On the last weekend of the regular season Caernarfon Town and Cardiff Met will battle it out to finish 4th which could secure home advantage in the play-offs.
The New Saints have won the league title for the 17th time in their history, and for the fourth consecutive season.
Pen-y-bont have secured second place for the first time in their history, and if the Saints manage to beat Connah’s Quay in the final of the Welsh Cup next month then Pen-y-bont will avoid the play-offs and qualify for Europe.
For the first time in 21 years, Haverfordwest County have confirmed 3rd place, and Barry Town United have claimed their place in the play-offs after clinching 7th place.
At the bottom of the table, the battle is over for Newtown and Aberystwyth Town who will play their final games in the top-flight on Saturday before dropping out of the JD Cymru Premier for the first time ever.
In the second tier, Colwyn Bay have won the JD Cymru North championship ensuring that they return to the top-flight at the first attempt, while Llanelli will ascend from the south and rise back to the main tier for the first time since 2019.
TOP SIX
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Cardiff Met (5th) | Saturday – 12:45 (S4C)
The most significant game of the weekend will be held at the Oval as the Cofis try to secure home advantage in the play-offs.
Caernarfon Town and Cardiff Met are already guaranteed to play at home in the quarter-final round of the play-off games, but finishing 4th could be enough to confirm a home tie in the semi-final as well, depending on the result of the JD Welsh Cup final.
The Cofis are one point above Cardiff Met, and therefore a draw would be enough for Richard Davies’ side to secure 4th place, equalling their best seasons in the JD Cymru Premier (4th in 2018/19 and 2021/22).
Cardiff Met have never finished higher than 4th place either (2022/23), and a win for them would lift them above the Canaries on the final day.
The team that finishes 4th will welcome Barry Town United (7th) in the quarter-final round of the play-offs, while the team that finishes 5th will host Bala Town (6th).
In the five previous meetings between these clubs the teams have won and lost alternately, and so if the pattern is to continue, as Cardiff Met won the last match 4-2 at the Oval, it is the Cofis’ turn to win this week.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ❌❌✅➖❌
Cardiff Met: ͏✅➖❌➖➖
Haverfordwest County (3rd) v The New Saints (1st) | Saturday – 12:45
Haverfordwest County have secured 3rd place and therefore equalled their best season in the Welsh Premier League (3rd in 2003/04).
However, the Bluebirds have only won one of their last eight games (1-0 vs Met), with six of their last 10 matches ending in a draw.
The Saints on the other hand have not had a draw in the league since their goalless game against Bala Town in September 2023 (57 league games since – won 51, lost 6).
The New Saints have completed the double for the second season in a row (Cymru Premier JD and Nathaniel MG Cup), and the next target for the Oswestry outfit is to achieve the treble for the first time since 2015/16.
The Saints have won their last nine contests against Haverfordwest County including a comfortable 5-1 victory at Park Hall in March.
Haverfordwest County will be backing the Saints in the Welsh Cup final next month as a win for Craig Harrison’s side would see the Bluebirds progress straight into the play-off final.
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ❌➖❌͏➖➖
The New Saints: ✅✅✅❌✅
Bala Town (6th) v Pen-y-bont (2nd) | Saturday – 12:45
It has been a disappointing season for Bala Town who have not won in their nine games since the split (L7, D2).
But Pen-y-bont have enjoyed their best season in the JD Cymru Premier, securing second place for the first time.
If The New Saints beat Connah’s Quay in the final of the Welsh Cup then Pen-y-bont will step straight into Europe, but if the Nomads are victorious then Rhys Griffiths’ team will have to join the play-offs in the semi-final.
Bala Town will travel to either Caernarfon Town or Cardiff Met in the quarter-finals of the play-off games next weekend (25/26 April).
Pen-y-bont have won seven points from a possible nine in their three contests against Bala Town this season, with forward James Crole netting three goals in three games.
