Preview: Ardal Northern play-off – Bangor 1876 v Cefn Albion, Saturday, May 27, kick-off 12.30 pm at Bastion Gardens, Prestatyn

Two relatively new clubs in North Wales football both face the biggest game in their short existence on Saturday.

Bastion Gardens, Prestatyn, will be the venue for the Ardal Northern Play-Off Final between Bangor 1876 and Cefn Albion, kick-off 12.30 pm.

The prize on offer is promotion to Tier 2 of the Welsh pyramid.

The winner will join Lock Stock Ardal North East champions Caersws and Lock Stock Ardal North West title-lifters Denbigh Town in the Cymru North for the 2023/24 season.

The loser faces another season in Tier 3.

Caersws, Denbigh Town, Bangor 1876 and Cefn Albion have all been successful in gaining Tier 2 licences to make them eligible for Cymru North.

Let’s meet tomorrow’s play-off finalists

CEFN ALBION

Since they reformed nine years ago, Cefn Albion have enjoyed some tremendous successes.

Their debut 2014-15 season was a remarkable one which saw Albion land the Tier 5 North East Wales League title as part of a quadruple.

They scored a stunning 237 goals in just 37 matches across all competitions.

In 2015-16, they won the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) Division One championship at the first attempt.

Cefn spent four seasons in the WNL Premier Division, winning the Premier Cup in 2016-17 and 2018-19 and finishing a highest position of second in 2019-20.

Undoubtedly their crowning moment so far came in 2018-19 when they landed the national FAW Trophy, whipping Pontardawe Town 4-0 in the final at Aberystwyth.

For the past two seasons, Albion have competed in the Tier 3 Ardal North East, finishing third in 2021-22 and second this season, qualifying them for a play-off to enter the Cymru North.

The aim now for this ambitious club is to reach Tier 2 for the first time.

BANGOR 1876

Formed in 2019-20 as a means of protecting the future of football in the city of Bangor, 1876 have made quite an impression in three seasons of competing so far.

During its first season the club boasted a 100% record, winning the last-ever Gwynedd League championship.

Despite the campaign being curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, in the league the team scored 115 goals conceding only nine. They played 14 cup ties, losing just two to higher level opponents, scoring 70 and shipping just 18.

With the season being cut short in March, 1876 were denied the chance to win three cups they were still involved in.

After the 2020-21 term was cancelled due to the pandemic, 1876 returned to the field in 2021-22 as part of the new Tier 4 North Wales Coast East Premier Division, finishing second to an exceptional Bodedern Athletic side, but still winning promotion to the Tier 3 Ardal North West League.

Michael Johnston’s team also lifted the Premier Division Cup, beating Bodedern in the final, and reached the NWCFA Intermediate Cup Final, which was never played due to no venue or date being established in time.

Their debut season in Tier 3 has also gone well, the fan-owned club finishing runners-up, just two points behind champions Denbigh Town.

SQUADS

BANGOR 1876

Huw Shaw
Carl Jones
Aaron Heald
Kian Owen
Shaun Lock
Caio Hywel
Joe Culshaw
Corey Jones
Tom Clarke
Harry Galeotti
Dylan Williams
Les Davies
Corrig McGonigle
Gethin Thomas
Cameron Barry
Luke Steele
Sion Edwards
Michael Johnston
Jamie Petrie
Liam Morris
Ben Owen
Adam Pritchard
MANAGER: Michael Johnson
ASSISTANT MANAGER: Gareth Williams

CEFN ALBION

Josh Roberts
Torne Samuels
Nic Jones
Nathan Williams
Tyler Wilkinson
Jordan Williams
Ryan Kershaw
Josh Sumner
Dion Gibbins
Kien Morris
Luke Griffin
Alex Williams
Jordan Johnson
Ryan Kehoe
Callum Mannion
Chris Budrys
Jamie Foulkes
Curt Griffiths
MANAGER: Ian Andrews
COACHES: Richard Williams-Cooke, Sean Jones