The race to reach the Top Six is heating up as we head into the last 10 rounds of matches in the first phase of the JD Cymru Premier season.
The league will be split into two after 22 games, where the Top Six teams will secure their place in the league for next season and claim a spot in the European play-offs, while the Bottom Six will all be battling to avoid relegation.
Friday, 4 November
Bala Town (3rd) v Aberystwyth Town (8th) | Friday – 19:45
After 12 matches Bala Town are level on points with Caernarfon Town and Pen-y-bont, 13 points behind The New Saints, which seemingly means that the Lakesiders’ hopes of challenging for the title are already over.
Nevertheless, Bala Town are in a strong position to claim a spot in the Top Six for the ninth consecutive season, while Aberystwyth Town start the weekend three points behind 6th placed Cardiff Met.
Aberystwyth Town have failed to make the Top Six since the 2014/15 season, but the Ceredigion club are one of only two clubs who have been ever-present in the JD Cymru Premier since the league’s formation back in 1992 (along with Newtown).
The Seasiders have won their last four home games by a 2-1 scoreline, but Anthony Williams’ men haven’t won away from home in the league since beating Airbus on the opening weekend (Air 1-2 Aber).
Bala Town drew 1-1 with Pen-y-bont last Saturday, but Colin Caton’s crew have won seven out of their last nine games in all competitions, with the solitary defeat coming against the champions, The New Saints.
Aberystwyth Town are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league this season, and the Black & Greens are without a win in their last eight meetings with Bala Town (drawn one, lost seven).
League form:
Bala Town: ➖✅❌✅✅
Aberystwyth Town: ✅ ❌✅❌✅
Saturday, 5 November
Newtown (11th) v Airbus UK (12th) | Saturday – 12:30
Newtown have been dragged back down into the relegation zone along with Airbus UK who are way behind the rest of the crowd after picking up just one point this season before being deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.
Airbus are therefore on -2 points, but Jamie Reed’s side will be feeling hopeful ahead of their trip to Latham Park since Newtown are the only team to have dropped points against Airbus in the league this season.
The riveting reverse fixture ended a 4-4 draw at the Airfield back in September where the Wingmakers netted half of their league goals this season (eight goals in 12 games).
Newtown have won only one of their last seven league games (drawn one, lost five), and the Robins have also won just once in seven home league matches (drawn one, lost five).
Chris Hughes’ team have qualified for Europe for the last two seasons and finished in the Top Six in the previous two years, but despite the recent success, avoiding relegation will be priority no.1 for Newtown this season – a mountain too high for Airbus perhaps.
League form:
Newtown: ❌❌✅❌❌
Airbus UK: ❌❌❌❌❌
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Pen-y-bont (5th) | Saturday – 14:30
Caernarfon Town and Pen-y-bont are level on points in the race for the Top Six and the hunt for European qualification.
Finishing in 3rd place has been enough to seal a ticket to Europe in each of the last eight seasons, and since Pen-y-bont have only lost to the top two this term (TNS and Connah’s Quay), a top-three finish is certainly a realistic target.
After relying on their solid home form at the Oval where Caernarfon Town have won six out of seven this season, Huw Griffiths was glad to see his side pick up their first points on the road last Saturday (Met 0-3 Cfon).
The Canaries have won their last two meetings with Pen-y-bont without conceding a goal and the Cofi Army will be urging their team to continue that record to take a step closer to securing a Top Six spot.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅❌✅✅❌
Pen-y-bont: ➖❌✅➖➖
Flint Town United (7th) v Haverfordwest County (10th) | Saturday – 14:30
Following a strong start to the season, Flint Town United have now won just two of their last 10 league games, with both victories coming against bottom of the league side, Airbus UK.
And with just one win from their last 11 outings there haven’t been many happy faces at Haverfordwest County either.
Tony Pennock’s team go into the weekend level on points with 11th placed Newtown after winning just three of their 12 games this season.
The west Wales Bluebirds led the way after the opening three games, but since then Haverfordwest County have lost seven of their nine league fixtures, as well as losing to lower league opposition in both the Nathaniel MG Cup and the JD Welsh Cup.
Flint Town United have won their last two meetings with Haverfordwest County at Cae-y-Castell, and with only three points separating the Silkmen and Cardiff Met (6th), Lee Fowler’s outfit could find themselves in the Top Six come Saturday night.
League form:
Flint Town United: ❌✅❌➖❌
Haverfordwest County: ❌❌❌❌✅
The New Saints (1st) v Cardiff Met (6th) | Saturday – 17:15 (S4C online)
The New Saints are seven points clear at the top of the table and the champions have now gone 18 league games without defeat (won 16, drawn two).
Since their goalless draw with Newtown on the opening weekend, the Saints have won 11 league games on the bounce, and the Oswestry organization have lost just one of their last 31 JD Cymru Premier matches (TNS 0-1 Newtown – 25/03/22).
During this ongoing remarkable run the Saints have won 26 games, lost once, and drawn four matches, with one of those draws coming against their opponents this Saturday (Met 1-1 TNS – 26/02/22).
Cardiff Met do not have a great record away from home, losing four of their last five away in the league, and the students haven’t won a game in north Wales since December 2021 (Cefn 1-3 Met).
The Archers won at Park Hall back in December 2019 (TNS 1-2 Met), but since then the capital’s contingent have only won three of their 20 league games in north Wales (Flint 0-1 Met, Cefn 1-2 Met, Cefn 1-3 Met).
The New Saints are unbeaten in five meetings with Cardiff Met (won four, drawn one), which includes their emphatic 7-0 win at Cyncoed Campus earlier this campaign.
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅✅
Cardiff Met: ❌✅❌✅❌
Sunday, 6 November
Pontypridd United (9th) v Connah’s Quay (2nd) | Sunday – 14:00
Connah’s Quay have opened a gap between themselves and the chasing pack after nine consecutive wins in all competitions, conceding only twice during the impressive spell.
Pontypridd United climbed up to 9th place after a comfortable 4-0 win away at Airbus last Saturday where striker Ben Ahmun notched a first-half hattrick.
Andrew Stokes’ squad have proven that they’re up for the fight to maintain their top-flight status, but Pontypridd are yet to win back-to-back league games since their promotion.
Connah’s Quay came out on top in the reverse fixture with the experienced and evergreen Michael Wilde grabbing the only goal of the game at the Deeside Stadium.
League form:
Pontypridd Unnited: ✅❌❌✅➖
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅✅✅✅
All goals can be viewed on Sgorio’s online accounts, and the weekend’s highlights will be on Sgorio on Monday night at 10:30 on S4C.
