On Tuesday night, Caernarfon Town will try to end The New Saints’ unbeaten start, whilst on Wednesday night, Aberystwyth Town aim for their first win of the season against Bala Town.
Tuesday, 26 September
Caernarfon Town (4th) v The New Saints (1st) | Tuesday – 19:45
The New Saints are leading the way in the JD Cymru Premier, two points clear at the summit and still unbeaten.
The reigning champions have won 5-1 in their last two league games against Cardiff Met and Haverfordwest County, therefore it comes as no surprise that they are the league’s leading scorers (26 goals in eight games).
With talisman Declan McManus out injured, the remainder of the Saints’ squad have shared the goalscoring responsibilities with 12 different players chipping in this season.
Caernarfon Town will be more than satisfied with their current league position after beating Pontypridd Town by a single Phil Mooney goal on Saturday (Cfon 1-0 Pont).
But the Canaries are without a win in their last 11 meetings with the Oswestry outfit, and TNS have been victorious in their last seven games against the Cofis.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅❌✅❌➖͏͏͏➖
The New Saints: ✅✅➖✅✅
Connah’s Quay (2nd) v Colwyn Bay (9th) | Tuesday – 19:45
Connah’s Quay are the in-form team to beat as the Nomads have now won five on the bounce.
Neil Gibson’s gang have netted at least three goals in all those five fixtures, and the third against Haverfordwest County on Saturday was a truly special strike from Ryan Stratulis, as the young midfielder lobbed the goalkeeper from the centre circle.
Colwyn Bay are just one point above the relegation zone following their 4-2 home defeat at the hands of Newtown over the weekend.
These two teams have met twice recently in the JD Welsh Cup with Colwyn Bay causing quite the upset in February 2022 (CQ 0-2 Bay), before the Nomads got their own back last season (CQ 4-0 Bay).
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅✅✅✅
Colwyn Bay: ❌✅✅❌❌
Cardiff Met (7th) v Haverfordwest County (11th) | Tuesday – 19:45
Cardiff Met have dropped into the bottom half for the first time this season after their disappointing defeat to The New Saints, whilst Haverfordwest County have slipped into the relegation zone after losing to Connah’s Quay.
Cardiff Met had only conceded twice in their opening six games, but the impressive record has since been tarnished with the Archers on the wrong end of back-to-back heavy beatings by Connah’s Quay (4-0) and The New Saints (5-1).
Haverfordwest County have lost three successive league games for the first time since October 2022, and after a memorable summer in Europe, the Bluebirds have had a frustrating start to their league campaign with just one win in eight.
But it was Tony Pennock’s team who came out on top in the last meeting between the two sides, with Zac Jones the hero in the play-off semi-finals as Haverfordwest County won the match on penalties.
League form:
Cardiff Met: ❌❌✅❌➖
Haverfordwest County: ❌❌❌✅➖
Pen-y-bont (3rd) v Barry Town United (10th) | Tuesday – 19:45
It will be a memorable occasion for Chris Venables on Tuesday night as he’s set to break Wyn Thomas’ record for most appearances in the JD Cymru Premier.
Whilst representing Caersws, Llanelli, Aberystwyth Town, Bala Town and Pen-y-bont, Chris Venables has made 536 appearances, and is currently fourth on the league’s top-scorer chart with 221 goals.
Steve Jenkins finally had reason to celebrate last Saturday as Barry Town United beat Bala Town to claim their first victory since the manager’s appointment over the summer (Barr 3-1 Bala).
But the Linnets haven’t scored in their last three meetings with Pen-y-bont, and Rhys Griffiths’ side are unbeaten in six games against the Jenner Park boys (won four, drawn two).
League form:
Pen-y-bont: ✅✅❌❌➖
Barry Town United: ✅❌❌❌➖
Pontypridd Town (8th) v Newtown (5th) | Tuesday – 19:45
Pontypridd Town have the lowest attacking record this season having scored just twice in eight games, but Andrew Stokes’ defence has been resilient, conceding only four goals to date.
Pontypridd’s matches have therefore been low scoring affairs, with less than one goal scored per league game on average (0.75 per game).
Newtown won 4-2 away at Colwyn Bay on Saturday, and the Robins have also scored four goals in each of their previous three meetings with Pontypridd Town.
Newtown have never lost against Pontypridd Town, and after climbing into the top half over the weekend, Chris Hughes’ clan will be looking to make it five consecutive victories for the first time since last December.
League form:
Pontypridd Town: ❌➖❌✅✅➖
Newtown: ✅✅✅✅❌
Wednesday, 27 September
Bala Town (6th) v Aberystwyth Town (12th) | Wednesday – 19:45
Bala Town’s unbeaten league run finally come to an end on Saturday as the Lakesiders became the first team to lose against Barry Town United this season.
Bala Town are now on a run of five games without a win in all competitions, scoring only once during that five-match period.
Pontypridd Town (2) and Aberystwyth Town (4) are the only teams to score fewer goals than Bala Town (6), with the club missing the attacking talents of Chris Venables, Lassana Mendes and David Edwards who left Maes Tegid over the summer.
Nevertheless, Pontypridd Town (4) are the only team to concede fewer goals than Bala (5) who have been resilient at the back.
Aberystwyth Town are on their worst run in the league since December 2020, as the Black & Greens have gone eight games without a victory since the start of the season.
Aberystwyth Town and Newtown are the only remaining two clubs who have been ever-present since the league’s formation in 1992, but Anthony Williams has a difficult task ahead if he’s to steer the Black & Greens away from relegation once again this year with the team already five points below safety.
November 2018 was the last time Aberystwyth Town beat Bala Town, and Colin Caton’s crew have won eight of the last nine meetings between the sides.
League form:
Bala Town: ❌➖➖✅➖
Aberystwyth Town: ❌❌❌❌❌
Goals and highlights will be available via Sgorio’s social media accounts.
