Nathaniel MG Cup quarter-final spots are up for grabs on Wednesday night, with seven Round Three ties taking place across the country.
Cup holders The New Saints continue their defence of the trophy with a trip to three-time winners Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Both sides were emphatic winners in Round Two as TNS earned a 7-1 victory at home against Airbus UK Broughton, while the Nomads triumphed 9-0 away against Ruthin Town.
After back-to-back draws in the JD Cymru Premier, the Saints returned to winning ways in emphatic style with a 5-0 home victory over Haverfordwest County on Sunday. The Nomads did not play at the weekend, owing to international call-ups in their squad, but will be aiming to bounce back from a 3-1 defeat to Bala Town in their last outing.
The two sides have already met this season as TNS triumphed 3-0 over the Nomads in the league in August, as Jordan Williams bagged a brace and Ben Wilson also found the net.
Caernarfon Town will be aiming to reach the Nathaniel MG Cup quarter finals for the first time in eight years when they host Holywell Town at The Go Goodwins Stadium.
The Cofis currently sit three points clear at the top of the JD Cymru Premier table, maintaining their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 home win over Barry Town United on Sunday. Richard Davies’ side triumphed 3-0 over Colwyn Bay in Round Two of this competition.
Holywell have also made an impressive start to the campaign, winning all six JD Cymru North matches to sit two points clear at the top of the table. The Wellmen pulled off the biggest shock in Round Two as they triumphed 2-1 away to top-flight Flint Town United.
Ex-Caernarfon duo Jamie Breese and Fabrizio Murtas scored the decisive goals for Holywell in that second round win, and they will have their sights set on causing another upset against their former club.
The only remaining wildcard entrant Swansea City travel to Ogi Bridge Meadow to face Haverfordwest County.
The Swans – Nathaniel MG finalists in 2023/24 – are the joint-top scorers in the competition this season after convincing 4-1 and 5-0 wins away to Carmarthen Town and Afan Lido respectively.
Haverfordwest dispatched second tier side Newport City in a comfortable 5-0 victory in Round Two, but Tony Pennock’s side have won just once in their opening five JD Cymru Premier matches and were thrashed 5-0 away at TNS on Saturday. The Bluebirds are aiming to reach the quarter-finals of this competition for the first time in four years.
There is a repeat of the 2018/19 Nathaniel MG Cup final as JD Cymru South leaders Cambrian United host Cardiff Met the M&P Group 3G.
Met have reached at least the semi-finals five times in the last seven seasons and won 4-0 over Pontypridd United in Round Two, but the Archers are desperately searching for a turnaround in form after going winless in their first six JD Cymru Premier matches. Ryan Jenkins’ side were beaten 4-1 at home by Colwyn Bay last weekend.
The Cam Army have knocked out Treowen Stars and wildcard entrant Cardiff City so far this season, while also winning their first five league games of the campaign. However, their unbeaten start in the JD Cymru South came to an end last weekend with a late 2-1 defeat to Newport City.
The Rhondda side have not progressed further than the third round since they were beaten 2-0 by Met in the final seven years ago. That is also the only previous meeting between the two sides.
Llanelli Town will hope that the cup can provide some respite from their league struggles when they travel to Barry Town United.
The Reds, who came from behind to win 4-1 away at Ynyshir Albions in Round Two, have lost all six matches in the JD Cymru Premier so far this season – the most recent of which being a 5-0 home defeat to Flint Town United on Saturday.
Four-time cup winners Barry are winless in their last five league games since triumphing 2-0 over Llanelli at Stebonheath on the opening day of the season, having also won 2-1 against Aberystwyth Town in Round Two of this competition the previous week.
The two sides also met in the Nathaniel MG Cup last season, when Barry prevailed on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Round Two.
The third all-JD Cymru Premier clash sees Penybont host Briton Ferry Llansawel at the DragonBet Stadium.
Bont were one of the standout performers in the second round as James Crole’s hat-trick inspired a 6-1 win over Trefelin, but Rhys Griffiths’ side are winless in their last two league matches – losing 1-0 at home to Connah’s Quay Nomads before a goalless stalemate away at Bala Town.
Ferry have taken eight points from their first five league games of the season, most notably winning 3-0 away at TNS on the opening day, while they also triumphed 3-0 over Trethomas Bluebirds in the second round.
Bont earned a 3-0 victory over Ferry in the second round of this competition last season, before prevailing 2-0 in a league meeting just one week later. However, the Reds would get revenge in the reverse fixture with a shock 1-0 away win thanks to Tom Walters’ sublime strike.
2023 Nathaniel MG Cup winners Bala Town will aim to continue their impressive start to the season when they travel to Newtown.
Bala are currently third in the JD Cymru Premier table after earning 11 points from their first six matches, but they needed penalties to progress past Guilsfield in Round Two after a 2-2 draw at Clos Mytton.
Newtown, finalists of this competition in 2012, have started life in the JD Cymru North brightly after relegation from the top-flight last season, but did see their unbeaten start to the campaign come to an end with a 2-0 defeat to Llandudno on Saturday. The Robins won 3-2 over Buckley Town in the second round are now aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in four years.
Bala are unbeaten in their last five meetings against Newtown, with the latest three encounters ending in draws.
The final tie of Round Three comes a week later on Tuesday 16 September, when Llandudno host Denbigh Town in the only all-second tier match-up.
Llandudno remain unbeaten in the JD Cymru North this season and are yet to even concede a goal in the league, while they produced a stunning 7-0 victory over Gresford Athletic in Round Two of this competition as Mark Cadwallader scored a hat-trick. The Seasiders are aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years.
Denbigh have also started the season strongly, losing just one of their first six league matches. The Reds were Nathaniel MG Cup finalists in 2016 but this is their first appearance in the third round since then, following wins over Flint Mountain and Rhyl 1879 so far.
The last meeting between the two sides finished 2-2 in February when Alex Boss scored a stoppage time equaliser for Llandudno, after Denbigh had triumphed 6-2 in the reverse league fixture.
