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Next Saturday the league will be split in two, but before those all-important final fixtures there are four games in hand to be played this weekend. 

The New Saints, Pen-y-bont and Haverfordwest County have already secured their place in the Top Six, but five other clubs are still competing for the last three spaces among the elite. 

Only a point separates Bala Town and Caernarfon Town in the mid-table and therefore the rearranged contest between those two teams could prove crucial this Friday. 

 

Friday, 3 January 

 

Bala Town (5th) v Caernarfon Town (7th) | Friday – 19:45 

After 45 goalless minutes at Maes Tegid on New Year’s Eve the match between Bala Town and Caernarfon Town had to be postponed as the referee decided that the conditions were too dangerous due to high winds. 

Which means that the teams will have to go face to face yet again three days later in a key fixture in the battle for the Top Six. 

Bala Town have secured a place in the Top Six in each of the last 10 seasons, and Colin Caton’s crew are in a promising position to do so again this year following a run of nine league games without defeat (D7, W2). 

Too many draws have been Bala Town’s main downfall this year as 11 of their 20 league games have ended level, including away games at Briton Ferry Llansawel, Flint Town United, Newtown and Aberystwyth Town where the Lakesiders would have expected to leave with all three points. 

Caernarfon Town have reached the top half in five of their six seasons since ascending to the top-flight, but after losing their last two games Richard Davies’ team are far from safe of their place among the elite this year. 

It ended goalless in the reverse fixture between the clubs at the Oval in August, which was the fifth draw in a row between the two teams. 

Bala Town have not lost in their last 12 meetings with Caernarfon Town (W6, D6), since the 3-0 loss at the Oval in May 2021 where defender Max Cleworth scored two goals for the Cofis during his loan spell from Wrexham. 

 

League form: 

Bala Town: ➖➖✅✅➖ 

Caernarfon Town: ✅➖✅❌❌
 

Saturday, 4 January 

Haverfordwest County (3rd) v Briton Ferry Llansawel (11th) | Saturday – 14:30 

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 9 goals in 20 games), and Zac Jones kept his 12th clean sheet in the 1-0 win against Aberystwyth Town on New Year’s Day. 

Briton Ferry Llansawel secured a valuable point against Barry Town United on New Year’s Eve which means that the Reds have only lost one of their last four games (vs TNS), and a victory on Saturday would lift them out of the relegation zone. 

Haverfordwest County were triumphant in the corresponding match in October, winning 2-1 at the Old Road thanks to goals from Owain Jones and Lee Jenkins. 

 

League form: 

Haverfordwest County: ❌➖❌✅✅ 

Briton Ferry Llansawel: ❌✅❌✅➖ 

 

Pen-y-bont (2nd) v Connah’s Quay (8th) | Saturday – 14:30 

After spending 18 weeks at the top of the table, Pen-y-bont have slipped to second spot following a 2-2 draw against Cardiff Met on New Year’s Eve. 

Pen-y-bont had a 2-0 lead against the Archers on Tuesday night, but for the third time this season Rhys Griffiths’ team failed to beat Cardiff Met as the visitors battled back to earn a point. 

However, only one point separates Pen-y-bont and the New Saints with 12 games remaining, so it promises to be an exciting race for the title in the second phase of the season. 

As for Connah’s Quay, they lost 2-1 against The New Saints on New Year’s Eve, but a win for the Nomads against Pen-y-bont on Saturday would lift them into the top half for the first time since the start of September. 

Connah’s Quay have finished in the top two in five of the last six seasons (deducted 18pts in 2021/22), 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. 

Gabriel Kircough scored the only goal of the game for Pen-y-bont in the reverse fixture in September, but before that Pen-y-bont had not won in their previous seven meetings with Connah’s Quay. 

 

League form: 

Pen-y-bont: ͏✅❌✅✅➖ 

Connah’s Quay: ͏❌✅➖✅❌ 

 

The New Saints (1st) v Newtown (10th) | Saturday – 14:30 

20 games later than expected perhaps, but The New Saints have finally climbed to the top of the league for the first time this season after beating Connah’s Quay 2-1 on New Year’s Eve. 

The Saints have scored 18 goals more than any other club this season but keeping them out the other end has been the problem for the champions who have not kept a clean sheet in their last 18 games, since beating Astana 2-0 in the UEFA Conference League in October. 

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

Newtown had a solid start to the season and the Robins were 3rd after their opening seven matches, but the mid-Wales side have only won once in their last 14 games, and now only one point separates Newtown from the relegation zone. 

The New Saints have won their last nine games against Newtown, including an emphatic 6-1 away win at Latham Park in September. 

 

League form: 

The New Saints: ✅❌✅✅✅ 

Newtown: ͏❌❌❌❌❌ 

 

Phase One final fixtures – Saturday, 11 January at12:45: 

 

Aberystwyth Town v Briton Ferry Llansawel 

Caernarfon Town v Flint Town United 

Connah’s Quay v Bala Town 

Cardiff Met v The New Saints 

Barry Town United v Haverfordwest County 

Newtown v Pen-y-bont 

 

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

Rhys Llwyd

Author Rhys Llwyd

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