Eight rounds of matches remain to be played in the JD Cymru Premier season, and The New Saints are 10 points clear at the top of the table and closing in on their fifth consecutive championship.
In the race for second place, and the second European spot, Connah’s Quay are 10 points ahead of Pen-y-bont after going on a remarkable run of 16 league matches without defeat.
Down in the Bottom Six, only three points separate Haverfordwest County, Cardiff Met, Briton Ferry Llansawel and Flint Town United in the battle to finish seventh and reach the play-off matches.
TOP SIX
Colwyn Bay (5th) v The New Saints (1st) | Friday – 19:45
After demolishing Pen-y-bont 6–0 on Saturday, The New Saints have now won seven of their last eight matches, and with the Nathaniel MG Cup final coming up at the end of the month, the Oswestry outfit will be aiming to complete a domestic double for the fifth season in a row.
Jordan Williams scored his 22nd league goal for The New Saints in last weekend’s victory over Pen-y-bont, and the 33-year-old striker will be hoping to break the record for the most goals in the 12-team format era (Chris Venables – 28 goals in 2014/15).
Colwyn Bay have never beaten The New Saints, and Jordan Williams scored in both matches against the Seagulls in the first phase of the season as TNS won 1–0 at Park Hall following a 1–1 draw at Llanelian Road.
The New Saints (0.8 goals conceded per game) are the only club to have conceded fewer goals than Colwyn Bay this season (1.1 per game), but the Seagulls’ attacking record is far from great, as only the bottom two teams have scored fewer than Michael Wilde’s men.
League form:
Colwyn Bay: ͏✅❌❌➖✅
The New Saints: ❌✅✅✅✅
Pen-y-bont (3rd) v Connah’s Quay (2nd) | Saturday – 12:30 (Live online)
It will be a key clash in the race for Europe at the Dragonbet Stadium between two teams on contrasting runs of form.
Connah’s Quay have gone on a run of 16 league matches unbeaten for the first time ever, opening a 10-point gap in second place (11 wins, 5 draws).
Pen-y-bont, on the other hand, have won just one of their last eight matches (Llanelli 0–1 Pen-y-bont), and Rhys Griffiths will be determined to lift his players’ confidence ahead of the play-off games.
Rhys Hughes is enjoying another outstanding season with Connah’s Quay, and the 24-year-old winger has been involved in 24 league goals this season (13 goals, 11 assists).
Only Jordan Williams (TNS) has scored more and been involved in more goals than Rhys Hughes, but Hughes sits top of the assists chart, level with Daniel Williams (TNS).
Connah’s Quay won both matches against Pen-y-bont in the first phase of the season, with Rhys Hughes scoring three times against the Blues.
League form:
Pen-y-bont: ➖✅➖➖❌
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅➖➖➖
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Barry Town United (6th) | Saturday – 14:30
The names were drawn for the JD Welsh Cup semi-finals this week, and Caernarfon will need to do what Barry Town United failed to do last month, which is beat Y Rhyl 1879.
Caernarfon Town have never lifted the Welsh Cup, but the Cofis are the favourites this year, and if Richard Davies’ side can defeat second-tier Y Rhyl 1879 in the semi-final, they will go on to face either Flint Town United or Bangor City 1876 in the final.
Caernarfon Town have lost just one of their last eight matches in all competitions (3 wins, 4 draws), and with only three points separating the Canaries and Pen-y-bont, the Cofis will be aiming to finish in the top three for the first time ever this season.
Barry Town have reached the Top Six for the first time in five years and secured a place in the Nathaniel MG Cup final, but the Dragons have not been at their best recently.
Barry Town have lost five of their last six matches, and Caernarfon have a strong record against the Dragons, with the Cofis winning five of the last eight meetings between the clubs (2 draws, 1 defeat).
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ͏❌✅➖➖➖
Barry Town United: ❌❌✅❌❌
BOTTOM SIX
Cardiff Met (8th) v Llanelli Town (12th) | Friday – 19:45
Cardiff Met start the weekend one point behind Haverfordwest County in the race for 7th place.
Since beating 10-man Llanelli Town on 5 December, the Archers have gone seven games without a win, and Ryan Jenkins will be keen to bring that run to an end on Friday.
Cardiff Met have scored just two goals in their last five matches, both of which were scored by their leading goalscorer, Lifumpa Mwandwe.
Cardiff Met have won their last six meetings with Llanelli, and Lifumpa Mwandwe was the star of the show in the 2–1 victory in December, scoring a superb goal and getting the better of the Reds’ captain, Sean Cronin, who was sent off after receiving two yellow cards following two late challenges on the tricky winger.
Llanelli Town are 19 points adrift of the safety of 10th place with just 24 points still up for grabs, and after picking up just one point from their last 14 league matches, Terry Boyle’s side could be relegated before the end of February.
League form:
Cardiff Met: ͏❌➖➖❌➖
Llanelli Town: ❌❌❌❌❌
Haverfordwest County (7th) v Bala Town (11th) | Friday – 19:45
After losing just one of their last seven matches, Haverfordwest County have climbed to 7th place (4 wins, 2 draws).
The Bluebirds have kept four clean sheets in their last five outings as Tony Pennock’s side eye a place in the play-off games.
Bala Town have been members of the top-flight for 16 years, but the Lakesiders are currently in the relegation zone, three points behind Flint Town United in 10th.
Bala Town have won just one of their last nine matches, but somehow, they boast the best defensive record in the Bottom Six sides (conceding 1.5 goals per game).
Haverfordwest County won 2–0 in both of their ties against Bala Town in the first phase of the season, and the Bluebirds are unbeaten in their last six meetings with the Lakesiders, keeping clean sheets in five of those six matches (4 wins, 2 draws).
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ✅➖❌✅✅
Bala Town: ❌❌✅❌➖
Flint Town United (10th) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (9th) | Saturday – 14:30
Just one point separates Flint Town United and Briton Ferry Llansawel in the Bottom Six, and both teams will be eager to move further away from the relegation zone and challenge for 7th place.
After beating the bottom two in the table, and seeing off Trearddur Bay in the Welsh Cup, Flint Town United have won three consecutive games for the first time this season.
Flint Town United will face third-tier Bangor City 1876 in the Welsh Cup semi-final next month, with the Silkmen dreaming of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1954.
Briton Ferry Llansawel have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 matches in all competitions, but Andy Dyer’s side begin the weekend only two points behind Haverfordwest County in 7th place.
Flint Town United have an excellent record against Briton Ferry, with the Silkmen unbeaten in their six matches against the Reds (4 wins, 2 draws).
Flint Town United defender and captain Harry Owen clearly enjoys playing against Briton Ferry Llansawel, having scored six goals in six games against them.
Harry Owen scored both goals against Briton Ferry Llansawel at Cae y Castell in the first phase of the season, as Flint Town claimed a 2–1 victory in September.
League form:
Flint Town United: ❌✅❌✅✅
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ͏➖✅✅✅❌
The match highlights will be available on Sgorio’s social media platforms.
