Genero Adran Premier leaders Cardiff City and top half challengers The New Saints will both be aiming to be maintain recent good runs of form when they meet at Park Hall on Sunday.
Both sides progressed to the semi-finals of the Genero Adran Trophy last weekend – the Saints defeated Swansea University and the Bluebirds knocked out Wrexham – to continue their respective winning streaks.
Greg Draper’s side have won their last seven matches in all competitions – including a penalty shootout victory over Aberystwyth Town in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup – six of which have come at Park Hall, which they have made a fortress.
It means that it will not be an easy trip for Cardiff City, who have won their last 12 games in all competitions and opened up a six point gap at the top of the table in the process.
Eliza Collie netted a brace as the Bluebirds won 3-1 when the two sides met in the reverse fixture in the capital at the start of October.
Second-place Swansea City will be looking to keep up the pressure on Iain Darbyshire’s side when they take on Cardiff Met at Llandarcy.
The fixture is a repeat of last weekend’s Genero Adran Trophy quarter-final, when the Swans earned a statement 5-0 victory to continue their free-scoring form – they have netted 28 goals in their last six matches in all competitions.
Ellie Preece’s goal saw Met gain a crucial 1-0 victory over struggling Pontypridd United in midweek to keep their slim hopes of a top half finish alive.
While Swansea were victorious in the Genero Adran Trophy last weekend, it was the Archers who emerged triumphant in the reverse league fixture in October with a 3-1 win at Cyncoed.
Wrexham will be hoping to return to winning ways following their defeat to Cardiff City in the Genero Adran Trophy quarter-final last weekend.
Steve Dale’s side host strugglers Barry Town United at The Rock and three points would take them a step closer to a top four finish in their first season following promotion.
Barry have won just twice all season and went into the Christmas break with back-to-back defeats against Aberystwyth Town and Swansea City.
Rosie Hughes stole the show in the reverse fixture at Jenner Park in October, scoring all five goals in Wrexham’s emphatic 5-1 victory.
Pontypridd United are still looking for their first points of the season ahead of their clash against Aberystwyth Town at USW Sports Park.
The 1-0 loss to Cardiff Met in midweek was a ninth consecutive league defeat for the Dragons, who are yet to announce a permanent successor for manager James Fishlock who departed in October.
Aberystwyth are still on the hunt for a place in the top half but will surely see this as a must-win game as the fifth-place Seasiders currently sit five points behind fourth-place TNS.
Goals from Niamh Duggan and Lleucu Mathias gave Gavin Allen’s side a comfortable 2-0 victory when these two sides last met back in October.
