On average, 31 points have been enough to secure a place in the Top Six since the formation of the current format in 2010, and both The New Saints and Connah’s Quay have already crossed that threshold with seven games to go until the split .
But for the rest, it’s going to be a bit of a race to reach the Top Six this year with Bala Town currently sitting in 6th, one point above Pen-y-bont who have a game in hand.
The New Saints will take on Arbroath in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Challenge Cup on Saturday afternoon, therefore only five games will be played in the JD Cymru Premier over the weekend.
Friday, 17 November
Aberystwyth Town (11th) v Bala Town (6th) | Friday – 20:00
Bala Town will travel to Park Avenue for the second time in six days following their victory there in the third round of the JD Welsh Cup last Saturday.
Iwan Roberts scored the only goal of the game for Bala last weekend, getting his own back on Aberystwyth Town who beat Bala Town 1-0 in a league match at Maes Tegid in September, with Roberts seeing a red card on that night.
But the Black & Greens have not won at home against Bala Town for five years, when Geoff Kellaway, Rio Ahmadi and Ashley Ruane scored in a 3-2 triumph in September 2018.
And after losing 1-0 at home against Newtown on Tuesday night, Aberystwyth Town have still not won a single league game at Park Avenue this season, picking up only one point from a possible 18 at home.
But the Lakesiders haven’t been at their best this year either, with Colin Caton’s crew winning just two of their last 10 league games.
And Bala Town’s away record is also disappointing as the club have not won in 14 league games, with their last three points on the road coming on Boxing Day last year at the Oval (Cfon 1-5 Bala).
However, nobody has a better defensive record than Bala in the league this season (conceding 11 in 15), and only Aberystwyth Town (9) and Pontypridd (5) have scored less than the Maes Tegid men (11) .
League form:
Aberystwyth Town: ❌✅✅❌➖
Bala Town: ➖❌✅➖✅
Sunday, 19 November
Caernarfon Town (5th) v Barry Town United (10th) | Sunday – 14:30
After a two-week break, Caernarfon Town will be keen to resume their campaign to try and claim a place in the Top Six.
The Cofis are three points above 7th-placed Pen-y-bont, who have a game in hand to play against bottom-side, Colwyn Bay.
And Colwyn Bay (32) are the only team that have conceded more goals than Caernarfon (30) this season.
The Canaries have either scored at least three goals or conceded at least three goals in 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions (won five, lost seven).
But Caernarfon Town are in a much stronger position than Barry Town United, who are only one point above the relegation zone after winning just three of their 15 league games to date.
The Cofis were victorious in the corresponding match in September (Barr 0-3 Cfon), but Barry have come away with all three-points on their last two visits to the Oval.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ❌❌✅✅❌
Barry Town United: ❌✅❌✅❌
Connah’s Quay (2nd) v Haverfordwest County (8th) | Sunday – 14:30
Connah’s Quay and Haverfordwest County have progressed to the fourth round of the Welsh Cup after wins against Prestatyn and Ammanford from the second tier last weekend.
Jordan Davies scored another hat-trick in Connah’s Quay’s 8-0 win over his former club Prestatyn, and the talented forward will be looking to impress against another of his former clubs on Sunday.
Haverfordwest County have started to climb the table having lost just one of their last six games in all competitions (won four, drawn one) and the Top Six is not out of reach for the Bluebirds, who trail 6th placed Bala Town by just four points.
Connah’s Quay have already defeated Haverfordwest County this season (Hav 1-3 Quay), and the Bluebirds have not won away against the Nomads for 20 years.
And Haverfordwest County have only won one of their eight away games this season, with that victory coming against Colwyn Bay (12th).
League form:
Connah’s Quay: ❌✅✅➖͏➖
Haverfordwest County: ✅➖❌✅❌✅
Pen-y-bont (7th) v Newtown (3rd) | Sunday – 14:30
It promises to be a crucial game at Bryntirion as Pen-y-bont try to climb back into the Top Six.
Pen-y-bont have lost four of their last five league games, and after being kicked out of the Welsh Cup by second tier Llanelli last Friday night Rhys Griffiths will be determined to see his squad respond positively on Sunday afternoon.
Newtown were also disappointed to lose in the Welsh Cup over the weekend, but the Robins won a league game against Aberystwyth Town in midweek and rose to 3rd place.
Pen-y-bont have won their previous five games against Newtown, but they will have to be wary of Robins forward, Aaron Williams who is still leading the league’s top scorers list with 12 goals.
League form:
Pen-y-bont: ✅❌❌❌❌
Newtown: ✅❌➖❌✅
Pontypridd United (9th) v Colwyn Bay (12th) | Sunday – 14:30
There is a worrying situation developing in Pontypridd with the club accused of breaching league rules regarding contracts, payments and playing ineligible players.
Pontypridd United have already been banned from the JD Welsh Cup, and there could be further punishments to follow.
Meanwhile, on the field, Ponty will take on Colwyn Bay for the first time ever, hoping to open a gap between themselves and the club at the bottom of the heap.
Colwyn Bay (2) are the only team to win fewer games than Pontypridd United (3) in the league this season, but no one has scored fewer goals than Ponty (5 goals in 15 games).
After winning two games in a row in September, Colwyn Bay have gone on a run of seven league games without a win, securing just one point from a possible 21.
But the Seagulls had reason to celebrate last weekend after beating Newtown on penalties to seal their place in the fourth round of the Welsh Cup.
League form:
Pontypridd United: ➖❌❌❌✅
Colwyn Bay: ͏❌❌❌❌➖
The highlights of the games will be available on Sgorio’s social websites and the best of the weekend’s games will be shown on S4C on Monday evening at 10:00.
