A full set of fixtures is scheduled for Saturday as Haverfordwest County host Aberystwyth Town in a crucial clash at the foot of the table, whilst Connah’s Quay welcome Pen-y-bont with both clubs looking to keep the pressure on league leaders, The New Saints.
Saturday, 30 September
Colwyn Bay (9th) v Cardiff Met (7th) | Saturday – 14:30
As September comes to its close, Colwyn Bay’s ambition of reaching the Top Six may be fading as the newcomers have won only twice in nine games since their promotion.
Bottom side, Aberystwyth Town (7) are the only team to lose more matches than Colwyn Bay (6) this season with the Seagulls just one point above the relegation zone.
Cardiff Met are also in the bottom half after winning only one of their last six league fixtures.
But it was the Archers who came out on top in the previous meeting with Sam Jones scoring the only goal of the game at Cyncoed Campus last month.
League form:
Colwyn Bay: ❌❌✅✅❌
Cardiff Met: ➖❌❌✅❌
Haverfordwest County (10th) v Aberystwyth Town (12th) | Saturday – 14:30
With just three points separating bottom of the table, Aberystwyth Town and Haverfordwest County, this could be a compelling encounter between two struggling sides.
Haverfordwest County have only one win in nine league games, and the Bluebirds haven’t won at Bridge Meadow since April (2-0 vs Pontypridd).
Aberystwyth Town had gone eight games without a win before recording their first victory of the campaign against Bala Town on Wednesday night thanks to John Owen’s solitary goal.
But Haverfordwest County will be confident as they’re unbeaten in three meetings with Aberystwyth Town (won two, drawn one), and Tony Pennock will expect nothing less than three points on Saturday.
League form:
Haverfordwest County: ➖❌❌❌✅
Aberystwyth Town: ✅❌❌❌❌
Barry Town United (11th) v Caernarfon Town (5th) | Saturday – 14:30
With just the one win in nine matches, Barry Town United are another team battling at the wrong end of the league table.
Although results may not have gone their way, the Dragons have been competitive since their promotion, drawing on three occasions and losing three away games by 1-0, which proves that Steve Jenkins’ side are not a million miles below standard.
Caernarfon Town have had a commendable start to their campaign, losing only to last season’s top three so far.
The recent head-to-head record shows that there’s not much between these two clubs as the last 10 meetings have been balanced – Barry Town United winning four, Caernarfon Town also winning four, with two matches drawn.
League form:
Barry Town United: ❌✅❌❌❌
Caernarfon Town: ❌✅❌✅❌
Newtown (4th) v Bala Town (6th) | Saturday – 14:30
Both these teams have had a contradicting start to their seasons, Bala Town starting strongly before hitting a wall, whilst Newtown were slow out of the blocks but have found their feet recently.
Newtown picked up just one point from their opening four fixtures, but since then the Robins have turned the corner and go into Saturday’s match hoping to make it six successive league wins for the first time in 19 years (seven wins in Autumn 2004).
Bala Town were unbeaten in the league up until last weekend when they became the first team to lose to Barry Town United this season, and on Wednesday they yet again suffered a disappointing defeat, giving Aberystwyth Town their first win of the campaign.
Bala Town are now on a run of six games without a win in all competitions, scoring only once during that six-match period.
And things don’t look promising for the Lakesiders ahead of the weekend as Newtown have won their last three meetings with Bala Town.
League form:
Newtown: ✅✅✅✅✅
Bala Town: ❌❌➖➖✅
The New Saints (1st) v Pontypridd Town (8th) | Saturday – 14:30
The New Saints are leading the way in the JD Cymru Premier, two points clear at the summit and still unbeaten.
Craig Harrison’s clan have gone 12 games without defeat in all competitions since their European loss to Swift Hesperange on August 1st (won 10, drawn two).
The reigning champions have the best attacking record in the league (29 goals, or 3.2 goals per game), while their opponents on Saturday, Pontypridd Town are the league’s lowest scorers (2 goals, or 0.2 goals per game).
Ex-TNS defender, Keston Davies is the only player to score from open play in Ponty’s nine league games this season (vs Aber, 12th), with the other goal scored by Ben Ahmun from the penalty spot (vs Barry, 11th).
But Pontypridd Town also boast the best defensive record in the league having conceded only five goals in nine games, which means that there has been an average of just 0.8 goals scored in Ponty’s matches this season.
The New Saints have won all previous three meetings between the clubs without conceding a single goal, including their 1-0 away win last month via a late strike from Daniel Williams.
League form:
The New Saints: ✅✅✅➖✅
Pontypridd Town: ❌❌➖❌✅
Connah’s Quay (2nd) v Pen-y-bont (3rd) | Saturday – 17:15 (Live online)
Connah’s Quay are hot on the heels of The New Saints, only two points behind the champions following the Nomads’ run of six consecutive league victories.
Neil Gibson’s men are unbeaten at home since the move to Cae-y-Castell, and the league’s top scorer Jordan Davies scored his 7th of the season through a lovely free-kick in the 2-1 home win against Colwyn Bay on Tuesday night.
Pen-y-bont also secured three points in midweek against Barry Town United with Chris Venables grabbing the only goal of the game in his record-breaking 537th JD Cymru Premier appearance.
The head-to-head statistics are certainly favouring Connah’s Quay as they’re unbeaten in seven against Pen-y-bont and have conceded just one goal in the last five meetings.
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ✅✅✅✅✅
Pen-y-bont: ✅✅✅❌❌
All goals can be viewed on Sgorio’s online accounts, and all the weekend’s highlights will be on Sgorio on Monday night at 10:05 on S4C.
