There are only two rounds of matches left to play in the JD Cymru Premier season, and since The New Saints have already secured the championship, the attention has turned to the race for European places and the battle to avoid relegation.
The New Saints have sealed their place in Europe, but there are three more tickets up for grabs which will be given to the league runners-up, the play-off winners, and the JD Welsh Cup winners.
If The New Saints were to do the double and beat Bala Town in the JD Welsh Cup final, then the 3rd placed team in the league would be granted the final European spot.
TOP SIX
Bala Town (5th) v The New Saints (1st) | Friday – 19:45
Bala Town have gone 10 league games without a win for the first time since September 2010, and it looks like the Lakesiders will finish outside the top three for the first time in four years.
Bala Town have never gone 11 league games without a win in the JD Cymru Premier, and Colin Caton’s crew will be keen to avoid breaking that unwanted record on Friday.
The New Saints are the champions and they’re 17 points clear having broken the record for most goals scored in a season during the current 12-team format (106 goals).
The New Saints are unbeaten in their last 13 meetings with Bala Town (won nine, drawn four) and it’s been over four years since Bala Town last beat the Oswestry outfit.
The clubs will go head-to-head in the JD Welsh Cup final on 30 April, where both teams will be eager to complete the double as the Saints have already clinched the league title, whilst Bala Town have claimed the Nathaniel MG Cup this season.
League form:
Bala Town: ❌❌➖➖❌
The New Saints: ͏✅✅✅➖✅
Connah’s Quay (2nd) v Pen-y-bont (3rd) | Saturday – 14:30
Connah’s Quay are the only team unbeaten in the league since the split, and a point against Pen-y-bont on Saturday would be enough to secure the second spot for the Nomads and seal their place in Europe.
Connah’s Quay are also unbeaten in their last six meetings with Pen-y-bont (won three, drawn three) therefore Neil Gibson will be confident that his squad can get over the line this weekend.
The Deeside club had represented Wales in Europe for six successive years before being deducted 18 points last season and missing out on qualification for the first time since 2016.
Pen-y-bont have their hearts set on European football for the first time in the club’s history, and despite the off-field saga regarding a point-deduction dragging on for several months, Rhys Griffiths’ gang have kept on performing on the pitch and are sitting in 3rd place with two games left to play.
Pen-y-bont lost 2-0 on their last visit to Connah’s Quay, but since then the Bryntirion boys have only lost once in 16 games on the road which was an away defeat at Haverfordwest County in December.
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅✅➖➖
Pen-y-bont: ❌✅➖✅➖
Newtown (6th) v Cardiff Met (4th) | Saturday – 14:30
For just the second time in 2023 Newtown had reason to celebrate last Friday as they claimed their second win since the new year, with both three points coming against Bala Town.
Before Friday, Newtown hadn’t won away since December, and the victory at Maes Tegid was their first away win against Bala Town in the league since April 2015.
The third spot is out of reach for the Robins, and Chris Hughes’ hopes of leading his side to Europe for the third consecutive year lies solely on the play-offs.
Cardiff Met have gone seven games without a win but are still in a favourable position to secure a European spot for the first time in three years.
Since becoming the only team to beat The New Saints this season with a 3-2 triumph in February, Cardiff Met have picked up just two points from a possible 21 with two goalless draws against Newtown and Bala Town.
But the Archers are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with the Robins (won four, drawn four), which includes three victories this season.
League form:
Newtown: ✅❌❌❌➖
Cardiff Met: ❌❌❌➖➖
BOTTOM SIX
Airbus UK (12th) v Flint Town United (11th) | Friday – 19:45
Airbus UK were only four minutes away from their first league win of the season before conceding a late equalising penalty at Aberystwyth Town last Saturday.
Despite not winning the game, it was only the second time in 30 league games that Airbus avoided defeat therefore it was a valuable point for the Wingmakers.
There were some disturbing scenes at Flint Town United last Saturday as their match against Caernarfon Town had to be postponed after 15 minutes due to crowd trouble.
Flint Town United had gone 2-0 up in less than 10 minutes, but ambulances and police were called to the ground after spectators suffered serious injuries, and the Silkmen remain in the relegation zone.
Lee Fowler’s Flint side have already beaten Airbus three times this season, and nothing less than three points will do for the Silkmen this Friday.
League form:
Airbus UK: ➖❌❌❌❌
Flint Town United: ❌❌➖✅➖
Caernarfon Town (8th) v Pontypridd United (9th) | Saturday – 14:30
There’s just one point separating Caernarfon Town and Pontypridd United in the Bottom Six, and a win for either club could prove enough to secure their place in the league for next season, but a defeat could drag them into real danger.
Caernarfon Town have had to settle for a place in the Bottom Six for the first time since their promotion in 2018, and newly appointed manager Richard Davies will be desperate to keep the Cofis in the top-flight.
Pontypridd United’s impressive run came to an end at Haverfordwest County last Friday as Andrew Stokes’ side lost for the first time since the split.
This will be the fourth meeting between the teams this season, and after Caernarfon beat Ponty 2-0 at the Oval in August, it was the Rhondda bunch that got the better of things with two home wins against the Canaries.
Caernarfon Town will be hoping to put last weekend’s sombre incidents behind them, and Sgorio would like to send their best wishes to those who were injured at Cae-y-Castell.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅➖❌❌➖
Pontypridd United: ͏❌➖✅➖✅
Haverfordwest County (7th) v Aberystwyth Town (10th) | Saturday – 17:15
Aberystwyth Town became only the second team to drop points against Airbus UK this season in a 1-1 draw on Saturday which could prove to be a pivotal moment in the club’s history.
Aberystwyth Town are one of only two clubs who have been ever-present since the league’s formation back in 1992 (along with Newtown), but with just two games left to play the Seasiders are only two points above Flint Town United (11th) who now have a game in hand.
And there’s more worrying news for Anthony Williams as Aberystwyth Town’s remaining two fixtures are against the two highest placed teams in the Bottom Six, Haverfordwest County and Caernarfon Town.
But the Black & Greens have only lost once in their last seven outings, with that defeat coming in the last meeting with Haverfordwest County.
Haverfordwest County have been effective at home and haven’t lost at Bridge Meadow since October, winning matches against Pen-y-bont and Connah’s Quay amongst others (won six, drawn two).
The Bluebirds will finish above the drop zone, but it’s off-field problems that could cost the club as they have failed to gain the domestic license needed to participate in the league next season.
As it stands, there aren’t enough seats at the Bridge Meadow stadium to pass the licensing criteria, but a club statement has been issued to ensure fans that the matter will be dealt with swiftly.
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ✅✅➖✅✅
Aberystwyth Town: ➖➖✅✅❌
