Let’s assess the Ardal North East title race

LOCK STOCK ARDAL NORTH EAST UPDATE, TABLE AND REPORTS

The battle for this season’s tier 3 Lock Stock Ardal North East title is fascinatingly poised with just two points separating first to fourth.

There are probably five main teams in the running to finish champions (each plays 30 games)

Dolgellau Athletic: Played 24 Points 51 (GD +20)
Bow Street: Played 24 Points 50 (GD +38)
Brickfield Rangers: Played 21 Points 49 (GD +28)
Builth Wells: Played 28 Points 49 (GD +20)
Llanuwchllyn: Played 21 Points 44 (GD +32)

With all due respect to Builth Wells, they can probably be counted out as they only have two games left.

If they win them both, they will end up on 55 points which will be nowhere near sufficient enough to win the title.

Statistically, the current situation strongly favours Brickfield Rangers and Llanuwchllyn ending up 1 and 2. Both have played 21, Bricky having 49 points and Llanuwchllyn 44.

The top pair, Dolgellau Athletic and Bow Street, have both played 24, are on 51 and 50 points respectively, but each has completed three more fixtures than Brickfield and Llanuwchllyn.

Rangers look a really good bet to finish top, especially with manager Gareth Wilson having signed goal-getter supreme Tom Freeman from Chirk AAA this week.

To maximise their chances of claiming top spot, Dolgellau and Bow surely would have to win almost all their remaining matches and hope Bricky and Llanuwchllyn slip up.

Games where the contenders play one another will be absolutely vital – and there are plenty of those to come.

Brickfield’s schedule has five successive away trips after they take on Llanuwchllyn at home this Saturday – a major six-pointer.

Llanuwchllyn have five away and four home fixtures to come, quite a few of their remaining games appearing quite winnable.

Dolgellau still have two meetings with Brickfield and one versus Llanuwchllyn on their roster, while Bow also yet have to face Gareth Wilson and Sion Tudor’s teams.

Remaining games:

Dolgellau
Mar 22 – Kerry (away), Mar 29 – Cefn Albion (home), Apr 9 – Llanuwchllyn (away), Apr 12 – Brickfield Rangers (h), Apr 19 – Radnor Valley (h), May 3 – Brickfield Rangers (away)

Bow Street
Mar 22 – Chirk AAA (h), May 29 – Penycae (a), Apr 5 – Llangollen Town (a), Apr 16 – Llanuwchllyn (h), Apr 19 – Cefn Albion (a), Apr 26 – Brickfield Rangers (a)

Brickfield Rangers
Mar 22 – Llanuwchllyn (h), Mar 29 – Builth Wells (a), Apr 9 – Llangollen Town (a), Apr 12 – Dolgellau (a), Apr 19 – Llanidloes Town (a), Apr 23 – Cefn Albion (a), Apr 26 = Bow Street (h), May 3 – Dolgellau (h), May 10 – Radnor Valley (h)

Llanuwchllyn
Mar 22 – Brickfield Rangers (a), Mar 29 – Llandrindod Wells (a), Apr 5 – Llanfair United (h). Apr 9 – Dolgellau (h), Apr 12 – Llanidloes Town (a), Apr 16 – Bow Street (a). Apr 19 – Kerry (a), Apr 26 – Kerry (h), May 3 – Radnor Valley (h)

LOCK STOCK ARDAL NORTH EAST REPORTS – MARCH 15

Bow Street 2 CPD Rhos Aelwyd 0
Ryan Evans and Callum Page produced the all-important goals which sealed three points for Bow, Rhos finishing with 10 men after having Luke Williams dismissed for two yellows.

Builth Wells 0 Radnor Valley 2
Captain Elliot Morris and Jack Clarke were both on target in the second half as Builth crashed at home to a Radnor outfit which completed a fifth win on the bounce.

Cefn Albion 2 Llanidloes Town 2
Jimmy Jones and Nic Jones delivered the goals for Albion, but the Daffs snatched a point through net-finders from Tyler Mallett and Lucas Nash.

Kerry 0 Brickfield Rangers 3
Five straight league wins and 11 without defeat for Brickfield, Lewis Clamp (2) and Simon Smith providing the away goals.

Llanfair United 3 Chirk AAA 2
Llanfair took the points with a 93rd minute winner from Josh Astley.
This was after Chirk had bravely fought back from being 2-0 down at the interval through another Astley strike and a penalty from Karl Seliaerts.
Brothers Niall Freeman and Tom Freeman both hit unstoppable shots in the 82nd and 83rd minutes to give Chirk hope but it was Astley who won the day with his late show.

Llangollen Town 1 Dolgellau AA 3
Osian Morris (2, 1 pen) and a Jack Goulbourn own goal ensured leaders Dolgellau held onto the summit, Kieran Smith replying for the hosts.

Llansantffraid Village 0 Penycae 2
Captain Zac Davies and William Scott supplied the winning goals for Penycae.

Llanuwchllyn 0 Llandrindod Wells 2
Thomas Durant and Gavin Rowlands both struck to earn Llandrindod Wells a surprise win at Llanuwchllyn, who lost for the first time in the league since August – 16 games ago.