Another crucial weekend in the JD Cymru Leagues awaits, including a packed St. David’s Day schedule on Sunday. Here are the key games to keep an eye on.
JD Cymru Premier – Cardiff Met v Briton Ferry Llansawel (Friday, 7:45pm)
Cardiff Met and Briton Ferry Llansawel will both be looking to boost their play-off hopes when they meet at Cyncoed Stadium on Friday night.
Met started Phase Two in seventh place but have slipped down to ninth in the table, having not won since the split, five points adrift of Play-Off Conference leaders Haverfordwest County. The Archers conceded in stoppage time away at Flint Town United last weekend to draw 1-1 for the third consecutive game, as their winless run in all competitions stretched to nine matches.
Briton Ferry are one point ahead of Met in eighth place following their 2-1 victory over Bala Town last weekend – a result that meant the Reds have now equalled their points tally for the whole of last season. Andy Dyer’s side have lost just one of their last seven matches, with attacking duo Tom Walters and Ollie Anderson contributing to a combined 11 goals during that time.
Nothing could separate the two sides in both Phase One meetings after a 1-1 draw in August and a 2-2 draw in the capital in December. Met forward Jasper Payne scored in both of those outings, so he will be hoping to haunt his former club once again.
JD Cymru North – Penrhyncoch v Llandudno (Saturday, 2:30pm)
A crucial afternoon awaits at both ends of the JD Cymru North as leaders Llandudno travel to face 15th-place Penrhyncoch at Cae Baker on Saturday.
Llandudno have enjoyed a perfect February so far with home victories over Brickfield Rangers, Gresford Athletic and Denbigh Town before a 1-0 triumph away to Flint Mountain on Tuesday – their fifth consecutive league win. Jordan Hadaway’s side sit five points clear at the top of the table and 23 points clear of fourth-place Newtown.
Penrhyncoch head into this fixture sitting narrowly above the relegation zone on goal-difference, but with two games in hand over bottom-of-the-table Ruthin Town. The Roosters returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Mold Alexandra a fortnight ago, meaning 11 of their 17 points gained this season have come on home soil.
Goals from Iwan Cartwright, Mark Cadwallader and Dylan Proctor gave Llandudno a 3-0 win over Penrhyncoch back in September. The Roosters stunned the Seasiders with a 5-0 victory at Cae Baker last season, but that is their only triumph in the last eight meetings between the two sides.
JD Cymru South – Aberystwyth Town v Caerau Ely (Sunday, 2:30pm)
Another chapter of an enthralling JD Cymru South promotion race will be written on Sunday as Aberystwyth Town host Caerau Ely.
Aber currently sit fourth in the table, dropping out of the top three following Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat away at Ammanford – who are now two points better off in third place. That midweek loss brought to an end the Seasiders’ four-match winning streak, but they have not lost at Park Avenue since the end of November.
Fifth-place Caerau Ely sit two points behind Aberystwyth, having lost back-to-back games against Cambrian United and Carmarthen Town to lose ground in the battle for promotion. The Young Guns have won only one of their last six away games in the JD Cymru South.
Caerau were victorious in December’s reverse fixture at Cwrt yr Ala Road as Dan Griffiths’ second half goal secured a 1-0 win in what was Craig Williams’ first game in charge of Aber.
Predict the outcome of Aberystwyth Town v Caerau Ely in our JD Cymru Leagues Match Predictor.
