The New Saints have been overwhelmingly backed to retain their JD Cymru Premier title when the competition begins on Friday night.
Bookmakers DragonBet make TNS as short as short as 1/4 to finish top of the table once again as they seek to become champions for the fifth successive season and the 18th time since 2000.
Saints are also 1/2 favourites to top the regular season, underlining the gulf in class the bookmakers believe exists between them and their title rivals.
Another clean sweep of domestic silverware is also firmly on the radar for last season’s treble winners.
The Saints are 2/1 to win the treble again – the League, Welsh Cup, and Nathaniel MG Cup - having already achieved that feat last season for the first time for 10 years.
When it comes to performance-based markets, DragonBet see plenty of firepower in Craig Harrison’s Park Hall side.
TNS are 6/4 to score 100 or more league goals, and the same price to score two or more goals in 26 or more games.
They are also 3/1 to hit three or more in 21 games, a mark that would match the ruthless consistency they’ve shown in previous campaigns.
Penybont – who finished runners-up last season - are considered the most likely club to break the TNS dominance.
In a market adjusted to leave out the Saints, Penybont are priced 5/4 to top the league in the regular season.
Next are Connah’s Quay Nomads at 3/1, followed by Colwyn Bay at 9/2 and Llanelli at 11/2.
With this level of expectation and such short odds across the board, the pressure is on The New Saints to deliver.
The New Saints captain, Adrian Cieślewicz. Pic. Alamy
But for a side that has made winning a habit, DragonBet’s confidence seems well placed.
If their attack clicks early, fans and punters alike could be watching history repeat itself once again.
Certainly, the holders had no trouble in getting past Airbus UK Broughton as they kicked-off their bid to make it a hat-trick of Nathaniel MG Cup titles with a 7-1 victory at Park Hall last weekend.
At the end of the week in which their European adventures came to an end in Luxembourg, Harrison’s men were in seventh heaven as they showed there is no scarring from the disappointment of dropping out of the Uefa Conference League at the first hurdle.
There were two goals each from Rory Holden and Aramide Oteh, and singles from Louis Phillips, Ben Wilson and skipper Adrian Cieslewicz, as they took the first step on trying to repeat their clean sweep of the top three Welsh domestic football titles this season.
Aberystwyth Town reached the final last season, but they hopes of going deep once again were dashed by an 85th minute goal from Callum Sainty that sent Barry Town United into the third round on the back of a 2-1 triumph at Jenner Park.
Ollie Hulbert gave the home side a first half lead before Ben Guest tied things up in the 75th minute. Then came the late winner to send the team relegated to the JD Cymru South for the first time last season on the long home with nothing.
Holywell Town produced an upset as they went to JD Cymru Premier side Flint Town United and won 2-1. The JD Cymru South champions of two seasons ago fell behind to a Darren Stephenson goal but then hit back with goals from Jamie Breese and Fabrizio Murtas to reach the third round.
Cardiff City’s youngsters were bundled out of the Nathaniel MG Cup at the second round stage as they were beaten 2-0 at Cambrian United.
Darren Purse’s U21 team has come through a tough first round clash against Ammanford, winning on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes, but found another JD Cymru South side too strong for them.
James Crole of Penybont in his days playing for Cardiff City
Jay Woodford opened the scoring after only 12 minutes to give the home side the lead and then Tom Hillman made the game safe in the 75th minute. To add insult to injury, the Bluebirds manager was shown a red card a minute from the end.
There were no problems for Swansea City’s U21 starlets as they went to Afan Lido and won 5-0 – despite missing a first half penalty. That miss came from Josh Pescatore, but Kai Rhodes ensured the young Swans went into the break with the lead after he opened the scoring in the 38th minute.
Rhodes got a second in the second half as the visitors built up a head of steam. Dan Watts also got on the scoresheet, while Jak Carson notched an own goal.
Zeli Ismael helped himself to a goal, a penalty and three assists as Connah’s Quay Nomads went on the rampage at Ruthin Town, eventually winning 9-0. Harry Franklin and Eddie Servuts also notched braces as the Nomads turned a 3-0 interval lead into a major rout.
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Two other JD Cymru Premier sides also eased into the next round as Caernarfon Town won 3-0 at home against Colwyn Bay and Briton Ferry Llansawel triumphed 3-0 at home against Trethomas Bluebirds. Rueben Davies scored twice for the Ferrymen.
James Crole picked up where he left off last season for Penybont as he scored a hat-trick in his side’s 6-1 win at Trefelin. The former Cardiff City and Wales U19 striker notched 17 goals in all competitions last season and twice hit the target from the penalty spot as last season’s JD Cymru Premier runner’s-up cruised into the third round.
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The visitors were 4-0 ahead by the break thanks to those two penalty strikes and further goals from Ash Baker and Noah Daley. Crole struck again in the 50th minute before Luke Bowen grabbed a consolation goal for the home side before Ioan Phillips completed the rout with a sixth for Penybont.
Ben Fawcett scored twice for Haverfordwest County in their 5-0 home win over Newport City, while Mark Cadwallader hit a hat-trick or Llandudno in their 7-0 home triumph over Gresford Athletic.
Lewis Rees, with a brace, and Sam Jones scored the goals as Cardiff Met beat Pontypridd United 3-0 at home, while Danny Williams notched two in newly promoted Llanelli Town’s 4-1 win at Ynyshir Albions.
READ MORE: Craig Harrison Insists The New Saints Were Never Worried Despite Narrow Cup Final Win
JD Cymru Premier
2025-26 The New Saints Specials - DragonBet boosts
1/4 - To finish Top
1/2 - To finish Top Regular Season
2/1 - To Win the Treble
(League - Welsh Cup - Nathaniel MG Cup)
2/1 - To Win 28 or more league games
6/4 - To score 100 or more goals
5/1 - To score a goal in every league game
6/4 - To score 2 or more goals in 26 of their league games
3/1 - To score 3 or more goals in 21 of their league games
JD Cymru Premier - Opening weekend fixtures
8 August, 2025
19:45 - Bala Town v Flint Town United
19:45 - Llanelli Town v Barry Town United
19:45 - Haverfordwest County v Penybont
9 August, 2025
14:30 - Cardiff Met University v Caernarfon Town
10 August, 2025
14:30 - The New Saints v Briton Ferry Llansawel
17:00 - Colwyn Bay v Connah's Quay Nomads
