Four games into the new season and The New Saints have broken clear at the top of the table, but there are a total of five teams who remain unbeaten in the JD Cymru Premier.
Friday, 1 September
Caernarfon Town v Connah’s Quay | Friday – 19:45 (Online)
Watch Caernarfon v Connah’s Quay live!
There were suggestions ahead of the season that Caernarfon Town could struggle this year, but the Cofis have started strongly and are currently second in the table on goal difference.
Caernarfon Town’s three new strikers, Adam Davies, Louis Lloyd, and Zack Clarke have already contributed two league goals apiece, whilst Marc Williams is joint-top of the league’s assist chart (3).
Both Ryan Austin and Phil Mooney have also slotted in seamlessly into the backline, making it an efficient summer of business so-far for Cofis manager Richard Davies.
Connah’s Quay are in 6th place after winning twice at home, and losing twice on the road, but Neil Gibson will be confident that his side can take all three points at the Oval as the Nomads are unbeaten in 11 meetings against the Canaries (won eight, drawn three).
Jordan Davies has had an impressive start since his return to Connah’s Quay, and the Nomads’ no.10 is joint-top of the league’s scoring chart along with The New Saints’ Adrian Cieslewicz with three goals each.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅✅➖͏͏͏➖
Connah’s Quay: ❌✅❌✅
Newtown v Cardiff Met | Friday – 19:45
Newtown have had a sluggish start to the season after another defeat on Tuesday night against Connah’s Quay, and the Robins have conceded the most goals in the league (8 – joint with Connah’s Quay).
The Robins have just one point following a goalless draw at home to Aberystwyth Town last Saturday, and Chris Hughes has admitted that his players have fallen short of the standards at the beginning of this campaign.
Newtown have made the Top Six in four of the last five seasons, but the Robins have made a bad habit of being slow to get out of the blocks, as they were 11th after 12 games last season, and in 11th spot after 14 matches in 2020/21.
It will be a tough ask to break down Cardiff Met’s sturdy defence who haven’t conceded since April with in-form shot-stopper Alex Lang keeping six consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.
Nevertheless, the Archers have only scored twice in four league games, winning 1-0 against Aberystwyth Town and Colwyn Bay, and drawing 0-0 against Bala Town and Pen-y-bont.
Cardiff Met are unbeaten in nine meetings with Newtown (won five, drawn four), and manager Ryan Jenkins will be looking to keep the run going on Friday.
League form:
Newtown: ❌❌➖❌
Cardiff Met: ✅➖✅➖
The New Saints v Aberystwyth Town | Friday – 19:45
The New Saints are leading the way at the summit, two points clear of Caernarfon Town, Pen-y-bont, Bala Town and Cardiff Met.
After a 6-2 victory over last year’s runners-up, Connah’s Quay on the opening weekend, there were fears that TNS were going to steamroll every opponent this season, but that hasn’t been the case as the champions have narrowly won 1-0 against Pontypridd United and Colwyn Bay, and drawn 2-2 with Barry Town United.
However, it’s Craig Harrison’s squad that are setting the standards and it’s been less than nine months since Aberystwyth Town were thrashed 11-0 in their previous meeting against the Oswestry outfit.
Aberystwyth Town are bottom of the table, and after some flat performances and no goals to date, this could well be the season where the Ceredigion crew are relegated for the first time in their history.
Manager Anthony Williams will need to rotate his Seasiders team on Friday as loanees Ben Woollam and Billy Kirkman will be unavailable to play against their parent club.
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅➖✅
Aberystwyth Town: ❌❌➖❌
Saturday, 2 September
Colwyn Bay v Haverfordwest County | Saturday – 14:30
At Llanelian Road both Colwyn Bay and Haverfordwest County will be determined to secure their first wins of the season in the first ever match between these two clubs.
It was always going to be a difficult step up for Colwyn Bay from the second tier, and expectations may have been a little too high for the Seagulls who are yet to find their feet in the JD Cymru Premier.
Colwyn Bay have one point and one goal to their name after four games, but they did put in a valiant defensive display against the champions on Tuesday night (CB 0-1 TNS).
Haverfordwest County have also started slowly despite their European heroics, but the late comeback against Barry Town United on Tuesday night could be the result that kick-starts their season.
League form:
Colwyn Bay: ❌➖❌❌
Haverfordwest County: ➖❌➖➖
Pontypridd United v Barry Town United | Saturday – 14:30
Pontypridd United climbed up to 7th following their first win of the season away at Aberystwyth Town on Tuesday night (Aber 0-1 Pont).
There have only been two goals scored in Pontypridd United’s four games this season, one for and one against, which means that the defenders are certainly doing their jobs.
Barry Town United are one of the five teams who are still waiting for their first win and Steve Jenkins will be hugely disappointed that his side threw away a 2-0 lead on Tuesday as Ricky Watts struck twice in added time to nick a point for Haverfordwest County.
These clubs last met on October 2021 when Barry Town United blew Ponty away with a 7-1 win in the Nathaniel MG Cup quarter final with captain Kayne McLaggon netting a hat-trick for the Linnets.
League form:
Pontypridd United: ➖❌➖✅
Barry Town United: ❌➖➖➖
Bala Town v Pen-y-bont | Saturday – 14:30
Bala Town and Pen-y-bont have started the season well with eight points from four games having conceded just one goal each.
It will be a significant afternoon for Pen-y-bont’s new striker Chris Venables who spent seven years at Bala Town, breaking the club’s all-time scoring record before leaving over the summer.
The Lakesiders’ new goalkeeper, Kelland Absalom went the other way, and has kept four clean sheets in five matches in all competitions since joining from Pen-y-bont.
Pen-y-bont haven’t lost a domestic game away from home since early December (Hav 2-1 Pen), conceding only four goals in 11 away trips since then.
But the last three meetings between these sides have ended in draws, and Rhys Griffiths’ team have never won away at Maes Tegid.
League form:
Bala Town: ✅➖✅➖
Pen-y-bont: ✅✅➖➖
All goals can be viewed on Sgorio’s online accounts, and all the weekend’s highlights will be on Sgorio on Monday night at 10:35 on S4C.
