The New Saints’ flawless start came to an end on Saturday as Anthony Limbrick’s side had to share the spoils at Pen-y-bont. The Oswestry outfit face another tough challenge this weekend as they welcome an in-form Barry Town United to Park Hall.
Friday, 17 September
Newtown (7th) v Aberystwyth Town (10th) | Friday – 19:45
After disappointing results last weekend, both Newtown and Aberystwyth Town will look to bounce back on Friday.
Newtown fell to a frustrating 4-1 defeat at Flint Town United, despite playing the last 30 minutes with an extra man following the dismissal of Michael Wilde.
There was further heartbreak for Aberystwyth Town as Antonio Corbisiero’s Seasiders lost 1-0 for the fourth consecutive league game through a late deflected effort from Cardiff Met’s Emlyn Lewis.
Newtown have only won one of their last five home matches against Aberystwyth Town (lost 2, drawn 2), and the Black & Greens enjoyed a resounding 0-4 win at Latham Park on their last visit back in May, which was their biggest win against their mid-Wales rivals since 1998.
League form:
Newtown: ❌➖✅✅❌
Aberystwyth Town: ✅❌❌❌❌
Saturday, 18 September
Caernarfon Town (8th) v Cardiff Met (6th) | Saturday – 14:30
Only one point separates these two mid-table teams, but on the back of a victory apiece, both Caernarfon Town and Cardiff Met will be eager to consolidate a place in the top half.
Caernarfon Town eased to a 3-0 win against the struggling Druids last Friday, but it will be a stiffer test against the students who have only lost one of their last 16 games.
The Cofis have won three of their last four meetings with Cardiff Met, and the Archers have only won once at the Oval, but it was a significant victory in the 2018/19 play-off semi final, as Christian Edwards’ students went on to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅❌❌➖✅
Cardiff Met: ❌➖➖✅✅
Connah’s Quay (5th) v Bala Town (4th) | Saturday – 14:30
Welsh champions, Connah’s Quay have gone three league games without a win for the first time since August 2019.
Following 1-1 draws against Pen-y-bont and Caernarfon Town, the Nomads lost 1-0 at Barry Town last Saturday and are now five points adrift of The New Saints.
And along with The New Saints, Bala Town are the only other club that remains undefeated in the JD Cymru Premier this season, and it’s fair to say that the Lakesiders are in a buoyant mood after scoring an astounding 23 goals in their last two outings (17-1 v Brymbo, 6-2 v Haverfordwest County)
Andy Morrison’s men were on a run of 10 games without defeat against Bala Town before their last meeting in April where Colin Caton’s side came out 2-1 winners.
But the Nomads remain solid at their Deeside fortress where they haven’t lost to Bala Town in 10 meetings since April 2016 (won 7, drawn 3).
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅➖➖❌
Bala Town: ➖➖➖✅✅
Cefn Druids (12th) v Pen-y-bont (8th) | Saturday – 14:30
Cefn Druids and Pen-y-bont will be desperate to secure their first league wins of the season as they go head-to-head at the Rock.
The Druids are on a depressing run of 14 consecutive league defeats, and Niall McGuinness has a mammoth task ahead to try and pull his new-look side out of trouble.
Pen-y-bont are also winless in the league since April, but Rhys Griffiths’ gang have managed to take a point each from all four of the clubs who qualified for Europe last season.
League form:
Cefn Druids: ❌❌❌❌❌
Pen-y-bont: ➖➖➖❌➖
Haverfordwest County (11th) v Flint Town United (2nd) | Saturday – 14:30
With four wins from five, Flint Town United will be more than pleased with the way they’ve started the season as Neil Gibson’s side sit neatly in 2nd place, only one point behind The New Saints.
It’s a completely different story at Haverfordwest County who have picked up just one point from their opening five fixtures and have only won once in their last 13 league games (2-0 vs Cefn).
No team have scored more (14) or conceded less (3) than Flint this season, and the Silkmen have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three meetings with Haverfordwest County.
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ❌➖❌❌❌
Flint Town United: ✅✅✅❌✅
The New Saints (1st) v Barry Town United (3rd) | Saturday – 17:15
The New Saints have slipped up for the first time this season, and Barry Town United are ready to pounce as the Dragons hope to close the three-point gap between the two teams.
Barry Town United are currently setting the standards as they are the only club to have won their last three matches in the JD Cymru Premier.
But The New Saints are unbeaten in their last six meetings with the Dragons (won 5, drawn 1), scoring 20 goals in the process (3.3 goals per game).
Since Barry Town United’s promotion in 2017, Gavin Chesterfield’s boys haven’t done too badly on their seven visits to Park Hall (won 2, drawn 2, lost 3).
With four of the top five teams playing each other this Saturday, it could be an enthralling weekend in the JD Cymru Premier.
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅➖
Barry Town United: ❌➖✅✅✅
Highlights of the weekend’s matches will be on Sgorio this Monday at 5:30.
