LIVE FOOTBALL: Newtown v Pen-y-bont | JD Cymru Premier Play-off Semi-final ⚽️
The winners of the play-offs will join The New Saints, Connah's Quay and Bala Town in the European qualifying rounds over the summer.
Match Preview:
Momentum is the magic word when discussing the play-offs, and both teams have that on their side and will be full of confidence ahead of the big game on Saturday afternoon.
Newtown finished the regular season strongly with two consecutive wins (vs Caernarfon Town and Cardiff Met), losing just one of their last six fixtures (vs TNS).
In the bottom half, Pen-y-bont only lost once after the split, ending the season on a remarkable run of six games without defeat and without conceding a single goal (won five, drawn one).
Newtown will be competing in the play-offs for the eighth time in their history, and no club has won the competition more often than the Robins (2 - level with Bangor City).
Newtown, Cardiff Met and Bala Town are the only clubs to reach the play-off final on three separate occasions, but the Robins lost in the final last year (on penalties vs Haverfordwest County).
The summer of 2021 was the last time that Newtown won the play-off games - after winning in Pen-y-bont in the semi-final (0-1) before beating Caernarfon Town at the Oval in the final (3-5).
The 2014/15 season was the only other time Newtown won the play-offs, winning away from home in Port Talbot and Aberystwyth Town that year.
Newtown have reached Europe on five occasions in the past, winning qualifying rounds against Valletta (2015) and HB Torshavn (2022) during the last decade.
Pen-y-bont finished 3rd last season and went on to represent Wales in Europe for the first time in their history (losing 3-1 over two legs vs Santa Coloma, Andorra).
Of the four clubs competing in this year’s play-offs, Pen-y-bont are the only team that have not previously won the competition.
Pen-y-bont have played in the play-offs twice before, losing in the semi-finals on both occasions - against Newtown in 2020/21, and Flint Town United in 2021/22.
Although Newtown finished higher in the table than their opponents, the head-to-head record is on Pen-y-bont’s side as they have not lost in six meetings with the Robins (won five, drawn one), and veteran striker Chris Venables scored three goals in two games against Newtown during the first phase of the season.