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Penybont travel to Cardiff Met on Halloween, in the final fixture of October for Rhys Griffiths’ side.
Ahead of the match, we tell you everything you need to know about our opponents, as well as key information about the stadium.
The man in charge
Ryan Jenkins has been in charge at Cardiff Met since 2022, when he took over from long serving boss Christian Edwards. Jenkins had been Edwards’ assistant at the club before taking the role.
A former player at the club, Jenkins also played for Ton Pentre and Barry Town, after coming through the youth ranks at Nottingham Forest.
In his debut campaign at the club, Jenkins guided the team to fourth in the Cymru Premier; a record high finish for Cardiff Met. Back to back top six seasons also followed, but the Archers’ have not yet made their return to European football under Jenkins.
The club became the first ever university team to qualify for a Europa League qualifying campaign in 2019, under former boss Edwards. The squad that played in Europa for Cardiff Met included Penybont captain Mael Davies.
Last time out
On a weekend where our fixture against Holywell fell victim to Storm Boelo, Cardiff Met were also in North Wales, to play out a 2-2 draw with Colwyn Bay.
It was an eventful fixture for Cardiff Met striker Sam Snaith, with the striker scoring the opening goal, before also scoring one in his own net to level the score just after half time.
Sam Hart turned the game around for Colwyn Bay, to give the home side a 2-1 lead on the hour mark, before Cardiff Met top scorer Jasper Payne got one back to ensure it was honours even at the Blue Turtle Arena.
Our Last Meeting
Penybont last faced Cardiff Met in January, when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the DragonBet Stadium.
The visitors took the lead after just three minutes when Lifumpa Mwandwe raced down the left hand side before finding the far corner with a shot across the box.
A match with plenty of controversy, Met keeper Sam Seager saw red for handling the ball outside the box just after half time.
After the red card, Ioan Phillips then equalised in the 59th minute for Bont, but the home side could not go on to turn the man advantage into victory.
Key Players
Arron Davies: An accomplished young Goalkeeper signed from Port Vale over the summer, Davies has arrived at The Archers and immediately installed himself as the club’s number one.
Averaging 4.1 saves per game with a save percentage of 76%, Davies’ heroics in goal have helped the club keep four clean sheets already this season.
One of the best Goalkeepers in the division at just 20-years-old, Davies is a player with an incredibly bright future.
Jasper Payne: A pacey striker who is happiest on the shoulder of the last defender, 21-year-old Jasper Payne has been a Cymru Premier regular for a few seasons now.
Cardiff Met’s top scorer so far this campaign, his tally of 8 goals thus far is already his best in a Cymru Premier campaign. As well as being a good goalscorer, Payne is also a capable dribbler, and is comfortable taking on his man, averaging 1.2 successful dribbles per game.
He also comes into the match with confidence, having scored last time out for Cardiff Met in their 2-2 draw with Colwyn Bay.
Aaron Wildig: An experienced midfielder who enjoyed a lengthy career in the EFL, Wildig is back in the city where his football career began.
Born in Hereford, Wildig came through the Cardiff City academy and made 13 appearances for the club, before spells at Shrewsbury, Morecambe and Newport County amongst other clubs.
A player capable of the spectacular, Wildig is yet to score his first goal for Cardiff Met, since joining in the summer, but he has grabbed two assists. An excellent creator, and somebody who likes to shoot from distance, Wildig can unlock a defence in several different ways.
The Stadium
Cardiff Met FC play their home games at the Cyncoed Campus Stadium. The ground opened in 2011 and the stadium provided the springboard for The Archers’ promotion back to the Cymru Premier in 2017.
Located in the Cyncoed area of the city, the nearest train stations are Heath High Level and Heath Low Level. Both are around a 25-minute walk from the stadium.
From Bridgend, take a train to Cardiff Central, before changing for either the Coryton or Rhymney line to reach Heath High/Low Level. The journey takes around 45-50 minutes.
The number 52 bus also travels regularly from Cardiff City Centre to Cyncoed Campus.
Cardiff Met FC encourage supporters to travel by public transport where possible.
By car, the stadium is 27 miles away from the DragonBet Stadium. The journey typically takes around 35-50 minutes, depending on traffic.
Parking is available on site at the Cyncoed Campus, and street parking is also available nearby, should campus parking be full.
See you tomorrow, Bont fans!