Newtown and Bala in crucial showdown
NEWTOWN boss Chris Hughes has admitted the run-in to the end of the season is more about results than performance and never will that be more applicable that in today’s clash with Bala Town.
With two games to go in the JD Cyrmu Premier Championship Conference the Robins are locked on 50 points with the Lakesiders, making their clash at Maes Tegid a probable shoot-out for the second Uefa European football spot next season.
The stakes couldn’t be any higher, with the winners likely to set themselves up for a bumper Euro pay-day of around £250,000. Newtown currently occupy second place on goal difference
Bala are unbeaten in their last six league outings at home stretching back to the end of January and have won three and drawn another of the four meetings between the two clubs this season in league and cup.
With The New Saints already crowned champions, and guaranteed entry into the early stages of next season’s Uefa Champions Cup, the big prize left to play for is second place. Both Bala and Newtown will still have two games to play after today, but a three point lead will be hard to claw back.
Bala head to Caernarfon on Easter Monday and then complete their programme at home against JD Welsh Cup finalists Penybont. Newtown, meanwhile, host TNS on Monday and then end their campaign at Flint Town United. Flint travel to Park Hall to take on the champions today, while Penybont head to Caernarfon Town hoping to pick up some form after an alarming run of four straight defeats.
In the Play Off Conference, Connah’s Quay Nomads will be looking to put pressure on leaders Cardiff Met as they try to keep alive their feint hopes of clinching top spot.
The Nomads are five points off the pace at present, but haven’t been beaten since they suffered a points loss and were relegated into the Play Off Conference. They also managed to beat the Archers in a penalty shoot-out in the Nathaniel MG Cup final.
The winners of the second tier Conference will qualify for the end of season play-offs with the bottom three teams in the Championship section for a place in the Irn Bru Cup next season.
Craig Harrison’s side’s run in also sees them face the other two teams in the reckoning, Haverfordwest County and Aberystwyth Town. They are four and two points ahead of them respectively.
Haverfordwest head to Deeside Stadium on Monday after hosting Barry Town today. They complete their programme with a vital home clash with Cardiff Met. It means nothing is likely to be decided until the last day.