The Mid Wales League (South) season is turning out to be every bit as competitive as many of us felt it would be.
In truth, most people at Llanandras Park always knew there would be some good sides in the division this year and that is exactly how things have turned out.
Builth Wells Reserves, Penybont United and Brecon are leading the way, but the major difference in the numbers of games played means the league table doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
Builth’s second string top the table with 25 points from 11 games, with two defeats so far. Both of those defeats came at the hands of their nearest rivals, Penybont United, who were three-nil winners at Lant Field back in September while they backed that up with a three-two home win over Builth at the back end of November.
‘Advantage, Penybont’, you would think and they, too, are going well. They are in second spot with 22 points from 10 games – so, a game in hand over Builth Wells Reserves. But Builth’s goal difference currently stands at +30 as opposed to ‘the Bont’s’ +9 – quite a difference and worth a point or two in its own right. Penybont’s two defeats came at Llanandras Park against Presteigne St Andrews and at Felindre, while they haven’t played a league game since 27 November so it will be interesting to see how they pick up when they resume their league programme against Talgarth Town on 15 January.
Brecon had a full house after six games but then came unstuck at Knighton Town Reserves in the only league game played on Saturday, 8 January. Given the demise of Knighton’s first team, perhaps this now means their Reserves are a stronger proposition but, either way, it was a good win for the Robins. Despite that defeat, Brecon are only seven points off top spot with four games in hand.
Knighton Town Reserves, Newcastle and Presteigne St Andrews will all feel that, if they could put together a good run, there is nothing to stop them challenging for a top-two finish but the real dark horses could be Talgarth Town.
That might appear an odd thing to say about a team sitting eighth in an eleven-team league, but Talgarth have played only five league matches so far this season. They have only lost one of those games so will fancy their chances of a strong finish. Talgarth haven’t actually played a league fixture since October, although they did play two Pip Samuel (Electrical) League Cup ties in November.
So, no shortage of interest in the title race and, assuming Covid doesn’t raise its none-too-attractive head in the second half of the season, it should make for a very interesting finish.