can all learn from this and we have got to react. Training will not change as we always train at a high intensity, so we have to make sure the standards do not drop and put this result right at Newtown next week.”

The home side opened the scoring on nine minutes when Callum Morris fired past Alex Ramsay, but the Cofis’ responded well and levelled through a Nathan Craig penalty with 23 gone.

Morris secured a hat-trick with a pair of quick-fire penalties on 29 and 32 minutes to give Nomads a comfortable cushion at the break, but the visitors came out after the interval with a renewed sense of purpose and halved the deficit on 55 with a well-worked effort from Cai Jones.

That was as good as it got for the away side, who were punished late on as Adam Barton, Michael Wilde and Michael Bakare all netted in the final 20 minutes for the hosts.