IT promises to be a baptism of fire for Caernarfon Town as they look to re-establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the JD Welsh Premier League.

Manager Sean Eardley is bracing himself for some tough challenges during what will be his first full season at the helm, but following their convincing run to the Huws Gray Alliance crown last term the group can go into their next significant challenge with plenty of confidence.

Sports reporter Dean Jones outlines what the Cofis can expect from their first five top-flight fixtures.

Cefn Druids (H):

First up for the Canaries is a home clash against Huw Griffiths’ side, who enjoyed their finest season in their history when they achieved a Europa League spot thanks to their resolute spirit and ability to grind out results against vastly more talented and experienced opposition.

While they may suffer a ‘second season syndrome’ as is the case with a number of clubs over the years’ that have made it to Europe, with talent such as Naim Arsan, Nathan Peate, Alec Mudimu and Lewis Buckley operating within their squad, the likelihood of this is extremely slim.

Much will depend on how the Canaries get on at home in terms of what they can achieve this season, and it will be imperative to get three points at the earliest opportunity in front of the S4C Sgorio cameras.

Newtown (A):

The Robins definitely underachieved last season, but that is down solely to the high standards they have achieved and subsequently set themselves since manager Chris Hughes took over at the club.

It has been a busy summer of recruitment for Hughes as he looks to get the club back into the top six at the split, and they are a formidable proposition on home soil that has been the cornerstone of their success in recent campaigns.

Skipper Craig Williams is a hugely experienced member of the squad who is a driving force from the back, while big things are also expected of Ethan Jones after the forward penned a new deal at Latham Park recently.

Cardiff Met (A):

The Students’ set the league alight when they entered the WPL in 2016/17, and although their form dipped dramatically last term they still managed to remain in the top six which says a great deal about the overall resolve operating within the set-up.

This will be the first long away trip for Eardley’s men and it will be interesting to see how they cope with the additional stresses that come with going down South for a fixture, which is something not many of the squad have experienced before on a consistent basis.

Met have a number of match-winners that can alter the outcome of any game at the drop of a hat, with striker Adam Roscrow emerging as one of the deadliest finishers operating within the division.

The New Saints of Oswestry Town (H):

The all-conquering full-timers may have started slow under manager Scott Ruscoe last season, but their class told in the end as they comfortably retained the title yet again to continue their impressive run of dominance.

With the demotion of Bangor City, all signs point to them securing the championship yet again this time around, and it will take a herculean effort from the Town squad to get anything from the game such is the talent within the squad and the eye-catching addition the Oswestry-based side have made during the summer.

Prolific forward Greg Draper is a constant threat who is one of the most experienced frontmen in the WPL, with the likes of Chris Seargeant and Ryan Brobbel also expected to be valuable contributors throughout their title defence.

Connah’s Quay (A):

Things do not get any easier during a difficult start to the season for the Canaries, with Andy Morrison holding high hopes that his Quay side can run TNS very close this season after significantly strengthening the squad during the transfer window.

Experienced midfielder Michael Parker and midfield playmaker Noah Edwards are two notable additions from Prestatyn Town, while Bangor City’s Danny Holmes was arguably the best player operating at the position last season and also joins the fold.

They have plenty of experience in the likes of Michael Wilde and George Horan, and Michael Bakare will also be looking to build on a fine first season at the Nomads.