There are 10 rounds of matches left until the league split and the race to reach the Top Six has begun as all 12 teams look to make the cut and secure their place in the top-flight for next season.
Friday, 20 October
Aberystwyth Town (12th) v Newtown (3rd) | Friday – 20:00
Newtown’s remarkable run came to an end on Tuesday night as the Robins lost for the first time since August with Cardiff Met clinching the win in injury time (Met 2-1 New).
Chris Hughes’ side had won eight consecutive games in all competitions before travelling to Cyncoed Campus where Newtown have never beaten the Archers (drawn three, lost nine).
Aberystwyth Town remain bottom of the table with just the one win in 12 matches, with their latest defeat coming at Caernarfon Town in midweek (Cfon 3-0 Aber).
The Black & Greens only have five points to their name after 12 fixtures, but one of those rare points came in the reverse fixture against Newtown when the teams played out a goalless draw at Latham Park in August.
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ❌➖❌✅❌
Newtown: ❌✅✅✅✅
Saturday, 21 October
Colwyn Bay (11th) v Pen-y-bont (7th) | Saturday – 14:30
Colwyn Bay have fallen into the relegation zone, but the Seagulls do have a game in hand as their midweek fixture against The New Saints had to be postponed due to the Saints’ busy schedule.
Pen-y-bont have dropped into the bottom half for the first time in two years following a run of three successive league defeats where they’ve conceded 11 goals.
Colwyn Bay scored six against third tier Llanrwst United last Saturday to seal their place in the JD Welsh Cup third round where they’ll face Newtown.
Steve Evans’ squad have only kept one clean sheet in the league this season, and that came in their impressive 1-0 away victory at Pen-y-bont in September.
League form:
Colwyn Bay: ͏❌➖❌❌✅
Pen-y-bont: ❌❌❌✅✅
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Cardiff Met (5th) | Saturday – 14:30
It’s very tight in the middle of the table with just three points separating the four clubs between the 4th and 7th positions, and only one point between the Cofis and the Archers in the hunt for Top Six security.
Caernarfon Town will be confident following a comfortable triumph over Aberystwyth Town on Tuesday, but a lack of consistency may be Richard Davies’ main concern as his side have been winning and losing every other game for the last eight league fixtures.
Cardiff Met’s victory over Newtown has extended their run to five games without defeat with the Archers aiming to claim a Top Six spot for the second year running.
But Caernarfon Town have a fantastic record against Cardiff Met as the Cofis have won their last seven meetings, keeping five clean sheets against the university club.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ✅❌✅❌✅
Cardiff Met: ✅✅➖➖❌
Pontypridd United (9th) v Connah’s Quay (2nd) | Saturday – 14:30
Two draws on the bounce has seen Connah’s Quay lose ground on the front runners, and the Nomads now trail The New Saints by three points having also played an extra game.
Nevertheless, Connah’s Quay remain unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions (won eight, drawn two), and Neil Gibson’s gang look increasingly likely to be in the mix for European qualification yet again.
Pontypridd United are the league’s lowest scorers (4 goals in 12) with Andrew Stokes’ team netting a disappointing average of 0.33 goals per league game.
And although these clubs have only gone head-to-head twice in the past, Pontypridd United are yet to score against Connah’s Quay, losing both meetings against the Nomads last season.
League form:
Pontypridd United: ❌✅❌❌❌
Connah’s Quay: ➖͏➖✅✅✅
Bala Town (6th) v Haverfordwest County (8th) | Saturday – 14:30
Spirits will be high at both Bala Town and Haverfordwest County’s camps following strong results in midweek where the Bluebirds shocked Pen-y-bont (Hav 3-2 Pen), before the Lakesiders became the first team to pick up a point away at Connah’s Quay (CQ 1-1 Bala).
The Nomads had a 100% record at Cae-y-Castell ahead of Bala Town’s visit on Wednesday as Colin Caton’s crew claimed their fifth draw of the season.
Haverfordwest County are now only four points behind 6th placed Bala Town, and despite the slow start, Tony Pennock’s team remain in the race to reach the Top Six.
But Bala Town should be favourites on Saturday as they’re unbeaten in their last six meetings with Haverfordwest County (won three, drawn three).
League form:
Bala Town: ➖✅❌❌❌
Haverfordwest County: ✅❌✅➖❌
Barry Town United (10th) v The New Saints (1st) | Saturday – 14:30
Barry Town United have climbed out of the relegation zone after sealing only their second win of the league season against Pontypridd United on Tuesday (Barr 2-0 Pont).
And the Dragons are still the only side to have taken a point from Park Hall during this current campaign following Kayne McLaggon’s 96th minute equaliser at the home of the champions back in August (TNS 2-2 Barr).
The New Saints have now gone 16 games without defeat in all competitions since their European loss to Swift Hesperange on August 1st (won 14, drawn two).
The Oswestry outfit haven’t played a league game in two weeks having been busy beating East Fife on penalties in the Scottish Challenge Cup, before knocking Ruthin Town out of the Welsh Cup with a 5-0 thrashing on Wednesday.
On average, 31 points has been the amount needed to secure a place in the Top Six in previous years, and The New Saints could cross that threshold with a win on Saturday.
League form:
Barry Town United: ✅❌❌❌✅
The New Saints: ✅✅✅✅✅
All goals can be viewed on Sgorio’s online accounts, and all the weekend’s highlights will be on Sgorio on Monday night at 10:00 on S4C.
