It’s going to be a crucial weekend in the JD Cymru Premier title-race as the top two go head-to-head at Park Hall.
Pen-y-bont have failed to win any of their two fixtures since the split and so The New Saints have opened a three-point gap at the top with a game in hand.
If the current champions were to take the three points live on Sgorio on Saturday lunch-time, then Pen-y-bont would have a mountain to climb to try to dethrone the Oswestry outfit.
In the Bottom Six, Aberystwyth Town have given themselves a lifeline by beating Briton Ferry Llansawel last weekend, and now only five points separate the Black & Greens and the safety of 10th place.
TOP SIX
The New Saints (1st) v Pen-y-bont (2nd) | Saturday – 12:15 (Live online)
Pen-y-bont have stumbled in the race for the championship after losing away at Cardiff Met before a goalless game against Haverfordwest County last Saturday.
The New Saints are therefore three points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand and aim to win seven league games in a row for the first time this season.
Pen-y-bont have not gone on a run of three league games without a win for 12 months, and Rhys Griffiths will be determined not to let that happen on Saturday.
The New Saints have won five of their previous six meetings with Pen-y-bont, including a late victory at Park Hall in November where Daniel Redmond scored in the 89th minute to take the three points for the Saints after Pen-y-bont had taken a two-goal lead in the first half (TNS 3-2 Pen).
But Pen-y-bont did manage to defeat the Saints in September with Clayton Green and Chris Venables scoring two headers for the Bryntirion boys at the SDM Glass Stadium (Pen 2-1 TNS).
Several injuries have affected Pen-y-bont’s rhythm recently with Nathan Wood, Mael Davies, Lewis Harling and Dan Jefferies some of the prominent names who are suffering with long-term injuries, and manager Rhys Griffiths has stated that it would be remarkable if his side were to claim one of the three positions in Europe this season.
The New Saints have not had a draw in the league since their stalemate against Bala Town in September 2023 (49 games – won 44, lost 5).
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅✅
Pen-y-bont: ͏➖✅✅❌➖
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Haverfordwest County (3rd) | Saturday – 14:30
Caernarfon Town and Haverfordwest County are both enjoying positive periods, with the Cofis winning three in a row while the Bluebirds are unbeaten in six games (W4, D2).
If The New Saints were to achieve the league and Welsh Cup double, then the team that finishes second would claim an automatic place in Europe, and therefore Haverfordwest County will be keen to close the seven-point gap between themselves and Pen-y-bont.
Finishing 3rd would also be advantageous for Caernarfon Town, as that would mean one less round in the play-offs, and so the Canaries will aim to close the seven-point gap between themselves and Haverfordwest County.
Haverfordwest County are unbeaten in their last five contests against the Cofis, including a dramatic last-minute victory at the Oval in August (Cfon 1-2 Hav).
Haverfordwest County have the best defensive record in the league (conceding 13 goals in 24 games) and goalkeeper Zac Jones kept his 13th clean sheet this season in a goalless game against Pen-y-bont last weekend.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ❌❌✅✅✅
Haverfordwest County: ✅✅➖✅➖
Cardiff Met (5th) v Bala Town (6th) | Saturday – 14:30
It is quite unlikely that these clubs will be able to rise to the top three before the end of the season, and therefore building momentum for the play-off games is the aim for Cardiff Met and Bala Town.
If The New Saints were to achieve the league and Welsh Cup double, then the 5th placed team would avoid an extra game in the play-offs, with the 6th and 7th placed clubs competing in the quarter-final round and therefore finishing 5th rather than 6th could be beneficial.
Three points separate these two teams with eight games remaining in the regular season, and a win for Bala Town would lift them above the students on goal difference.
Bala Town were unbeaten in 13 away league games (W2, D11) before their defeat at Haverfordwest County two weeks ago (Hav 3-2 Bala).
A lack of consistency has been a problem for Cardiff Met recently as the club have not won two successive matches since September.
But Cardiff Met have only lost one of their last eight meetings with Bala Town (W3, D4), and the previous match between the teams was a cracker as it ended 3-3 at Cyncoed Campus in November.
League form:
Cardiff Met: ͏ ❌➖❌✅❌
Bala Town: ✅➖❌✅❌❌
BOTTOM SIX
Flint Town United (9th) v Aberystwyth Town (12th) | Friday – 19:45
Aberystwyth Town’s survival hopes were boosted following their away win at Briton Ferry Llansawel last weekend, which means the Seasiders are now just five points adrift of safety.
Both Aberystwyth Town and Newtown have been continuous members of the Welsh Premier League since 1992, but the two mid-Wales clubs are in danger of falling into the second tier this year.
Flint Town United are only three points above the relegation places and so they are also in a worrying position with eight games left to play.
All of Flint Town United’s last 10 league games have been won by the home team, and Lee Fowler will be hoping that record continues this Friday.
Flint Town United are in a battle to avoid the drop with three other clubs, but the Silkmen did not lose any of their six fixtures against those clubs in the first phase of the season (beating Aberystwyth and Newtown twice and taking 4pts against BF Llansawel).
Flint Town United won 2-0 at Park Avenue in September thanks to two goals from Elliott Reeves, before winning 3-0 at Cae-y-Castell in December with Florian Yonsian hitting a hat-trick for the Silkmen that day.
Aberystwyth Town have not won away from home against Flint Town United for almost 28 years (May 1997).
League form:
Flint Town United: ͏❌✅❌✅❌
Aberystwyth Town: ͏➖❌❌❌✅
Connah’s Quay (8th) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (10th) | Saturday – 14:30
Connah’s Quay will be looking to keep the pressure on Barry Town United in the race for 7th place with seven points separating the clubs at the start of the weekend.
Briton Ferry Llansawel are two points clear of the bottom two and are keen to climb further from the drop zone.
Although Connah’s Quay failed to reach the Top Six, the dream of reaching Europe is still alive as the Nomads are one of the favourites to win the JD Welsh Cup as one of only two top-flight clubs left in the competition.
Avoiding relegation was Briton Ferry Llansawel’s main goal in their first season back in the JD Cymru Premier, and maintaining consistency has been a difficulty for the Reds who have not won back-to-back games throughout the season.
Connah’s Quay won both their matches against Briton Ferry Llansawel in the first phase of the season and the Nomads have only lost one of their last six home games.
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ͏ ❌❌❌❌✅
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ➖❌✅➖❌
Newtown (11th) v Barry Town United (7th) | Saturday – 14:30
13 is the unlucky number for Newtown as the club continue their dreadful run of 13 games without a win (D2, L11).
Newtown’s new manager, Callum McKenzie has definitely not had the intended influence on the squad as the Robins have only picked up one point out of a possible 27 in the nine games since his appointment in November.
Newtown have only won one of their last 18 matches (vs Cfon), and the club is in danger of falling from the JD Cymru Premier for the first time ever.
It is a very different story at Barry Town United, who are seven points clear in the race for 7th place and have appointed Andy Legg as manager of the club as the Dragons start preparing for the European play-offs.
Barry Town United have gone on a run of four league games without defeat, winning their two games since the split against Aberystwyth Town and Flint Town United.
Barry Town United were victorious in the previous meeting between the teams, hitting four in the second half at Latham Park in October (New 2-4 Barr), but the Robins beat the Dragons at Jenner Park in August thanks to two goals from their top scorer, Aaron Williams (Barr 1-2 New).
League form:
Newtown: ͏ ❌❌❌➖❌
Barry Town United: ❌➖➖✅✅
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
