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The race for the Top Six is ​​about to reach its climax and it remains extremely tight in the middle of the table. 

Only the top two, Pen-y-bont and The New Saints are safe of their place in the Top Six, while the clubs between 3rd and 8th place are still fighting for the last four spaces. 

31 points is the usual amount needed to claim a place in the Top Six and four clubs have already passed that target (Pen-y-bont, YSN, Haverfordwest County and Cardiff Met). 

Nevertheless, it is likely that more than 31 points will be needed to reach the goal this season as it is such a close race this year. 

34 points was the highest number needed to reach the Top Six (Bala Town in 2018/19) and 27 points was the lowest total (Port Talbot in 2010/11), but on average, 31 points has been the general amount. 

 

Tuesday, 31 December 

 

Briton Ferry Llansawel (10th) v Barry Town United (7th) | Tuesday – 12:30 

Briton Ferry Llansawel have risen out of the relegation zone after a fantastic away win against Cardiff Met on Boxing Day. 

Mathematically, Briton Ferry are out of the race for the top half, but a battle to avoid the drop is ahead of them, and with a game in hand things look promising for the Reds. 

Barry Town United are aiming to claim a place in the Top Six for the first time since the 2020/21 season, but after suffering three defeats in a row Steve Jenkins will feel that Briton Ferry will have to be beaten if there is any real hope of making the Top Six. 

Barry Town United won 3-1 in the corresponding match in October with Kennan Patten, Eliot Richards and Ollie Hulbert netting for the Dragons that day. 

 

League form: 

Briton Ferry Llansawel: ✅❌✅❌✅ 

Barry Town United: ✅✅❌❌❌ 

 

Remaining league fixtures: 

Briton Ferry Llansawel: Hav (a), Aber (a)
Barry Town United: Hav (h) 

 

Bala Town (5th) v Caernarfon Town (6th) | Tuesday – 12:30 

Bala Town have secured a place in the Top Six in each of the last 10 seasons, and Colin Caton’s crew are in a promising position to do so again this year following a run of nine league games without defeat (D7, W2). 

Too many draws have been Bala Town’s main downfall this year as 11 of their 20 league games have ended level, including away games at Briton Ferry Llansawel, Flint Town United, Newtown and Aberystwyth Town where the Lakesiders would have expected to leave with all three points. 

Caernarfon Town have reached the top half in five of their six seasons since ascending to the top-flight, but after losing their last two games Richard Davies’ team are far from safe of their place among the elite this year. 

It ended goalless in the reverse fixture between the clubs at the Oval in August, which was the fifth draw in a row between the two teams. 

Bala Town have not lost in their last 12 meetings with Caernarfon Town (W6, D6), since the 3-0 loss at the Oval in May 2021 where defender Max Cleworth scored two goals for the Cofis during his loan spell from Wrexham. 

 

League form: 

Bala Town: ➖➖✅✅➖ 

Caernarfon Town: ✅➖✅❌❌
 

Remaining league fixtures: 

Bala Town: CQ (a)
Caernarfon Town: FTU (h)
 

The New Saints (2nd) v Connah’s Quay (8th) | Tuesday – 14:30 

The stubborn Saints are keeping the pressure on Pen-y-bont at the top of the table with just one point separating the two clubs after the champions won their last two games by 5-2 against Briton Ferry Llansawel and Caernarfon Town. 

But Connah’s Quay are the dark horses in the race for the Top Six after the Nomads stuffed their neighbours Flint Town United 7-2 on Boxing Day. 

Although the Nomads are 8th, Billy Paynter’s boys have a game in hand, and winning that would lift them to 5th place. 

Ben Clark and Declan McManus scored two goals in the closing minutes for the Saints away to Connah’s Quay earlier this season to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory. 

Connah’s Quay won 4-1 at Park Hall in April 2021 with Michael Wilde netting a memorable hat-trick against his former club, but the Saints have won all six of their home games against the Nomads since then. 

 

League form: 

The New Saints: ❌✅❌✅✅ 

Connah’s Quay: ͏✅❌✅➖✅ 

 

Remaining league fixtures: 

The New Saints: New (h), Met (a) 

Connah’s Quay: Pen (a), Bala (h)

 

Pen-y-bont (1st) v Cardiff Met (4th) | Tuesday – 17:45 (S4C) 

Pen-y-bont continue to set the standard this year having won four of their last five league games including a 2-1 win against Barry Town United on Boxing Day. 

Cardiff Met on the other hand have stumbled recently losing two of their last three outings (vs Barry and Briton Ferry) which means that their position in the Top Six is ​​in danger especially as their final two games before the split are against the top two. 

Cardiff Met currently have 31 points, which is usually enough to reach the top half, but it’s possible that more will be needed this year with clubs like Bala Town, Caernarfon Town and Barry Town United tight on their heels. 

These teams have already met twice this season and Cardiff Met have had the better of things, picking up a point at home in the league before beating Pen-y-bont at the SDM Glass Stadium three days later in the second round of the JD Welsh Cup. 

 

League form: 

Pen-y-bont: ͏✅✅❌✅✅ 

Cardiff Met: ͏ ➖✅❌✅❌ 

 

Remaining league fixtures: 

Pen-y-bont: CQ (h), New (a) 

Cardiff Met: TNS (h)
 

Wednesday, 1 January 

 

Haverfordwest County (3rd) v Aberystwyth Town (12th) | Wednesday – 14:30 

Haverfordwest County will return to Bridge Meadow on New Year’s Day for their first game on the new 4G pitch, and it could be an occasion to remember as three points for the Bluebirds would confirm Tony Pennock’s side’s place in the top half for the second phase of the season. 

Haverfordwest County are in a strong position to secure a place in the Top Six for the first time since the league was reduced to 12 teams as the Bluebirds have not finished higher than 7th since the 2004/05 season when they managed to finish 4th. 

Aberystwyth Town have lost 10 of their 11 away league matches this season and failed to score in seven of their last eight games on the road. 

The Seasiders have only won one of their last eight meetings with Haverfordwest County (L5, D2), losing 3-0 at home in the corresponding match earlier this season. 

 

League form: 

Haverfordwest County: ✅❌➖❌✅ 

Aberystwyth Town: ͏✅❌❌✅➖ 

 

Remaining league fixtures: 

Haverfordwest County: BFL (h), Barry (a) 

Aberystwyth Town: BFL (h) 

 

Flint Town United (11th) v Newtown (9th) | Wednesday – 14:30 

It was an embarrassing afternoon for Flint in their Boxing Day derby, conceding seven against their local rivals and Lee Fowler will want to make things right on New Year’s Day. 

A win for the Silkmen would lift them above Newtown and out of the relegation zone once more. 

Newtown have reached the Top Six in five of the last six seasons, but after an eight-game winless run in all competitions the Robins are in danger of dropping down into the relegation zone. 

Callum McKenzie is still waiting for his first point after four consecutive defeats since being appointed as Newtown’s new manager. 

Flint Town United won 4-2 away to Newtown in October, which is the only time Flint have scored four in the league this season. 

 

League form: 

Flint Town United: ͏❌✅✅❌❌ 

Newtown: ͏➖❌❌❌❌ 

 

Remaining league fixtures: 

Flint Town United: Cfon (a) 

Newtown: TNS (a), Pen (h) 

 

Highlights of all games will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.

Rhys Llwyd

Author Rhys Llwyd

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