James Crole is the league’s leading scorer and goal contributor this season (scoring 15, creating 7) and the young 20-year-old will be determined to claim the Golden Boot on the final weekend.
League form:
Bala Town: ❌➖❌➖❌
Pen-y-bont: ͏✅➖✅✅✅
BOTTOM SIX
Aberystwyth Town (12th) v Connah’s Quay (8th) | Saturday – 12:45
After competing continuously in the Welsh Premier League since 1992, Aberystwyth Town will play their last game in the top tier on Saturday afternoon before falling to the second tier.
It is likely that Aberystwyth Town will drop into the JD Cymru South, and that will cause further problems for the club as 13 of the current 18-man squad are players from the north.
In 2021/22 Connah’s Quay finished 9th after losing 18 points for fielding an ineligible player, and that was the only time since 2013/14 that the Nomads had finished below 7th, until this year.
Connah’s Quay are certain to finish 8th this season, which is why Billy Paynter was sacked as club manager following last weekend’s home defeat against Barry Town United.
Paynter was appointed manager of Connah’s Quay in August 2024 after Neil Gibson was sacked following a defeat at home to Haverfordwest County on the opening weekend of the season.
Gibson had led the club to their first trophy for two years when Connah’s Quay won 2-1 against The New Saints in the Welsh Cup final in April 2024.
Despite the poor record in the league, Paynter has led Connah’s Quay to the final again this year and Connah’s Quay will take on the Saints in the final once more in two weeks’ time.
This Saturday’s match will be the fifth meeting between these teams this season with Connah’s Quay winning twice, Aber winning once in the MG Cup, and one game ending in a draw.
But Aberystwyth Town have not lost any of their last four home games against the Nomads (W1, D3).
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ͏❌❌❌❌✅
Connah’s Quay: ͏ ✅✅✅❌❌
Barry Town United (7th) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (10th) | Saturday – 12:45
For the first time in four years Barry Town United will compete in the European play-offs after the club defeated Connah’s Quay last Sunday to secure 7th place.
Over the years momentum has proven to be an all-important factor when considering the play-off matches, and as Barry Town have won four of their last five games, confidence is high at Jenner Park.
Barry Town United will travel to either Caernarfon Town or Cardiff Met in the quarter-finals of the play-off games next weekend (25/26 April).
Barry Town United would possibly favour a game against Cardiff Met as the Dragons have lost only one of their last six contests against the Archers (W2, D3).
Their record is not so good against Caernarfon Town as the Dragons have lost three of their last five games against the Cofis (W1, D1).
Briton Ferry Llansawel have managed to avoid relegation in their first season in the JD Cymru Premier, which means that the two promoted clubs (Flint Town United and Briton Ferry Llansawel) have managed to stay up for the first time since 2016/17 (Cardiff Met and Cefn Druids).
Barry Town United have taken seven points from a possible nine in their three contests against Briton Ferry Llansawel this season, and it was an exciting battle between the teams last month with Barry winning 4-3 at the Old Road with Ollie Hulbert and Ieuan Owen scoring twice each for Steve Jenkins’ side.
League form:
Barry Town United: ✅✅❌✅✅
Briton Ferry Llansawel: ❌➖✅✅❌
Flint Town United (9th) v Newtown (11th) | Saturday – 12:45
Newtown and Aberystwyth Town are the only two clubs that have been ever-present in the Welsh Premier League since the very first season in 1992/93, but by Saturday afternoon the clubs’ time in the top tier will come to an end.
After losing against Aberystwyth Town last weekend the battle is over for the Robins who will play in the second-tier next season.
It has been a good campaign for Flint Town United who have won their last three games and have not lost a home match in the league since October.
Flint Town United have taken seven points from a possible nine against Newtown this season, but the Robins’ winger, Zeli Ismail has netted three goals in four games against the Silkmen.
League form:
Flint Town United: ͏➖❌✅✅✅
Newtown: ͏ ➖➖❌❌❌
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
