The New Saints were confirmed JD Cymru Premier champions on Friday night after Pen-y-bont once again failed to beat Cardiff Met for the fifth time this season.
The New Saints have won the championship for the 17th time in their history, and for the fourth consecutive season.
The Oswestry outfit have already lifted the Nathaniel MG Cup last month, and after beating Cambrian United comfortably in the semi-finals of the Welsh Cup on Sunday, Craig Harrison will be determined to secure the treble this year for the first time in nine years.
If the Saints manage to beat Connah’s Quay in the final of the Welsh Cup, then the club that finishes 2nd in the table will secure a place in Europe, and therefore the match between Pen-y-bont (2nd) and Haverfordwest County (3rd) will be crucial this Friday.
And down at the bottom, Aberystwyth Town’s continuous league membership may come to an end over the weekend, as the Black & Greens could be relegated for the first time ever on Friday.
TOP SIX
Caernarfon Town (5th) v Bala Town (6th) | Friday – 19:45
By now, Bala Town are certain to finish below the 3rd position, and with Caernarfon Town also unlikely to rise into the top three, these two clubs will enter the play-offs at the quarter-final stage this season.
Bala Town and Caernarfon Town will therefore need to win three play-off matches if they are to secure a place in Europe over the summer.
Bala Town are the only team to have managed to do this in the past, and that was in 2012/13 when they finished 7th before beating Connah’s Quay, Bangor City and Port Talbot to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history.
But momentum is certainly not on Bala Town’s side as the club have secured only one point from a possible 18 since the split, which came in a goalless game against Haverfordwest County last Saturday.
Caernarfon Town have lost their last two matches, but their home record is fairly strong as The New Saints are the only team to win away from home at the Oval since December.
And the Cofis have not lost any of their previous seven meetings with Bala Town (W2, D5) beating the Lakesiders twice in January.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ➖❌✅❌❌
Bala Town: ❌❌❌❌➖
Haverfordwest County (3rd) v Pen-y-bont (2nd) | Friday – 19:45
With the championship confirmed, attention now turns to the race for second place, and a win for Pen-y-bont on Friday would be a huge step towards claiming that position.
The Bryntirion boys start the weekend six points above Haverfordwest County, and three points on Friday would leave them nine points above the Bluebirds with just three games left to play.
Remaining fixtures:
Pen-y-bont – Hav (a), TNS (h), Cfon (h), Bala (a)
Haverfordwest County – Pen (h), Cfon (h), Met (a), YSN (h)
As Wales have lost one place in Europe, finishing 2nd does not guarantee a place in this year’s Europa Conference League, but if The New Saints were to win the Welsh Cup, then the league runners-up would take a place in Europe as the Saints have already confirmed their place as champions.
Pen-y-bont have lost their last three away games, while Haverfordwest County have an excellent home record losing just one of their last 16 league games at home (Hav 0-1 TNS) and winning their last four fixtures at Bridge Meadow.
Haverfordwest County have the best defensive record in the league (conceding 0.7 goals per game), and with 15 clean sheets already this season, Zac Jones could secure the Golden Glove over the weekend.
Pen-y-bont are on a run of six games without defeat against Haverfordwest County winning four of those by one goal to nil, with the other two games ending goalless, and so the Bluebirds have not scored in their last six contests against Rhys Griffiths’ gang.
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ➖➖✅❌➖
Pen-y-bont: ͏➖❌❌✅➖
Cardiff Met (4th) v The New Saints (1st) | Saturday – 14:30
The New Saints have completed the double for the second season in a row (JD Cymru Premier JD and Nathaniel MG Cup), and the next target for the Oswestry men is to achieve the treble for the first time since 2015/16.
The Saints won comfortably against Cambrian United on Sunday afternoon to claim their place in the Welsh Cup final, and after losing against Connah’s Quay in last year’s final, the Saints will have the chance to take revenge at Rodney Parade in May.
Lack of consistency has been a problem for Cardiff Met this season as the club have not won two games in a row since September.
Craig Harrison’s crew will be full of confidence after winning 14 games on the bounce and have won their last 10 games against the Archers, which include emphatic wins of 8-0, 7-1, 6-2, 5-0, 5-1 and 4-0.
League form:
Cardiff Met: ͏❌✅❌✅➖
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅✅
BOTTOM SIX
Newtown (11th) v Connah’s Quay (8th) | Friday – 19:45
Four games remaining and it’s only through goal difference that Briton Ferry Llansawel are above Newtown in the safety of 10th place, whilst the Robins are lurking in the relegation zone.
After a draw between Briton Ferry and Newtown recently, the two clubs remain equal on points, but Llansawel have a seven-goal advantage over the Robins, and therefore Newtown will have to get better results than the Reds if they want to climb above them before the end of the season.
Remaining fixtures in relegation battle:
Newtown: CQ (h), Barry (a), Aber (h), FTU (a)
Briton Ferry Llansawel: Aber (a), CQ (h), FTU (h), Barry (a)
Connah’s Quay have reached the final of the Welsh Cup for the second year running, and after winning five consecutive fixtures the Nomads are keeping the pressure on Barry Town United in the race for 7th place.
October 2021 was the last time Newtown beat Connah’s Quay, and the Nomads are currently on a 12-game unbeaten run against the Robins (W8, D4).
League form:
Newtown: ͏ ❌➖✅➖➖
Connah’s Quay: ͏ ✅❌✅✅✅
Aberystwyth Town (12th) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (10th) | Friday – 19:45
The battle is almost over for Aberystwyth Town and a defeat for the Black & Greens on Friday would confirm the club’s relegation to the second tier.
Aberystwyth Town and Newtown have been continuous members of the Welsh Premier League since 1992, but the two mid-Wales clubs are in danger of dropping into the second tier this year.
Aberystwyth Town have been playing with fire for a long time, finishing just one place above the bottom two (10th) in the last two seasons.
Anthony Williams was the Seasiders’ manager between May 2022 and October 2024, and left the club in a desperate position, and after Dave Taylor took over temporarily, Antonio Corbisiero returned to manage the club in November.
Despite his efforts, Corbisiero has not been able to steer the Ceredigion crew away from the depths, and after losing seven of their last eight games (and failing to score in their last four contests) the inevitable is fast approaching for Aberystwyth Town.
The games between the two teams have been full of goals so far this season with Briton Ferry winning by 4-0 and 6-1 in the first phase, before Aberystwyth Town won by 3-2 at the Old Road last month.
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ͏✅❌❌❌❌
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ❌✅❌❌➖
Flint Town United (9th) v Barry Town United (7th) | Saturday – 14:30
After picking up last-minute wins in their last two games against Briton Ferry Llansawel and Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town United remain five points clear of Connah’s Quay in the race for 7th place and hope to compete in the play-offs for the first time since the 2020/21 season.
Remaining fixtures in race for 7th place:
Barry Town United: FTU (a), New (h), CQ (a), BFL (h)
Connah’s Quay: New (a), BFL (a), Barr (h), Aber (a)
Barry Town United have only lost one of their last eight games (W4, D3), and that loss came against the Nomads last month with the clubs set to meet again on 13 April in a pivotal fixture.
Flint Town United are only four points above the relegation places and therefore Lee Fowler will demand a performance from his squad to try to rise clear of the bottom two.
Barry Town United have won their last three meetings with Flint Town United and so the Silkmen are the only team in the league to lose 100% of their games against the Dragons this season.
League form:
Flint Town United: ͏❌✅✅➖❌
Barry Town United: ✅➖❌✅✅
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
