The shortlist for February’s Player and Manager of the Month awards in the JD Cymru Leagues has been confirmed.
The fans’ vote will be combined with a league and independent voting panel to determine the winners.
JD Cymru Premier
Manager of the Month
Gavin Allen – Pontypridd United
Appointed as Pontypridd United manager in January, Gavin Allen made a superb start to life at USW Sports Park with two wins and a draw from three games in February. After an emphatic 3-0 win away at Barry Town United to kick off phase two, the Dragons earned a 1-1 draw with Play-Off Conference leaders Haverfordwest County before thrashing Colwyn Bay 4-0 to move out of the relegation zone.
Neil Gibson – Connah’s Quay Nomads
Connah’s Quay Nomads continued their quest for European qualification with seven points from a possible nine in February. After being held to a draw by Caernarfon Town in their opening game of phase two, Neil Gibson’s side secured victories against Newtown and Cardiff Met to pull clear of the chasing pack.
Craig Harrison – The New Saints
The New Saints’ scintillating form in February left Craig Harrison’s side on the brink of the JD Cymru Premier title after picking up three wins from three matches. While there was a 3-0 home victory over Newtown and an even bigger 8-1 triumph away at Caernarfon Town, perhaps the most impressive was a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at a tough-to-beat Bala Town side.
Player of the Month
Ben Ahmun – Pontypridd United
It was no secret that Pontypridd United were struggling for goals earlier in the season, so Ben Ahmun’s return from injury at the back end of 2023 was timely. The Dragons netted eight times in three games in February, with Ahmun involved on five occasions – two goals and three assists.
Kane Owen – Penybont
Penybont went through February unbeaten – with one draw and two wins – and captain Kane Owen took on a perhaps surprising role as creator-in-chief. He was involved in all five of their goals, scoring once and assisting four, with his menacing deliveries into the area proving particularly difficult for opposition defences to deal with.
Owen Pritchard – Pontypridd United
After registering no goal contributions in phase one, Pontypridd United midfielder Owen Pritchard has hit the ground running in phase two with two goals and an assist. The former Cardiff City academy prospect is getting into more dangerous areas and is being rewarded, with the Dragons certainly thankful for his contribution as they battle relegation.
Brad Young – The New Saints
It was another prolific month for The New Saints frontman Brad Young, who took his league goal tally for the season to 19 with four in three matches. After scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 away win at Bala Town, he bagged a hat-trick in the 8-1 win over Caernarfon – his third treble of the campaign.
JD Cymru North
Manager of the Month
Mark Allen – Airbus UK Broughton
Airbus UK Broughton continue to lead the way in the JD Cymru North, winning all three of their matches in February. After coming from behind to triumph away at Ruthin Town, Mark Allen’s side thrashed Prestatyn Town 6-0 on home turf before an impressive 3-0 victory away at an in-form Mold Alexandra side.
Johnny Haseldin – Holywell Town
Holywell Town continue to chase down Airbus for the title, with three consecutive victories in February taking their winning streak to nine matches. Johnny Haseldin’s team got the better of Caersws and Guilsfield to start and end the month respectively, but most important of all was a 1-0 home win over title rivals Flint Town United.
Dewi Llion – Denbigh Town
Denbigh Town have impressed in their first season back in the second tier following promotion and they climbed to fifth in the JD Cymru North after earning 10 points from a possible 12 in February. Late goals secured a win against Buckley Town and a draw against Guilsfield, while they also triumphed over Porthmadog and Prestatyn Town.
Player of the Month
Owen Davies – Denbigh Town
Having signed for Denbigh Town on loan from The New Saints in January, Owen Davies hit the ground running in February and quickly earned a reputation as a super sub. After coming off the bench to provide an assist in the win over Porthmadog, he scored late goals to defeat Buckley Town and draw with Guilsfield. A first start against Prestatyn Town then saw him find the net again.
Craig Lindfield – Airbus UK Broughton
A JD Cymru North title winner with Colwyn Bay last season, Craig Lindfield’s experience and knowhow is proving vital as he aims to help Airbus achieve the same feat. He may be 35 years old, but Lindfield continues to run games from midfield and in February he contributed goals in the wins over Prestatyn Town and Mold Alexandra.
Corrig McGonigle – Bangor 1876
Corrig McGonigle continues to be uncatchable at the top of the JD Cymru North scoring charts simply because he can’t stop finding the net. The Bangor 1876 frontman bagged five goals in three matches in February, including braces away at Gresford Athletic and Flint Town United. He is now on 24 league goals for the campaign.
Steve Watkins – Mold Alexandra
Steve Watkins has always been a reliable source of goals from defence, but the Mold Alexandra centre-back hit a particularly hot streak in February. He netted in three consecutive matches against Buckley Town, Guilsfield (when he scored twice and helped keep a clean sheet) and Llanidloes Town, also providing an assist against the latter.
JD Cymru South
Manager of the Month
Gruff Harrison – Ammanford
Having started February in fifth place in the JD Cymru South and 12 points behind top spot, Ammanford finished the month in third and just three points adrift of leaders Llanelli Town. Gruff Harrison guided his side to five consecutive wins against Pontardawe Town, Goytre United, Baglan Dragons, Briton Ferry Llansawel and Trefelin, and it is now hard to argue against them being title contenders.
Lee John – Llanelli Town
After starting February with a 2-2 draw away at Trefelin, Llanelli Town then went on a four-match winning run against Abergavenny Town, Taffs Well, Cwmbran Celtic and Cambrian & Clydach Vale. In the process, Lee John’s men climbed from third place to top spot – three points clear of their nearest challengers Briton Ferry Llansawel. Does a top-flight return beckon?
Dean Wheeler – Caerau Ely
Caerau Ely have quietly gone about their business in the JD Cymru South this season, but they are in fact the third-highest scorers in the division behind Llanelli and Briton Ferry. Dean Wheeler’s team went unbeaten in February – beating Llantwit Major and Taffs Well either side of a draw against Carmarthen Town – to climb into the top half of the table.
Player of the Month
Liam Eason – Cambrian & Clydach Vale
Having returned to Cambrian & Clydach Vale in January following a brief spell at Ynyshir Albions, Liam Eason found form straight away. He bagged a brace in all of his side’s three consecutive wins against Briton Ferry Llansawel and Abergavenny Town and also netted once in the defeat to Llanelli Town.
Lewis Holmes – Baglan Dragons
Baglan Dragons have earned plenty of plaudits in their first season in the JD Cymru South and captain Lewis Holmes has led by example throughout. The centre-back helped his side earn back-to-back clean sheets against Abertillery Bluebirds and Taffs Well to kick off February, before scoring the equaliser in the 1-1 draw away at in-form Trefelin.
Ieuan Owen – Afan Lido
Watching Ieuan Owen’s performances this season, it is sometimes hard to believe that he is just 19 years old. The Afan Lido scored back-to-back braces in February to help side defeat Carmarthen Town and Pontardawe Town, taking his JD Cymru South goal tally to the season into double figures.
Lewis Reed – Ammanford
A focal point in Ammanford’s attack, Lewis Reed netted in all of his side’s five consecutive wins in February to shoot to the top of the JD Cymru South scoring charts with 20 for the season. Most crucial of all was his brace in the 2-1 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel, which firmly established the Black and White Army as title contenders.
