With the Welsh Cup semi-finals contested last weekend, it’s
back to league action this week for all Welsh Premier League clubs. TNS may
have already secured the title, but there’s plenty to play for in the chasing
pack.
Championship:
TNS v Airbus UK
It’s first v second in the weekend’s opening match at Park
Hall tonight, with Airbus desperate to land a win to keep themselves ahead of
Bangor in the race for second.
TNS may have wrapped up the title with a comfortable victory
over Carmarthen two weeks ago, but their chances of a league and Cup double
were brought to an abrupt halt by Bangor at Rhyl’s Belle Vue ground last
Saturday.
It is the hosts’ last home game of the season, and director of
football Craig Harrison has voiced his desire to continue their league form,
saying: “I want to keep winning games. I want to win the league by as many
points as possible and I will make sure my players keep putting in brilliant
performances!”
But standing in their way are Airbus UK, in many ways the
surprise package of this year’s league programme. The Wingmakers go in to the
match three points ahead of Bangor in the race for second, with The Citizens
waiting till Saturday to play.
Their midweek win over Carmarthen was their 16th
of the season, and was their third in five games. However, their last three
away trips in all competitions have ended in defeat, and they were beaten 2-1 at
home by TNS back in February, their third defeat in four meetings with them
this term.
Look at TNS to keep the winning run going at Airbus’ expense
with a strikeforce currently full of goals.
Prediction: TNS 3-1
Airbus UK
Bangor City v
Carmarthen Town
Welsh Cup finalists Bangor could be six points behind Airbus
UK if The Wingmakers win tonight, in which case a win would be greatly welcomed
to keep the gap as small as possible tomorrow.
Chris Jones’ last-minute rocket in the semi-final win over
TNS may have put The Citizens in to their 18th Cup final, but they
had no time to relax as they etched out a 1-0 midweek win at Prestatyn – a prequel
to the upcoming showpiece.
Bangor’s clash with Airbus at The Airfield on April 20 is a
match which could decide second place, so Bangor will be hoping Chris Simm and
Les Davies continue their good goalscoring form leading up to it.
Since winning the Word Cup back in January, inconsistency
has been the name of the game for The Old Gold, with four wins and five defeats
in their last nine matches in all competitions.
Mark Aizlewood’s men suitably won one and lost one against
Airbus in the past week, so now have the chance to play a part in Bangor’s
end-of-season fate too.
Carmarthen currently sit sixth in the Championship, and are
without a win in their last six away league games, so that run should continue
at Nantporth as Bangor close that gap on their rivals.
Prediction: Bangor
City 2-0 Carmarthen Town
Port Talbot Town v
Prestatyn Town
Saturday’s other game sees a battle between fourth and fifth
as Scott Young’s Port Talbot Town entertain first-time Welsh Cup finalists
Prestatyn Town.
The Steelmen are keen on entering the end of season
play-offs in good form and want to secure fourth spot as a consequence. They
trail third-placed Bangor by eight points, so a win in their three final games
coupled with a collapse from The Citizens would see them even sneak third.
They are still missing defender Lee Surman through
suspension, but other than that will be at pretty much full strength to face
Prestatyn’s challenge.
The Seasiders will be riding the crest of a wave after what
was arguably the biggest result in their history last weekend – beating Welsh
league side Barry Town 2-1 at Newtown’s Latham Park.
But despite their impressive Cup run their league form has
been woeful of late. They are without a win in 10, their last victory coming
via a 4-1 beating of Cup final opponents Bangor on New Year’s Day.
Eight of those 10 matches have ended in defeat, but the side
will have trained with renewed vigour this week after their historic success
over Barry, and they could travel back up north with a share of the spoils.
Prediction: Port
Talbot Town 2-2 Prestatyn Town
Conference
Aberystwyth Town v
Newtown
Both clubs enter this clash knowing an end-of-season Europa
League play-off place could be up for grabs, dependant on Llanelli’s future.
The hosts are playing their final home league game of the
campaign, and will want to send their fans home happy for just the 10th
time in 30 league matches. Manager Tomi Morgan was pleased with a point gained
at home to Connah’s Quay on Tuesday, and will want the maximum this time in
their third home fixture in just seven days.
The hosts are currently in prime position for that play-off
slot, but a win for the visitors would see them climb up to second in the Conference
above Llanelli, Aberystwyth and Connah’s Quay.
The Robins also know that equally important is the battle to
avoid relegation. If Haverfordwest manage to clinch the Welsh League Division
One title then two clubs would drop out of the WPL, something Newtown don’t want
to chance.
Boss Bernie McNally says his players are in a “confident
mood”, and will be hoping they can provide a late season surge to improve on
just two wins in their last eight league matches.
Playing at home again could be crucial for Aberystwyth, who
should pile another defeat on their visitors and plunge them further in to
relegation worry.
Prediction:
Aberystwyth Town 1-0 Newtown
Connah’s Quay Town v
Llanelli
Connah’s Quay host Llanelli as what could be the Reds’ last
WPL campaign winds down.
Since the deducted point drama that cost Connah’s Quay a
place in the Championship for the second half of the season, the Nomads have managed
just one win in six league games – away at Llanelli.
The hosts will be buoyed by this week’s announcement they
have gained their National Domestic and UEFA licenses and will now continue
their hunt for points without a cloud of uncertainty over their future hanging
above their heads.
Llanelli’s season continues to go from bad to worse on and
off the field, and their appeal against the refusal to hand them their National
Domestic license for next year will be held on April 23.
The outcome of that will affect both the race for Europe and
relegation from the WPL, but until that is sorted, the players and coaches must
try and uphold the club’s integrity on the pitch.
They have won six of their last 15 league games, and four of
these have come on the road, so they should be able to match their opponents on
this occasion.
Prediction: Connah’s
Quay Town 1-2 Llanelli
Bala Town v Afan Lido
This match-up sees top take on bottom in the Conference,
with Afan Lido now almost certainly facing relegation unless a remarkable ‘Great
Escape’ takes place.
If Bala continue to pick up points then top spot, and a
Europa League play-off place, will certainly be theirs.
The hosts have the most remaining games in the league (five),
and the most to pack in to the remaining weeks. Yet on the back of five
straight wins they won’t be daunted by a few more matches to play.
Lido have won two on the bounce, and will be looking to keep
their survival hopes going with another.
With Rhyl almost certain to clinch the Huws Gray Alliance
title, at least one club will be leaving the division. Again, it is dependent
on Llanelli’s license appeal, and the Port Talbot-based club won’t want to
leave anything to chance.
With two winning runs coming head to head, something has to
give, and Bala should have enough to keep theirs going by the end of play.
Prediction: Bala Town
2-1 Afan Lido
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