FIXTURES
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11
JD CYMRU NORTH
Guilsfield v Buckley Town (7.30 pm)
Ruthin Town v Gresford Athletic (7.45 pm)
ARDAL NORTH EAST (7.45 pm)
Llansantffraid Village v Penycae
ARDAL NORTH WEST (6.45 pm)
Bethesda Athletic v Llannefydd
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
JD CYMRU NORTH (2.30 pm)
Airbus UK Broughton v Porthmadog
Bangor 1876 v Denbigh Town
Caersws v Mold Alexandra
Flint Town United v Prestatyn Town
Holywell Town v Llandudno
ARDAL NORTH EAST (2.30 pm)
Bow Street v Llanfair United
Builth Wells v Llangollen Town
Llanrhaeadr YM v Llandrindod Wells
Penrhyncoch v Welshpool Town
Radnor Valley v Dolgellau
Rhos Aelwyd v Llanuwchllyn
ARDAL NORTH WEST (2.30 pm)
CPD Y Felinheli v Hawarden Rangers
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 v CPD Pwllheli
Llangefni Town v Flint Mountain
Nantlle Vale v Brickfield Rangers
Saltney Town v Llanrwst United
St Asaph City v Conwy Borough
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13
JD CYMRU NORTH (2.30 pm)
Chirk AAA v Llanidloes Town
ARDAL NORTH WEST (2.30 pm)
Llay Welfare v Holyhead Hotspur
PREVIEWS
JD CYMRU NORTH
We kick off the action on Friday evening with two matches involving sides who have experienced mixed starts to the season.
After beginning 2023-24 with two defeats, Ruthin Town will be hoping Tuesday night’s impressive 2-1 win at Prestatyn Town gets them up and running.
Ruthin welcome to the Memorial Fields a Gresford Athletic outfit sure to be on a high after last weekend’s emphatic 3-0 Nathaniel MG Cup victory at Bangor 1876.
Buckley launched their campaign with a league triumph at Chirk AAA followed by a 3-0 success over Denbigh Town in the Nathaniel MG Cup, but on Tuesday the Globe Way outfit were beaten 3-1 at home by Airbus.
On Friday, Bucks visit Guilsfield, whose opening league encounter brought a 3-0 loss at Airbus.
It would be no surprise to see a pair of draws on Friday, but I’m edging towards two home victories.
Very early pace-setters Bangor 1876, who have netted 10 goals in their opening two matches, are likely to face their hardest league test yet when fellow promoted side Denbigh Town visit Nantporth Stadium on Saturday.
Denbigh beat 1876 twice last season in Ardal North West and Town looked impressive in Tuesday’s 4-1 whipping of Caersws.
Airbus, like Bangor, have won both their league fixtures up to now, but can they make it three in a row when many people’s dark horses this season, Porthmadog, arrive at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium on Saturday?
Port have already knocked Cymru Premier team Caernarfon Town out of the Nathaniel MG Cup and on Tuesday caned Chirk 4-1 at home.
However, with the goal power at their disposal and being on their own pitch, Airbus should shade it.
Holywell Town will present a big hurdle for Saturday’s visitors Llandudno.
Although the Seasiders did win at the Achieve More Stadium late last season, it is a very different Tudno team that will land in Flintshire on Saturday.
Llandudno have lost all three matches so far, but have shown enough in each to suggest they will lie down for no-one.
The Wellmen have won their only league match so far. 1-0 at home to Porthmadog.
Flint Town United will be out for revenge when they host a Prestatyn Town side which beat them on penalties in the Nathaniel MG Cup last weekend. This could be a very close one.
Caersws v Mold Alexandra has the makings of a draw, while Chirk AAA should get off the mark on Saturday when they entertain Llanidloes Town.
SCORECASTS
Guilsfield 3 Buckley Town 2
Ruthin Town 2 Gresford Athletic 1
Airbus UK Broughton 3 Porthmadog 2
Bangor 1876 1 Denbigh Town 2
Caersws 1 Mold Alexandra 1
Flint Town United 2 Prestatyn Town 1
Holywell Town 3 Llandudno 0
Chirk AAA 2 Llanidloes Town 1
ARDAL NORTH EAST
I can foresee a lot of home victories in Ardal North East this weekend.
This is a league where my predictions often meet with success, so wouldn’t it be ironic for me to flop big-time with this latest set.
Friday night sees newcomers Llansantffraid Village take on Penycae.
Last weekend, Saints hammered Llandrindod Wells 6-0 on their ANE debut. It was the one prediction I got disastrously wrong.
I expected Llansantffraid to see off Llanfair United, again at home, on Tuesday, but on this occasion the new boys lost 1-0.
So what to expect this time? Penycae have lost two on the bounce and I think this might be third time also unlucky for them.
If I had to pick an away winner on Saturday, it would be Llangollen Town, who have won back-to-back games so far, but can they really travel to tough Builth Wells and claim another three points? Not for me.
As for the rest, it is home victories all the way for me based on early form – Bow Street v Llanfair United, Llanrhaeadr v Llandrindod Wells, Penrhyncoch v Welshpool, Radnor Valley v Dolgellau and Rhos Aelwyd v Llanuwchllyn – H-H-H-H-H.
SCORECASTS
Llansantffraid Village 2 Penycae 0
Bow Street 3 Llanfair United 1
Builth Wells 2 Llangollen Town 1
Llanrhaeadr YM 3 Llandrindod Wells 0
Penrhyncoch 4 Welshpool Town 1
Radnor Valley 2 Dolgellau 0
Rhos Aelwyd 1 Llanuwchllyn 0
ARDAL NORTH WEST
A horrible set of fixtures to predict here this weekend.
So many potentially close battles, I’m struggling badly to be decisive.
Nantlle Vale were my biggest enemy last season – whatever I predicted they would do, they did the opposite.
The Penygroes side have won both matches 4-2 so far and I fancy them to make it three out of three and edge a narrow success over visitors Brickfield, but do not be surprised if we see a mini surprise at Maes Dulyn on Saturday.
Bethesda Athletic are still seeking their first point, but they should get it on Friday at home to another promoted team in Llannefydd. That is all I expect them to get, though – a point.
Onto Saturday, Felinheli welcome Hawarden Rangers for a tussle of teams who occupy the bottom two places with a pair of losses apiece.
I think this could be Felinheli’s day at home.
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 were stunned 4-1 at home by Flint Mountain on Wednesday, but the Lilywhites should bounce back against Pwllheli, albeit in a close encounter.
Match of the day has to be Llangefni Town v Flint Mountain, both teams with a pair of victories and plenty of goals behind them.
Mountain look capable of beating anyone, but Cefni will be extra determined at home and should get a draw at least.
Saltney Town v Llanrwst United and St Asaph City v Conwy Borough are both incredibly difficult to predict, so I’ll play safe with a pair of draws.
I am edging the same way with Llay Welfare v Holyhead Hotspur, but after a good solid start I can just see the Holy Islanders grabbing a hard-earned maximum points.
SCORECASTS
Bethesda Athletic 1 Llannefydd 1
CPD Y Felinheli 2 Hawarden Rangers 0
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 3 CPD Pwllheli 2
Llangefni Town 2 Flint Mountain 2
Nantlle Vale 3 Brickfield Rangers 2
Saltney Town 2 Llanrwst United 2
St Asaph City 1 Conwy Borough 1
Llay Welfare 1 Holyhead Hotspur 2
