Cymru North: All to play for at top and bottom

JD CYMRU NORTH WEEKEND PREVIEW

Two burning questions lie ahead on the final weekend of the JD Cymru North 2024-25 season – who will be champions and who will be relegated?

Colwyn Bay need a point at Penrhyncoch on Saturday to ensure they claim the league title for a second time in three seasons.

In an uncanny coincidence, the Seagulls required a win at Penrhyn to be crowned champions back in 2022-23 and achieved their aim with a 2-0 victory.

If second-place Airbus are to deny Bay the title, they must be victorious at Caersws and Michael Wilde’s side would have to lose at Cae Baker. The Wingmakers have a better goal difference than Bay.

At the other end of the table, Ruthin Town host Bangor 1876 at Maes Tegid, Bala in a relegation cliffhanger which will send one of the teams down.

Bangor are on 28 points and Ruthin 26. A draw or a win for 1876 will keep them in the tier 2 league – for Town only a victory will save them.

FIXTURES – SATURDAY, APRIL 12

Caersws v Airbus UK
Flint Mountain v Holywell Town
Gresford Athletic v Denbigh Town
Llandudno v Prestatyn Town
Llay Welfare v Guilsfield
Mold Alexandra v Buckley Town
Penrhyncoch v Colwyn Bay
Ruthin Town v Bangor 1876

LATEST REPORTS – APRIL 5

Colwyn Bay 3 Llandudno 0

Colwyn Bay moved within one point of the JD Cymru North title following a 3-0 home win over rivals Llandudno last Saturday.
Over 1,300 fans were in attendance to witness the derby at the Four Crosses Construction Arena and they did not have to wait long for the opening goal as Dan Atkins headed home Sam Hart’s corner after just three minutes – his fifth goal in four matches.
A corner again caused problems for Llandudno in the 14th minute as they failed to deal with Jay Owen’s delivery, allowing Lewis Sirrell to nod in to double Bay’s advantage.
Victory was sealed midway through the second half by substitute Lloyd Marsh-Hughes, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, as he provided the finish to Sol Forde’s flick on.
The Seagulls are three points clear at the top of the table heading into the final day

Airbus UK Broughton 1 Mold Alexandra 1

Second-place Airbus slipped up in the title race as they were held at home by a Mold side ending the season in fine fettle.
The Wingmakers took the lead in the 17th minute when Kaiden Cooke brought down a long ball and tapped beyond Michael Crossley for his seventh goal of the season.
Airbus struck the woodwork twice in the second half as Jordan Evans’ thunderous strike hit the post and Joe Palmer’s header crashed off the crossbar, before a sucker punch arrived with 11 minutes left when Lucas Gregson guided a header into the bottom corner from Josh Watkin’s cross to bring Mold level.

Bangor 1876 1 Caersws 2

Heartbreak for Bangor as they ended up with nothing after conceding an added-time winner to Caersws.
The result leaves 1876 needing a point from their trip to relegation rivals Ruthin Town this Saturday to avoid the drop.
As a first half of few chances was coming to a close, Caersws found the breakthrough in the 44th minute when Rhys Hesden produced a superb curling finish into the bottom corner.
Bangor levelled six minutes after the restart as Jake Ellison produced a thumping finish from Tom Mahoney’s cross, but in stoppage time Caersws substitute Tommy Rowlands rifled home a loose ball in the box in the 95th minute.

Holywell Town 0 Gresford Athletic 0

All-square at the Bartons North Wales Stadium.
Wellmen forwards Brady McGilloway and Jake Roberts both had efforts thwarted by Gresford goalkeeper Lewis Dutton, while Colliers midfielder Charley Edge saw his curling free-kick denied by the post late on.

Prestatyn Town 1 Penrhyncoch 2

Relegated Prestatyn failed to hold onto a lead as their final home game of 2024-25 ended in defeat.
The Seasiders edged ahead three minutes before half-time when Macauley Taylor rose highest from Rob Parry’s corner and headed beyond Leigh Jenkins.
However, Penrhyncoch turned the game around with a brace from Rhydian Davies in the final 15 minutes.

Buckley Town 0 Ruthin Town 0

A first clean sheet on the road all season gave Ruthin a boost in their quest for survival.

Denbigh Town 5 Llay Welfare 0

Five of the best from dazzling Denbigh in a Friday night treat for their fans at the expense of relegated Llay.
Alfie Vaughan’s composed finish one-on-one with Henry Green put Denbigh ahead in the 37th minute, before Nathan Brown made it two from close range in first half stoppage time.
Owen Davies added his name to the scoresheet on the hour mark by intercepting the ball in a dangerous area, racing through on goal and firing past Green.
Vaughan headed home his second in the 89th minute, before he set up Brown to complete his brace in stoppage time.

Flint Mountain 1 Guilsfield 5

Guilsfield secured their first away league win since November as James Smallwood and Iwan Matthews both scored twice in a 5-1 comeback victory at the Essity.

Mountain actually took the lead straight from kick-off as a long ball forward was nodded down by Aaron Simpson for Jack Parry to hammer home.
However, Smallwood and Joe Haycock both found the net to turn the game around in Guilsfield’s favour by half-time.
Smallwood grabbed his second early in the second half and then turned provider for Matthews to make it 4-1 shortly prior to the hour.
Matthews completed his brace in the 67th minute.