Race for the Golden Boot

Race for the Golden Boot

The race for the Golden Boot is wide open this year with just two goals separating nine players.

Rhys Hughes of Connah’s Quay is one of the top scorers, and with the Nomads competing in the Bottom Six, the attacking midfielder will be confident of being able to continue to shine in the second phase of the season.

That said, Connah’s Quay have gone on a run of four league games without a win for the first time in over 11 years, so Hughes will need to inspire the squad with his goals if the Nomads are to challenge for 7th place.

Louis Lloyd from Caernarfon Town is the other joint top scorer at the moment, but there are tough games ahead for the Cofis in the second phase, and it will be a challenge for the 21-year-old to find the net against the elite.

Four of Lloyd’s goals have come from the penalty spot, but after missing a spot kick in his last game against Flint Town United, the winger may have lost his penalty-taking privileges.

Ben Ahmun is enjoying himself since joining Haverfordwest County over the summer with nine goals this season with four of those coming in January, and so the momentum is certainly on the towering striker’s side.

Ollie Hulbert will be one to watch in the second half of the season as he started the campaign on fire before suffering an injury, and after netting his first goal since September against Aberystwyth Town at the weekend, the Barry Town United forward will definitely be a dangerous weapon in the Bottom Six.

Another one who has shone is The New Saints’ frontman, Aradime Oteh who has scored nine goals since joining the champions from Walsall over the summer, despite only starting nine league games during the first phase of the season.

Oteh will have even tougher competition for his place in the Saints team in the second part of the season as Zack Clarke has joined the champions from Caernarfon Town after scoring eight goals for the Cofis during the first phase.

In addition to Oteh and Clarke, Jordan Williams is a player who tends to go under the radar at Oswestry despite his constant contributions from the wings, and he has netted eight goals once again this year.

Despite being in a a disappointing position in the league, Newtown striker Aaron Williams is among the top scorers yet again this season, and after hitting 16, 17 and 19 goals in his last three campaigns, he is certainly a threat in the battle for the Golden Boot.

And don’t underestimate the experienced head of Chris Venables, who has won the Golden Boot on five occasions in the past with the latest coming in 2020/21.

Venables is third on the league’s all-time leading scorers list with 243 goals in 569 appearances, and although he is now 39 years old he is still proving his worth to Pen-y-bont who are fighting for the championship.

Brad Young was the winner of the Golden Boot last season, netting 22 goals for The New Saints before his move to Saudi Arabia over the summer.

Before that, Declan McManus had claimed the trophy for two consecutive years, but the Scot only has four goals to his name this season.

No player from one of the southern clubs has won the Golden Boot since Rhys Griffiths won the trophy for the 7th consecutive season in 2011/12 while he was with Llanelli.

Griffiths’ totalled 19 goals in 2011/12, which is the lowest amount by a Golden Boot winner in the entire history of the league, but perhaps that record will be broken this season as it’s so tight in the race for the top scorer title.