WPL PREVIEW: Matchday 4
IMAGE COURTESY OF CASADELCALCIO
30/08/2016
Bala play their first ‘home’ game of the season but it comes at Latham Park in Newtown as their pitch at Maes Tegid is relaid as as a 3G pitch.
Bala lost on the weekend to Bangor City in front of the Sgorio cameras so will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season.
So far their only goal has been a penalty against Cardiff Met despite the impressive signing of Chris Venables, who has yet to get off the mark for the club.
Carmarthen have been involved in some of the leagues most exciting games so far this season, scoring four goals and shipping five, with a mixed bag of results. Dwaine Bailey scored with an audacious back-heel against Newtown last week so he will be a player to watch.
Llandudno and Airbus meet in a fixture where Llandudno will be looking to put behind them their home woes so far.
Llandudno have seen six goals shipped against them so far at Maesdu Park, all crushing in a different way, with five coming from The New Saints and one coming from Aberyswyth, the latter being a last gasp winner from Jonathan Evans.
Airbus themselves lost to Aberyswyth the week before also as well as a defeat to Camarthen. Both sides will be looking to get something out of the game.
31/08/2016
[Written by @kopitejones]
The fourth fixture in the WPL calendar for Bangor City sees them face tough opponents Newtown. With both sides being well equipped with talent, it’s set to be a tough game for either side.
The fixture in previous meetings has seen Bangor winning the last two. However Newtown are no pushovers. The game is Bangor’s 4th home game on the trot, and with both teams having had a good start to the season, it’s set to be a good fixture!
Cardiff Met welcome Welsh Premier League champions and current league leaders The New Saints to Cyncoed for the first time in a league fixture.
Met’s last home game saw them lose to a Bala penalty, despite all the dominance they could not find a goal. With both teams used to playing on a 3G surface, Christian Edwards and Carl Darlington will be hoping for both teams to retain possession on the artificial surface.
The two clubs couldn’t be anymore different in terms of player recruitment. Cardiff Met acquire players through signing students of the university who pay a fee to play for the club, whereas The New Saints are the only side in the Welsh Premier League who run as a professional side.
With TNS being 10-0 victors on Sunday, Cardiff Met will be wary of the threat The New Saints pose and with the quality in their squad, Christian Edwards’ men will have to be at their best defensively on Wednesday.
Seventeen goals have been shared throughout the TNS side, with Greg Draper and Scott Quigley dominating the club’s scoring charts.
[@WillCatter]
Cefn Druids go into Wednesday’s WPL in search of their first league win at their temporary home of Park Hall after a 0-0 draw with Cardiff Met. Meanwhile, gap Connah’s Quay will look to extend their run of wins to three games after convincing victories over Bangor and Newtown. Nomads’ striker Ashley Ruane was loaned to Druids last week, but will be unavailable for this encounter.
Rhyl will be looking to bounce back at Belle Vue from their crushing 10-0 defeat at The New Saints. Young manager Niall McGuiness apologised to fans after the game.
Aberyswyth who are under new management under Matthew Bishop will be happy with how they’ve performed so far, with this being their fourth away fixture as work goes on at their pitch, being one of many sides to change their pitch to a 3G one to ensure games are played on time.
Aber’s only defeat came at champions The New Saints, losing by just a goal, giving hope that Aberyswyth can compete in this league this season despite changes in the management staff and the playing staff.
