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The first phase of the season will come to an end on Tuesday night as the race for the Top Six reaches its climax. 

The New Saints, Pen-y-bont and Haverfordwest County have already secured their place in the Top Six, but the last three places are still in the balance with Cardiff Met, Caernarfon Town, Bala Town, Barry Town United and Connah’s Quay all hoping to claim their place among the elite. 

The league will be split into two at the end of the night and for the rest of the season the Top Six will compete for the championship, and prepare for the European play-offs. 

The Bottom Six clubs will fight to stay in the league, and challenge for 7th place in order to grab the last ticket into the end of season play-off games. 

 

Tuesday, 14 January 

Caernarfon Town (5th) v Flint Town United (10th) | Tuesday – 19:45 

It was a sweet victory for Caernarfon Town against Bala Town on Saturday with the game being held in Llandudno as Maes Tegid failed a pitch inspection for the fourth time due to the weather. 

That result means that a draw on Tuesday draw would likely be enough to confirm the Cofis’ place in the Top Six, but a win would definitely secure their place. 

Caernarfon Town have reached the top half in five of their six seasons since ascending to the premier league, and the Canaries are in a strong position to complete the feat again this year. 

The Cofis have not been at their best at the Oval, losing four of their last five home matches, but Flint Town United have not shone away from home either, losing their last five away games. 

Flint Town United are in a battle to avoid the drop with three other clubs, but the Silkmen have not lost 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). 

Caernarfon Town have only lost one of their last nine meetings with Flint Town United (W7, D1), winning 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Cae y Castell in September. 

 

League form: 

Flint Town United: ͏✅✅❌❌✅ 

Caernarfon Town: ➖✅❌❌✅
 

Connah’s Quay (8th) v Bala Town (6th) | Tuesday – 19:45 (Live online) 

It was a frustrating afternoon for Bala Town on Saturday who were forced to play their home game in Llandudno and lost that crucial battle against Caernarfon Town. 

Bala Town had gone on a run of nine league games without defeat before the 2-0 loss at Maesdu Park on Saturday, and therefore the Lakesiders are now level on points with Barry Town United (7th) before the last game of the first phase. 

A win for Connah’s Quay would lift them above Bala Town on goal difference, but Barry Town United would also have to lose if the Nomads want to break into the Top Six at the last second. 

Connah’s Quay have finished in the top two in five of the last six seasons (deducted 18pts in the 2021/22 season), but the Nomads are in real danger of missing out on the Top Six this year. 

Connah’s Quay finished 9th in the 2021/22 season after receiving an 18-point penalty for fielding an ineligible player, but otherwise the Nomads have reached the Top Six on every occasion since finishing 7th in 2014/15. 

Bala Town have secured a place in the Top Six for 10 successive seasons, and like Connah’s Quay the club has competed consistently in Europe over the last decade. 

The recent matches between these two clubs have been extremely tight with a very low number of goals being scored. 

The last two matches between the teams have ended goalless and looking back to the start of last season a low average of 0.8 goals have been scored in the previous six meetings (Bala 0- 0 Quay, Quay 0-0 Bala, Quay 1-0 Bala, Bala 1-0 Quay, Quay 1-1 Bala, Bala 1-0 Quay). 

 

League form: 

Connah’s Quay: ͏✅➖✅❌❌ 

Bala Town: ➖✅✅➖❌ 

 

 

Cardiff Met (4th) v The New Saints (1st) | Tuesday – 19:45 

Cardiff Met are aiming to secure a place in the top half for the third consecutive season, and a point for the Archers on Tuesday would be enough to achieve their goal. 

Ryan Jenkins’ team are three points clear of Bala Town (6th) and Barry Town United (7th), and several results would need to go against them to see the students slip into the bottom half. 

The New Saints are top of the table after scraping a late win against Newtown in their last outing. 

The Saints have scored 19 goals more than any other club this season, but conceding goals is the problem as the champions have not kept a clean sheet in their last 19 matches, since beating Astana 2-0 in the UEFA Conference League in October. 

Craig Harrison’s crew will be full of confidence before venturing to the capital as the Saints have won their last eight meetings with Cardiff Met, including an 8-0 thrashing last January. 

 

League form: 

Cardiff Met: ͏ ✅❌✅❌➖ 

The New Saints: ❌✅✅✅✅ 

 

Barry Town United (7th) v Haverfordwest County (3rd) | Tuesday – 19:45 

Barry Town United are looking to claim a place in the Top Six for the first time since the 2020/21 season, but after failing to win any of their last four games the Dragons are in danger of missing the mark. 

Steve Jenkins’ team are level on points with Bala Town (6th), but Barry’s goal difference is not as strong as the other clubs competing to reach the Top Six. 

Haverfordwest County have claimed their place in the Top Six for the first time in the 12-team era, guaranteeing that they will finish in their highest position for 20 years. 

Haverfordwest County have the best defensive record in the league (conceding 10 goals in 21 games), and although goals have generally been scarce, the Bluebirds scored five times against Briton Ferry in their last game. 

It ended 1-1 in the corresponding match between the clubs in September, but in the last three years Barry Town United have not won any of their nine contests against Haverfordwest County (L5, D4). 

 

League form: 

Barry Town United: ✅❌❌❌➖ 

Haverfordwest County: ➖❌✅✅✅ 

 

Newtown (11th) v Pen-y-bont (2nd) | Tuesday – 19:45 

Newtown are on a disastrous run of 10 games without a win (D1, L9) and the Robins are now in a battle to avoid the drop. 

Callum McKenzie is still waiting for his first point after six successive defeats since being appointed as Newtown’s new manager. 

Pen-y-bont will be determined to continue their title-challenge as they remain only one point behind reigning champions, The New Saints. 

Rhys Griffiths’ team have only lost one of their 10 away league games this season, which came in the last minute at the home of the Saints (TNS 3-2 Pen). 

The corresponding fixture between the two teams at the start of the season ended goalless, but Pen-y-bont won 5-0 on their last visit to Latham Park in the play-off semi-finals in May. 

Newtown haven’t won at home since September, and Pen-y-bont are on a run of eight games without defeat against the mid-Wales Reds (W6, D2). 

 

League form: 

Newtown: ͏❌❌❌❌❌ 

Pen-y-bont: ͏❌✅✅➖✅ 

 

 

Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts. 

Rhys Llwyd

Author Rhys Llwyd

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