The Novira Cymru Leagues is back after an action packed Bank Holiday weekend, with plenty of big fixtures to come, including top of the table battles and sides looking for their first win. Here are the key games to watch.
Novira Cymru Premier – The New Saints vs Barry Town United (Saturday, 5:15pm)
The current top two in the Novira Cymru Premier meet as leaders Barry Town United travel to face second-place The New Saints at Park Hall on Saturday evening.
Barry currently hold a two-point lead at the top of the table after winning their opening six matches, which saw them become just the fifth team in Novira Cymru Premier history to achieve that run and the first since TNS did so in the 2016/17 season.
Barry continued their stellar form with a 4-1 victory away to Briton Ferry Llansawel on Monday, inspired by Elliott Dugan’s hat-trick. Dugan and fellow strike partner Owen Brain have been influential to Barry’s winning run with an impressive 12 combined goal contributions and the pair will most likely need to be on top form once again if Steve Jenkins’ side are to earn another positive result against the champions.
TNS dropped points in their goalless draw away to Penybont on the opening day, just four days after their UEFA Conference League qualifying exit, but they have got back on track in emphatic fashion by claiming five straight wins to maintain their unbeaten start. Saints initially squandered a two-goal lead against Caernarfon Town on Monday, but Danny Davies’ stunning late strike clinched an epic 3-2 win for Craig Harrison’s side.
Saints won three and drew once, while not conceding a single goal across all four league meetings against Barry last season. However, the most memorable match between the two sides saw Barry triumph 2-0 in the Nathaniel MG Cup final in February thanks to a brace from former striker Ieuan Owen as the club lifted their first major trophy in 23 years.
The New Saints vs Barry Town United
Novira Cymru Premier – Holywell Town vs Trefelin (Friday, 7:45pm)
The bottom two teams in the Novira Cymru Premier also face off as Holywell Town host Trefelin at the Barton’s North Wales Stadium on Friday, with both sides still searching for their first win of the season.
Holywell have scored the third-most goals out of the six newly-promoted teams this season, but they have lost all six of their opening matches. The Wellmen suffered high-scoring defeats to Caernarfon Town (5-3) and Airbus UK Broughton (6-2) over the bank holiday weekend, leaving them at the bottom of the table. Johnny Haseldin’s side have scored in every fixture so far and will hope their recent improvements can translate into a positive result this Friday.
Trefelin lost their first four matches without scoring a single goal, but eventually claimed their first ever point in the Novira Cymru Premier as Louis Gerrard’s dramatic stoppage-time goal salvaged a 1-1 draw against fellow newcomers Ammanford. Andy Hill’s side were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Haverfordwest County on Monday, but will see their trip up to North Wales as a great opportunity to clinch their first top-flight win.
Holywell lost just twice on home turf in the Novira Cymru North last season and have continued to attract impressive attendances in their home defeats to Connah’s Quay Nomads, Barry Town United and Caernarfon so far. Trefelin went unbeaten away from home for the entirety of their Novira Cymru South title-winning campaign last season, but have conceded 10 goals in their first three matches on the road in the Novira Cymru Premier.
Holywell Town vs Trefelin
Novira Cymru North – Bangor 1876 vs Rhyl 1879 (Saturday, 2:30pm)
One of Welsh football’s most historic rivalries will be renewed as Bangor 1876 and Rhyl 1879 meet in the Novira Cymru North at the Bangor City Stadium on Saturday.
Bangor claimed a fourth consecutive win after beating current leaders Brickfield Rangers 2-1 last Friday before Mike Johnston announced his departure as manager just moments after full-time. Assistant manager Sean Eardley took charge of Bangor’s fixture away to Mold Alexandra on Monday, where the club’s winning run came to an end in a 2-1 defeat to the Alex, who leapfrogged Bangor into third-place.
Rhyl have had mixed feelings in the Novira Cymru North so far after picking up seven points from their first five matches. The Lilywhites squandered theud lead against Bala Town in a 3-1 loss to the title favourites on Friday, but they got back on track with an impressive 3-1 win away to Denbigh Town three days later, inspired by Morgan Murray’s goal and two assists.
The most recent meetings between the coastal neighbours came in the 2022/23 Ardal North West as Bangor claimed a pair of 2-1 victories, with the first of those matches producing an astonishing seven red cards. Bangor and Rhyl are two of Wales’ most historic clubs with a combined five top-flight league titles and 12 FAW Welsh Cups to their name, and both teams can now look forward to a highly-anticipated renewal of their rivalry, which will hopefully attract another large crowd at the Bangor City Stadium.
Novira Cymru South – Trethomas Bluebirds vs Caerphilly Athletic (Friday, 7:45pm)
Trethomas Bluebirds and Caerphilly Athletic aim to build on their impressive Bank Holiday weekend victories when both sides meet in a local derby at the CCB Centre on Friday.
Trethomas were winless after their first four matches, but they turned things around last Friday as Norton Ferreira’s hat-trick inspired a 5-2 win over Afan Lido to get the Bluebirds off the mark. Ferreira was on the scoresheet again on Monday as Paul Evans’ side earned a stunning 3-2 victory away to Carmarthen Town to move into the top half. Trethomas are now aiming to win three consecutive games for the first time since January 2025.
Caerphilly failed to score a single goal in their opening three games, but their fortune also changed over the Bank Holiday weekend as they claimed their first ever Novira Cymru South win with a 2-1 triumph over Ynyshir Albions. Jordan Thomas then scored the only goal as Caerphilly claimed a statement 1-0 win away to Baglan Dragons to make it three games out of five unbeaten.
The only previous meeting between the two sides came in the 2021/22 FAW Welsh Cup as Trethomas secured an entertaining 3-2 win.
