Pen-y-bont have stumbled in the race for the championship after losing away at Cardiff Met last Friday and therefore The New Saints will look to take advantage on Saturday as they take on the Archers this weekend.
It will be more of a challenge than usual to get to Europe this year as there are only three places available instead of the usual four, and therefore the club that finishes 2nd in the table will be competing in the play-offs rather than going straight to Europe.
In the Bottom Six, Barry Town United are seven points clear in the battle for seventh place, before the Dragons face Flint Town United at home on Saturday afternoon.
At the bottom of the league Aberystwyth Town start the weekend in a sorry situation, eight points below their opponents Briton Ferry Llansawel who are in 10th place.
TOP SIX
Bala Town (6th) v Caernarfon Town (5th) | Friday – 19:45
It was quite the saga in the first phase when the match between Bala Town and Caernarfon Town was postponed three times due to the weather, before the game was finally held at Parc Maesdu in Llandudno.
Caernarfon Town eventually won that battle after the long wait, beating Bala Town for the first time in 13 meetings with a 2-0 victory just three weeks ago.
Bala Town fans were certainly not happy that they had to play their home game at Llandudno, and Colin Caton’s crew will be determined to prove a point at Maes Tegid this Friday.
Caernarfon Town have reached the Top Six for the sixth time in their seven seasons since ascending to the premier league, and the Canaries will be hoping to build momentum ahead of the play-offs.
Caernarfon Town managed to win the play-offs last year and reach Europe for the first time in their history, and the Cofis will be desperate to repeat the feat again this year.
Bala Town will compete to qualify for Europe for the 10th time in their history, but despite their experience, the club has only ever won one European round, which is the same amount as Caernarfon Town.
League form:
Bala Town: ✅➖❌✅❌
Caernarfon Town: ✅❌❌✅✅
Pen-y-bont (2nd) v Haverfordwest County (3rd) | Saturday – 12:15 (Live online)
Pen-y-bont will be extremely disappointed to have lost 2-1 late on against Cardiff Met last Friday, especially as they were ahead at Cyncoed Campus.
That defeat was only the second time in a year that Pen-y-bont had lost an away league game (losing only two out of 18 away league matches), with the only other defeat coming against The New Saints in November (TNS 3-2 Pen).
As for Haverfordwest County, they are on a run of five games without defeat (W4, D1), with their last defeat coming away from home against Pen-y-bont at the beginning of December (Pen 1-0 Hav).
A win for Haverfordwest County would close the gap to four points between themselves and Pen-y-bont in second place, and if the New Saints were to achieve the league and Welsh Cup double, then the team in second place would automatically advance to Europe.
Pen-y-bont are on a run of five games without defeat against Haverfordwest County, winning four of those by one goal to nil, with the other game ending goalless, and so the Bluebirds have not scored in their last five meetings with Pen-y-bont.
Pen-y-bont have won all six of their home league fixtures against Haverfordwest County since their promotion to the JD Cymru Premier, conceding just three goals.
League form:
Pen-y-bont: ͏✅➖✅✅❌
Haverfordwest County: ✅✅✅➖✅
The New Saints (1st) v Cardiff Met (4th) | Saturday – 14:30
The New Saints are top of the table with 10 games left to play but Craig Harrison’s side have already lost five league games this season, which is the most they have lost since the 2019/20 season when they finished as runners-up behind Connah’s Quay.
However, it seems that the Saints have settled back into their old routine since their European campaign ended, and the Oswestry outfit are now on a run of five consecutive wins in the league.
It was a good three points for Cardiff Met last weekend, as they maintained their record as the only team from the league not to have lost against Pen-y-bont this season (W2, D2).
But the students’ away record in the league isn’t great as Ryan Jenkins’ team haven’t won on the road since September, and that was against the team at the bottom of the table, Aberystwyth Town.
Craig Harrison’s crew will therefore be full of confidence, especially as the Saints have won their last nine meetings with the Archers, which include astounding victories of 8-0, 7-1, 6-2, 5-0, 5-1 and 4-0.
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅✅
Cardiff Met: ͏ ✅❌➖❌✅
BOTTOM SIX
Connah’s Quay (8th) v Newtown (11th) | Saturday – 14:30
Connah’s Quay have lost four league games in a row for the first time in over 11 years and have fallen seven points behind Barry Town United in the race for 7th place.
Connah’s Quay scored seven goals against Flint Town United on Boxing Day, but since then the Nomads have only managed to score two goals in four games.
Things are no better in Newtown with the Robins on a disastrous run of 12 games without a win (D2, L10) scoring just seven goals in their last 11 outings.
Callum McKenzie will be pleased to have secured his first point as Newtown manager with a draw against Briton Ferry Llansawel last weekend following seven consecutive defeats, but he will still be desperate to taste victory for the first time.
October 2021 was the last time Newtown beat Connah’s Quay, and the Nomads have since gone on an 11-game unbeaten run against the Robins (W7, D4)
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ͏✅❌❌❌❌
Newtown: ͏❌❌❌❌➖
Briton Ferry Llansawel (10th) v Aberystwyth Town (12th) | Saturday – 14:30
Aberystwyth Town were bottom of the pile at the end of the first phase, and since the formation of the 12-team format in 2010 no team has ever managed to climb out of the bottom two after starting the second part of the season at the bottom the table.
And after losing against Barry Town United last Friday, Aberystwyth Town are now eight points below the safety of 10th place, and therefore they will have to beat Briton Ferry Llansawel on Saturday if they want any real hope of escaping the fall.
Aberystwyth Town have not scored in eight of their last nine league games away from home and winning the only other game by four goals to one at Caernarfon.
The Black & Greens have lost 11 of their last 12 away matches in the JD Cymru Premier, and Antonio Corbisiero has a huge task ahead of him to try and save Aber from dropping out of the top-flight for the first time in their history.
Briton Ferry Llansawel’s home results have been strong recently, winning three out of five (D1, L1) including an unexpected triumph over The New Saints.
Briton Ferry Llansawel won both meetings against Aberystwyth during the first phase of the season scoring a total of 10 goals (BFL 4-0 Aber, Aber 1-6 BFL).
League form:
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ✅➖❌✅➖
Aberystwyth Town: ͏✅➖❌❌❌
Barry Town United (7th) v Flint Town United (9th) | Saturday – 14:30
Barry Town United start the weekend seven points clear in the race for seventh place, and the Dragons will be determined to claim a place in the play-offs at the end of the season.
Barry Town United had gone on a run of five games without a win before beating Aberystwyth Town last weekend, and Steve Jenkins will be hoping THAT THE VICTORY will reignite the Jenner Park squad’s season.
Flint Town United defeated their neighbours Connah’s Quay 2-1 on Saturday afternoon and claimed their first victory against the Nomads since August 2001.
But the Silkmen don’t have a strong away record as Lee Fowler’s troops have lost their last six away matches conceding 24 goals (an average of 4 goals per game).
Barry Town United have beaten Flint Town United twice in the first phase, and forward Ollie Hulbert will aim to add to his nine goals this season to try and climb to the top of the top scorers list.
League form:
Barry Town United: ❌❌➖➖✅
Flint Town United: ͏❌❌✅❌✅
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
