Students’ basement battle
CARDIFF Met travel to Cefn Druids tomorrow in a basement battle in the JD Cymru Premier.
It’s 12th against 11th at The Rock, the home of bottom side Druids, but Christian Edwards and his team should be travelling in an upbeat mood after coming out on top last weekend in a thrilling 3-2 win over Barry Town in the semi-final of the Nathaniel MG Cup.
Goals by Adam Roscrow, Emlyn Lewis and Elliott Evans gave the Cyncoed students a cup final place where they will play Connah’s Quay Nomads in February at a venue yet to be decided.
The Met played with a very attacking policy for most of the game against Barry and will surely need to reproduce that sort of form tomorrow to start pulling away from the relegation places in a very competitive league where two or three positive results can make a massive difference.
Their December fixtures are against Druids, Connah’s Quay (11th), Barry (17th) and Newtown twice over Christmas, so whatever points they gain will be hard earned and tomorrow looks a three-point must for the students to start the festive month well.
Barry Town will want to climb as high as they can in the league after their semi-final defeat last week and will travel to Latham Park tomorrow to play Newtown.
The Robins are currently third in the table and Barry are eighth, but there are only four points between the two clubs and Gavin Chesterfield’s team are undoubtedly at a very important stage in their season.
Their December fixtures are difficult, but the Linnets are still capable of winning any games after tomorrow’s visit to Newtown.
They play T.N.S. (11th) Cardiff Met (17th) and Penybont twice over Christmas and, as with most teams around them, points will be hard to gain to force their way into the top six.
Fourth in the table Penybont are also on their travels tomorrow and they visit Caernarfon Town.
Rhys Griffiths’ team have a good record against the Cofis of late. In their last seven meetings, ‘Bont’ have won three and drawn four with the last three encounters all being drawn after 90 minutes.
With the table being as tight as it is at present, Caernarfon could swap their current seventh place for Penybont’s fourth if they could gain a home win.
There are eight fixtures left for every team in the Cymru Premier
before the league splits into a top and bottom six and there are only six points between Penybont in fourth spot and Cardiff Met in 11th.
There is a local derby this evening at Rhiw Dda where Taffs Well entertain Cambrian and Clydach in Cymru South.
The Wellmen will hope to return to winning ways and start to climb back up the table.
Suspension and injuries seem to have cost Craig Sampson’s team of late and they have slipped to 12th place in the league.
Marcus Jones and David Lyon should both be back in action tonight and will add to the home team’s scoring prowess. Scott Young’s Cambrian and Clydach defeated the Wellmen 5-2 on home soil only a couple of weeks ago, so the Rhondda team will start as warm favourites to collect a double and get three points to close in on the top four.
Second in the table Pontypridd Town will look to avenge their only defeat of their league campaign when they host Afan Lido at their University of South Wales sports ground this evening.
The Lido defeated Jonathan Jones’ team 3-2 only a fortnight ago. That defeat cost Ponty top spot in the table, but they can reclaim that place for tonight at least if they can reverse that result.
The game of the weekend in the Cymru South is league leaders Llantwit Major hosting third place Briton Ferry tomorrow at the Windmill Lane Ground.
In the South Wales Alliance League tomorrow, Canton Liberal host Cefn Cribwr BC.
Cardiff Corinthians are home to Blaenrhondda, Llanrumney United welcome Porthcawl Town and Bridgend Street travel to Baglan Dragons.
In the Ardal South West League, Caerau Ely host Garden Village with Cardiff Draconians away to Penrhiwceiber Rangers.