The race for the North Wales Coast West Premier Division title intensified over the weekend as the top three teams delivered impressive victories. Menai Bridge Tigers, Nantlle Vale, and Nefyn United all showcased their strength, keeping the championship battle alive.
Menai Bridge Tigers maintained their lead in the standings with a 4-2 victory against Penrhyndeudraeth on March 15, 2024. The Tigers now hold an eight-point advantage over their closest challengers. However, Nantlle Vale has four games in hand, and Nefyn United has three, ensuring the title race remains competitive.
In their match, Menai Bridge set the tone early. Matthew Jones opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Penrhyndeudraeth responded swiftly with an equalizer from Gwion Davies. The home side regained the lead just before halftime thanks to John Littlemore’s goal. They extended their advantage to 3-1 when Cameron Barry found the net in the 60th minute. Although Reece Evans pulled one back for Penrhyndeudraeth with three minutes remaining, Kaine Bentley sealed the win for the Tigers with a stoppage-time goal.
Nantlle Vale, meanwhile, enjoyed a more straightforward match against Llanerch-y-Medd, securing a commanding 6-1 victory. The home team dominated from the start, with Ashley Owen scoring his 16th league goal of the season just ten minutes in. Luke Phillips followed up shortly after, doubling the lead in the 18th minute. Alex Kalafusz added a third goal before halftime, and he scored again early in the second half to make it 4-0. Carter Davies and Llion Griffiths completed the scoring for Nantlle Vale, while Tomos Hughes provided a consolation goal for the visitors.
Nefyn United also made headlines with their 4-0 win over Talysarn Celts, thanks in large part to Steffan Toplis, who recorded his second hat-trick in four games since moving from Pwllheli. Toplis opened the scoring in the 10th minute and quickly added a second goal just eight minutes later, both assisted by Tomi Evans. Jake Jones set up Toplis for his third goal, making it nine goals in a month for the forward. Deio Jones capped off the scoring early in the second half, although Talysarn Celts managed to hold off further damage for the remainder of the match.
In another fixture, Llanystumdwy secured a 3-1 victory against Llanberis. Albert Nosakhare and Arwyn Jones gave the Eifionydd side an early advantage with goals within the first ten minutes. Guto Jones pulled one back for Llanberis before Arwyn Jones scored again in the 70th minute, solidifying Llanystumdwy’s position in fifth place.
The match between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Boded was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, adding to the weekend’s drama in the league. With the season nearing its climax, the competition for the title continues to heat up as teams make their final push for glory.
