Cymru C and England C will do battle once more after an announcement from the Football Association of Wales earlier this week. Mark Jones will take his Dragons side to Altrincham’s Moss Lane on March 21, in the fourth installment of this fixture.
Cymru have the bragging rights after a convincing 4-0 victory over Paul Fairclough’s men in Caernarfon in March earlier this year. Will Evans scored a brace that earned him a move to the Football League with Newport County, whilst the Cymru Premier’s most successful player Aeron Edwards – who has won 10 league titles, also scored twice.
In the other meetings, the Three Lions won 3-2 at Jenner Park back in 2018, before a 2-2 draw at Salford City in 2019. Squads have continued to change, with players earning opportunities in the professional game, and moving across the league itself. The match has acted as a showcase of the very best of the league, and the result against England earlier this year proved that the quality of some players can no longer go unmissed.
There are over three months to go until the fixture, but players will already hold ambitions of representing their country and proudly singing Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau against the old enemy. Based on the 20-man squad that was named last year, with two goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders, and four attackers, this is what we think might happen.
Goalkeepers
It’s as you were when it comes to the goalkeeping department, with both remaining. Connor Roberts is now the first choice at The New Saints following the retirement of Alex Ramsay and could displace Ramsay for a starting berth. He has conceded the least amount of goals of any goalkeeper in the division, with just six conceded, and has been a good servant for the league.
Defenders
Danny Davies at right centre-back was a left-field choice from Mark Jones, and it was something discussed in the build-up to the match between the pair. Davies has not looked back since and it was a wise move, as it allowed Jonah to accommodate him and Mael Davies.
Namesake Mael, suffered an injury during the match, missed the remainder of the season for Penybont, and is trying to get up to speed with things again this season. He could have competition for his place from Jack Wilson, who is mainly a striker but has been deployed as a wing-back for Haverfordwest County this season.
As for the other options, Kane Owen is all but a shoo-in given his obvious individual quality and tremendous ball-playing ability. His teammate Billy Borge however could be one of the newer names in the squad, given he is one of the players that has featured the most for Rhys Griffiths’ team this season, in a defence that has shipped just 15 goals.
Dion Donohue is another important figure in the side, and his recent contract renewal with Caernarfon Town should give assurances that he’ll be taking part in the fixture.
Midfielders
For years, there was plenty of talk about Jordan Davies, and the promise he had. He’s come back to the Welsh system, and at Haverfordwest, he has a home. Jordan Davies is who the Bluebirds have relied on this season and he is their main source of goals. He is used to being a striker but could play as a supporting midfielder, giving support to the strikers and that could be where he could flourish, to accommodate for the frontmen.
Aeron Edwards is an obvious inclusion, given his experience with the league. His potential heir at The New Saints, Leo Smith, has shown glimpses of his talent, and there now needs to be a time when he really stakes a claim in the midfield for the reigning champions.
As for potential new faces, the inclusion of Caernarfon Town pair Noah Edwards and Sion Bradley is something to consider. Edwards is a tidy midfielder, who is neat in how he plays and Bradley is a handful attacking option.
Forwards
Forward options could look different this year given Evans has left for Newport and Kayne McLaggon is now playing in the Cymru South. McLaggon’s ability has not been lost because he’s dropped down a division, and he is the runaway leader of the Golden Boot.
McLaggon has played in the last two internationals and his exclusion from this squad is merely because other players are in the Welsh top flight at the moment. His experience could be useful for what could be a youthful squad.
Cardiff Met aren’t the most prolific of scorers but they do have two bright players that have spearheaded their top-six push. Sam Jones started well and was scoring regularly, but the goals did dry up for a period. A goal against Haverfordwest County last week could kickstart his season. Jones was a quality player during his time in the Cymru South for Cambrian & Clydach Vale, but now is the time to show he is a top-flight player.
Jones’ Archers teammate Lewis Rees is another in consideration, having joined the University side on a permanent basis. He was on loan from The New Saints last season and had a fairly average campaign, scoring three goals in 28 league matches. The 20-year-old however has beaten his tally in 12 fewer matches with six league goals this season.
The other new face is Ben Ahmun, who has been in the Cymru Premier for a few years now, firstly with Penybont and now Pontypridd United. Ahmun is the Dragons’ top scorer with six goals but is more than just the big target man that you hope wins flick-ons and duels. He is another player that has already done better than last season, and he’s an alternative option if the game plan needs to be changed.
Goalkeepers: Alex Ramsay (Bala Town), and Connor Roberts (The New Saints).
Defenders: Emlyn Lewis (Cardiff Met), Dion Donohue (Caernarfon Town), Danny Davies (The New Saints), Kane Owen (Penybont), Jack Wilson (Haverfordwest County), Mael Davies (Penybont), Billy Borge (Penybont), Nathan Peate (Bala Town)
Midfielders: Jordan Davies (Haverfordwest County), Aeron Edwards (Connah’s Quay), Leo Smith (The New Saints), Clayton Green (Pontypridd United), Sion Bradley (Caernarfon Town), Noah Edwards (Caernarfon Town)
Strikers: Sam Jones (Cardiff Met), Lewis Rees (Cardiff Met), Ben Ahmun (Pontypridd United), Nathan Wood (Penybont)
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