The race for the Top Six has been extended until Tuesday night, but three significant games are being held this Saturday.
As the match between Bala Town and Caernarfon Town was postponed three times, the Gwynedd derby has been rescheduled for the fourth time this weekend.
The New Saints, Pen-y-bont and Haverfordwest have already secured their place in the Top Six, and a win for Bala Town would confirm their place, as well as Cardiff Met in the top half.
Saturday, 11 January
Aberystwyth Town (12th) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (11th) | Saturday – 12:45
While the race for the Top Six is the main focus, there will also be a crucial clash in the battle to avoid the drop at Park Avenue between the two lowest clubs in the table.
Four points separate the two team ahead of the weekend, and a defeat for Aberystwyth Town would leave them in a desperate position at the bottom of the league.
Aberystwyth Town, like Newtown, have been ever-present members of the Welsh Premier League since 1992 and both clubs are in danger of falling out of the league for the first time ever this year.
The biggest consolation for Antonio Corbisiero is that Aberystwyth Town have not lost any of their last four home games (W3, D1).
But it was a heavy defeat for the Black & Greens in the reverse fixture against Briton Ferry Llansawel, in a 4-0 thrashing at the Old Road in November.
Briton Ferry Llansawel are only one point behind Newtown and the safety of 10th place, but their away record has not been great this season.
The Reds have lost eight of their 10 away league matches (beating Pen-y-bont and Cardiff Met), and so Andy Dyer’s team have not picked up a point when traveling north.
Whatever the outcome of the game, Aberystwyth Town will be bottom of the league at the end of the first phase of the season, and since the formation of the 12-team format in 2010 no team has ever managed to climb out of the bottom two after beginning the second phase at the bottom of the table.
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ͏❌❌✅➖❌
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ✅❌✅➖❌
Bala Town (5th) v Caernarfon Town (7th) | Saturday – 12:45
For the fourth time within a fortnight, Bala Town and Caernarfon Town will prepare to meet at Maes Tegid after the game was postponed three times due to the weather.
Only a point separates the two Gwynedd outfits in the middle of the table therefore this is a massive game in the race for the Top Six.
The league will be split into two on Tuesday night, and a victory for Bala on Saturday would confirm their place in the top half.
The New Saints, Pen-y-bont and Haverfordwest County have already secured their place in the Top Six, but five other clubs are still competing for the last three spaces among the elite.
Bala Town have secured a place in the Top Six in each of the last 10 seasons, and Colin Caton’s crew will aim to do so again this year following a run of nine league games without defeat (D7, W2).
Too many draws have been Bala Town’s main downfall this year as 11 of their 20 league games have ended level, including away games at Briton Ferry Llansawel, Flint Town United, Newtown and Aberystwyth Town where the Lakesiders would have expected to leave with all three points.
Caernarfon Town have reached the top half in five of their six seasons since ascending to the top-flight, but after losing their last two games Richard Davies’ team are far from safe of their place among the elite this year.
It ended goalless in the reverse fixture between the clubs at the Oval in August, which was the fifth draw in a row between the two teams.
Bala Town have not lost in their last 12 meetings with Caernarfon Town (W6, D6), since the 3-0 loss at the Oval in May 2021 where defender Max Cleworth scored two goals for the Cofis during his loan spell from Wrexham.
League form:
Bala Town: ➖➖✅✅➖
Caernarfon Town: ✅➖✅❌❌
Newtown (10th) v Pen-y-bont (2nd) | Saturday – 12:45
Newtown are on a disastrous run of 10 games without a win (D1, L9) and the Robins are now in a battle to avoid the drop.
Callum McKenzie is still waiting for his first point after six successive defeats since being appointed as Newtown’s new manager.
Pen-y-bont will be determined to continue their title-challenge as they remain only one point behind reigning champions, The New Saints.
Rhys Griffiths’ team have only lost one of their 10 away league games this season, which came in the last minute at the home of the Saints (TNS 3-2 Pen).
The corresponding fixture between the two teams at the start of the season ended goalless, but Pen-y-bont won 5-0 on their last visit to Latham Park in the play-off semi-finals in May.
Newtown haven’t won at home since September, and Pen-y-bont are on a run of eight games without defeat against the mid-Wales Reds (W6, D2).
League form:
Newtown: ͏❌❌❌❌❌
Pen-y-bont: ͏❌✅✅➖✅
Phase One final fixtures – Tuesday, 14 January at 19:45:
Caernarfon Town v Flint Town United
Connah’s Quay v Bala Town
Cardiff Met v The New Saints
Barry Town United v Haverfordwest County
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
