The regular season has come to an end, but two European spots are still up for grabs as we turn our attention towards the play-offs and the JD Welsh Cup final.
The New Saints have won the league title for the 17th time in their history, and for the fourth consecutive season, securing a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.
Pen-y-bont have secured second place for the first time in their history, and if the Saints manage to beat Connah’s Quay in the final of the Welsh Cup in two weeks’ time then Pen-y-bont will avoid the play-offs and qualify for Europe.
For the first time in 21 years, Haverfordwest have confirmed 3rd place, and have therefore been given a bye in the first round of the play-offs.
Caernarfon Town (4th) will welcome Barry Town United (7th) to the Oval on Saturday in the play-off quarter finals, while Cardiff Met (5th) host Bala Town (6th).
The winners will progress to the semi-finals on 10/11 May, but their opponents will not be confirmed until after next weekend’s JD Welsh Cup final between The New Saints and Connah’s Quay.
Caernarfon Town (4th) v Barry Town United (7th) | Saturday – 12:15
Caernarfon Town will aim to be the first team to win the play-offs for two consecutive seasons after the Cofis won the competition last year and qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.
In previous years, several teams have suffered a drop in their performances after their first experience in Europe, but Caernarfon Town have built on their success last year and finished one position higher this season.
By beating Cardiff Met last weekend, Richard Davies’ team have secured 4th place, equalling their best season in the JD Cymru Premier (4th in 2018/19 and 2021/22).
For the first time in four years, Barry Town United will be competing in the play-offs to reach Europe after the club comfortably secured 7th place, finishing 10 points above Connah’s Quay (8th).
Over the years momentum has proven to be an all-important factor when considering the play-offs, and as Barry Town have won five of their last six matches, the confidence is high at Jenner Park.
Barry Town United have extensive experience of playing in Europe, but the Dragons have not done so for five years now, and the club has never won the play-offs.
The Dragons’ recent record against Caernarfon Town isn’t too strong, as Barry have lost three of their last five meetings with the Cofis (W1, D1).
Caernarfon Town striker Louis Lloyd finished the regular season with 16 league goals, sharing the Golden Boot with James Crole (Pen-y-bont), and Lloyd has a good record against Barry Town United having scored four in the last three contests between the teams.
Caernarfon Town played against Barry Town United in the semi-final of the 2020/21 play-offs with the Canaries winning 3-1 at Jenner Park thanks to two goals from Mike Hayes before Jake Bickerstaff sealed the win in the last minute.
League form:
Caernarfon Town: ❌✅➖❌✅
Barry Town United: ✅❌✅✅✅
Cardiff Met (5th) v Bala Town (6th) | Saturday – 14:30
Confidence may be high in the Caernarfon and Barry camps, but the momentum certainly isn’t on Cardiff Met or Bala Town’s side leading up to the play-offs.
After losing at Caernarfon on Saturday, Cardiff Met have ended the regular season with a disappointing run of five games without a victory (D3, L2).
And Bala Town had gone on a nine-game stretch without a win before their shock victory over Pen-y-bont last weekend.
Bala Town have fond memories of playing in the play-offs as they became the first team from the Bottom Six to win the competition at the end of the 2012/13 season, beating Connah’s Quay, Bangor City and Port Talbot to secure their place in Europe for the first time ever.
Cardiff Met have only lost one of their last 10 matches against Bala Town, winning twice and drawing twice against Colin Caton’s crew this season.
Cardiff Met faced Bala Town in the 2019/20 play-off final with the Archers winning on penalties at Maes Tegid to reach Europe for the only time in their history.
Eliot Evans scored the winning penalty that day, after netting the only goal for his team during the game, and the player-coach has already scored twice against Bala Town this season.
League form:
Cardiff Met: ͏➖❌➖➖❌
Bala Town: ❌➖❌➖❌✅
Highlights of all matches will be available on Sgorio’s online accounts.
