Connah’s Quay Nomads aim to stay in striking distance of The New Saints on Saturday as the natural order re-asserts itself in the Cymru Premier.
You don’t need to be Charles Darwin to know that natural order and the evolution of the Welsh football species normally means The New Saints at the top, with Connah’s Quay clinging on behind.
TNS play on Friday night, when they are away at Cardiff Met, so the Nomads will know their fate before they arrive at Haverfordwest County on Saturday afternoon.
Either, they will be five points behind the leaders, or they could be in striking distance if the students have managed to produce a shock result.
County have had a surprisingly poor start to the season, with just one win in seven matches and they currently sit back in ninth spot.
Haverfordwest come into the game on the back of two consecutive losses at the hands of TNS and Newtown – losing 5-1 to the Saints and 4-0 to the Robins.
Prior to that, Tony Pennock’s side has beaten Colwyn Bay and drawn with Barry, Caernarfon and Pontypridd in the league, a modest return following their impressive European campaign.
County will be without midfielder Kai Whitmore, as the midfielder serves a one-match suspension having picked up five yellow cards.
Third-placed Bala are away at Barry Town United, who are finding life tough just one place off the bottom of the table.
The Laksiders are still unbeaten, but have drawn four of their seven games so far this season.
But it has been a tough start for new Barry boss Steve Jenkins, with the former Swansea City defender still looking for his first win of the season after seven matches.
Elsewhere, Caernarfon Town host Pontypridd United and Colwyn Bay are at home to Newtown.
Newtown are one of the form teams and will head north on the back of three successive victories.
Colwyn Bay manager Steve Evans says: “You can tell from their last couple of results that Newtown are finding their feet.
“They’ve got some great players and are very well organised and it’s going to be a
tough test.”
Newtown manager Chris Hghes says: “We know that we didn’t get off to the best of starts to the season, but our performance levels in the last three games have been very pleasing.”
23 September 2023
Barry Town United v Bala Town
Caernarfon Town v Pontypridd United
Colwyn Bay v Newtown
Haverfordwest County v Connahs Quay Nomads
