With eight games left until the league split it’s incredibly tight in the JD Cymru Premier as the race to reach the Top Six intensifies with only six points separating eight clubs between the 4th and 11th positions.
Friday, 3 December
Bala Town (5th) v The New Saints (1st) | Friday – 19:45
This Friday Anthony Limbrick will return to the ground where he managed his first game for The New Saints back in April as his side came out 1-0 away winners thanks to an early strike from Ryan Brobbel.
And it was Brobbel again who secured the three points for the Oswestry outfit in the reverse fixture earlier this season as the man from Hartlepool scored two late goals to break Bala Town hearts at Park Hall (TNS 2-1 Bala).
Since taking over in April, Australian-born Anthony Limbrick has won 75% of the matches he’s managed for the Saints in the JD Cymru Premier (Player 24 – Won 18, Drawn 4, Lost 2).
The New Saints are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Bala Town (won 4, drawn 3), and with a nine-point advantage on the Lakesiders it could be a tough evening for Colin Caton’s clan who have just one win in their last seven league outings.
League form:
Bala Town: ➖❌❌➖✅
The New Saints: ➖✅✅❌✅
Aberystwyth Town (9th) v Connah’s Quay (6th) | Friday – 20:00
Two goals from John Owen have been enough to secure six points for Aberystwyth Town in their last two matches, lifting the Black & Greens from 11th to 9th place.
Back-to-back 1-0 victories against The New Saints and Cardiff Met has seen striker John Owen climb to the top of his team’s top scorer chart as he is the only Aber player to score more than one league goal this season.
Now there’s only a four-point gap between Aberystwyth Town and Connah’s Quay, which means another win for Antonio Corbisiero’s men on Friday would make them serious contenders for a Top Six berth.
But the Nomads are unbeaten in their previous eight meetings with the Ceredigion crew (won 7, drawn 1) and Craig Harrison’s group will be feeling buoyant following their 4-1 away win against Bala Town in the Nathaniel MG Cup semi-final last weekend.
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ❌❌➖✅✅
Connah’s Quay: ➖✅✅✅➖
Saturday, 4 December
Caernarfon Town (7th) v Pen-y-bont (4th) | Saturday – 14:30
Caernarfon Town start the weekend in the bottom half of the table, but a win for the Cofis at the Oval would lift them above their opponents, Pen-y-bont.
It will be a mean test for Huw Griffiths’ gang as the Canaries have failed to win any of their previous seven meetings with Pen-y-bont (drawn 4, lost 3).
The last three matches between these sides have finished all square after 90 minutes, including Pen-y-bont’s win on penalties in the JD Welsh Cup fourth round back in October.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ❌❌✅❌✅
Pen-y-bont: ✅✅❌✅➖
Cefn Druids (12th) v Cardiff Met (11th) | Saturday – 14:30
After 23 league games without a win, Cefn Druids have a realistic opportunity of ending the terrible run this Saturday as they host their fellow relegation zone roomies, Cardiff Met.
The students have lost their last four league matches but will have been boosted by their Nathaniel MG Cup 3-2 triumph over Barry Town United last Saturday to seal a place in the final.
Since winning 2-1 at Haverfordwest County in April, only once have Cefn Druids scored more than one goal in their 26 subsequent games in all competitions, and that was in the reverse fixture against Cardiff Met in October (Met 4-2 Cefn).
League form:
Cefn Druids: ❌❌❌➖❌
Cardiff Met: ➖❌❌❌❌
Newtown (3rd) v Barry Town United (8th) | Saturday – 14:30
Third-placed Newtown will look to get back on track and consolidate their place in the top half after winning just one of their last five matches.
Chris Hughes’ club are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Barry Town United, conceding just the one goal in the process.
Aaron Williams’ hat-trick inspired Newtown to a 3-0 win at Jenner Park back in October and the Robins will be determined to stay amongst the front-runners as they haven’t finished higher than 5th since 2000/01.
League form:
Newtown: ✅❌✅➖❌
Barry Town United: ➖✅➖➖✅
Flint Town United (2nd) v Haverfordwest County (10th) | Saturday – 14:30
Flint Town United will expect nothing less than three points this Saturday on the back of two disappointing results in the league (Cefn 1-1 Flint, Bala 3-1 Flint)
Neil Gibson’s troops are still in second place but will need to tighten up defensively if they are to compete for a European spot as the Silkmen have not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 league games.
Haverfordwest County will be a bit weary of heading back on the road as six of their last seven games have been at home, with their only away trip during that run ending in a 6-0 thumping at the hands of The New Saints.
The south-west Bluebirds won the reverse fixture 2-0 in September with Touray Sisay scoring a brace as Flint finished the game with only nine men following the dismissal of both Ben Nash and Alex Jones.
League form:
Flint Town United: ➖✅✅➖❌
Haverfordwest County: ✅✅❌➖❌
Highlights of all games will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
