Four points in our last two League of Wales matches, a win at home to Total Network Solutions and an away draw at Newtown, have kept us well clear of the chasing pack. At the moment, we are seven points ahead of second placed Inter Cabletel, although the side who can earn most points (and therefore a bigger threat to our championship hopes) are third place Cwmbran, who can still accrue 71 points this season.
After looking as if they were going to drift off the pace, Cwmbran have again found form. A fortnight ago, they went to Conwy's Morfa ground, and found the net on four occasions. Their hero in recent weeks has been Mattie Davies, who has scored six goals in four matches since returning from injury. He scored twice at Conwy, with Chris Summers hitting the other two. Cwmbran also won last week, a 2-1 victory at home to Connah's Quay Nomads. Chris Summers again netted for the Crows, after 15 mimutes, with Mattie Davies scoring after 55. The Nomads scored a late consolation goal.
Newtown have had a quiet fortnight in the League of Wales. A fortnight ago, they were club no.17 and out of action, while last Saturday, the Robins entertained Barry at Latham Park, getting a well-earned point. That kept them in fifth place in the LoW,
Total Network Solutions earnt one point from a maximum six in the last few weeks. At Jenner Park a fortnight ago, the Llansantffraid based side hit the bar on two occasions in the first half, but ended up losing 2-0. Last week, Ken McKenna got the important goal in their 1-1 draw at home to Carmarthen Town. McKenna, returning from a six match ban, was left unmarked on the far post and nodded home in the 40th minute, equalising after the visitors had taken the lead.
Caernarfon Town remain in seventh spot, having maintained their very good home record with a 2-0 win over Afan Lido a fortnight ago. However, the Canaries were on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat in Cardiff last Saturday.
Our opponents today, Bangor City, weren't in action last Saturday, as the unfixtured club in the League of Wales, but won 2-1 away at Rhyl the previous week. It was the fourth meeting of the two clubs this season, and Rhyl took the lead after just six minutes. However, Bangor got back into the hunt with new signing Gary Twyneham, formerly of Rhyl, scoring after 18 minutes. The Blues certainly deserved their 2-1 victory, and it was no surprise when Twyneham, making his debut, crashed home a second goal later in the game.
Tenth place goes to another North Wales Coast side, Conwy United. The Musselmen found their progress blocked by Cwmbran a fortnight ago, with the away side rushing into a two-goal lead. James McIlvogue brought the North Walians back to 2-1, but the Crows scored again before former Bangor player, Danny McGoona, made it 3-2. However, Conwy couldn't find the extra goal, and Cwmbran made it 4-2. Last Saturday, though, they returned to form with a 3-1 away victory at Haverfordwest County. Conwy were 1-0 down after the first half, but a second half brace from McIlvogue gave them the lead, scoring after 49 and 66 minutes. Kevin Ellison's 83rd minute goal sealed the game for Conwy.
Haverfordwest have certainly slid a long way this season. At the start of November, they were in fourth, and now find themselves in twelfth. The Bluebirds found their Sunday away game at Holywell's Halkyn Road cancelled, and had further disappointment a week later losing 3-1 to Conwy at Bridge Meadow. The West Walians had taken the lead in that game, through former Swansea player Jamie Harris. He scored after half-an-hour, but the visitors went home with all three points after scoring three in the second half.
Joining them on 20 points are former landlords, Rhyl. After their disappointing 2-1 home loss to Bangor City, where Troy Hayder scored the Rhyl goal after only 6 minutes, they perked up last week with a 3-0 win over fellow relegation rivals, Holywell Town. A Friday night match at Holywell's Halkyn Road, Rhyl took the lead after only 11 minutes, but it took until the second half to pull ahead, with Urqhuart scoring from the penalty spot on the hour and Pickthall securing the points.
Despite the cancellation of their home match last Saturday, Rhayader remain off the bottom of the League of Wales, although only on goal difference. The mid-Walians -18 is substantially better than that of Holywell's, and Rhayader still have a number of games in hand on their North Walian rivals. A fortnight ago, they went to Carmarthen and forced a 1-1 draw, having taken the lead against Tomi Morgan's club. Rhayader would have liked to have played Aberystwyth last weekend, but had to postpone the match due to the condition of the Weirglodd pitch.
Holywell remain bottom of the League of Wales, after their possibly crucial 3-0 defeat to Rhyl last week. Their previous match, against Haverfordwest, was postponed, and manager Vernon Keep's nerves may be getting a little frayed. Nevertheless, with two months of play left, there's more than enough time to change things at the bottom, and with only one going down this year, it may be a bit of a lottery at the end of next month.
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This page edited by the Yellow Dragon, 1999.
This article first published in the Barry Town Matchday Magazine, v Bangor City, League of Wales, 06.03.99
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