Latest News

Two Leagues - Any thoughts?

16th April 2008

WELSH Premier chairmen have agreed by 10 votes to four to split the league into two divisions of 10 clubs, but not until season 2010/11.
The member clubs, who will qualify on the basis of licensing and ground criteria, will play each other four times each season.
The meeting was held at The New Saints' Park Hall to consider the radical plans for restructuring, with a reduction in size driven as much as anything by the difficulty clubs will face meeting the stricter licensing criteria which come into force in 2009.
Port Talbot chairman Andrew Edwards supported plans for two divisions. "All clubs want this league to move forward and go up to another level. I think the league has made strides forward since its inception, but it has stagnated." he says.
"I hope these proposals can take Welsh football forward and address certain issues."
Aberystwyth director Tony Bates says that a two division split would see better players gravitate towards the top flight, thereby raising playing standards, and that the top division should be prioritised for funding to ensure compliance with the criteria and improve playing surfaces.
But NEWI Cefn Druids voted against the plan. "I voted against this proposal but, having said that, it was a democratic decision which we as a club have to accept and take a positive step forward," said chairman Brian Mackie.
"Hopefully a new ground, which has been proposed, will come to a favourable conclusion and this will go a long way towards us being accepted as a founder member of the new set up."

1-0 loss to Bangor

12th April 2008

Bad result for us in a game we deserved something from. A depleted squad made worse by injuries during the game leaves as sweating on our last two games and the results from our rivals.

We stared well enough on a wet, muddy pitch and in conditions that worsened as the game went on. The first half we possibly shaded it on chances with a couple falling to Darren and one to Chris plus a Steve Kehoe header hitting the bar, but in honesty not threatening their keeper too much; and the same the other end with some speculative attempts but little real threat - a stalemete 0-0 at half time. An injury to John Boardman meant a switch at half time, but the first ten minutes we put them under a lot of pressure forcing good saves from Darren Thomas and Kev Lloyd, but a breakaway down the left and a cross led to a far post tap in for the only goal of the game. Kev Lloyd went off with a shoulder injury and apart from a couple of close things late on we could not get the equaliser, and despite putting us under a lot of pressure in the last 10 minutes the final score remained 1-0 to Bangor. Physically they out-muscled us with Les Davies prominent up front although well managed by Hoggy, but we had little effect on 50/50 balls especially in the air.

The initiative passes to our rivals today and hopefully their opposition will be as 'up for it' as was ours; we look to Caernarfon on Wednesday with the ridiculously early kick off to accomodate them and their lack of facilities (lights) and hope that this does not cost us our league status. It will undoubtably go to the final games next weekend where we go to Port Talbot having easily beaten them at home, but knowing they are a different team on their own patch, let's hope they have little incentive to win.

Good luck in these last two games and let us all hope results go our away, but let us be fair in January we were dead and buried, but the combination of fresh management and outstanding effort from the remaining players has kept us in with a good shout right to the end, so well done for that and it ain't over till the fat lady sings!

Tonights game is ON

11th April 2008

for those travelling I confirm tonight's game at home to Bangor is ON