OLI HEALD believes the battle of the forwards will prove decisive in Mold’s North Wales Division Two clash at home to Abergele this weekend.

The Flintshire club sit second in the table and remain firmly in title contention this term after a gritty 14-12 win at league leaders Rhyl last time out.

And head-coach Heald expects another attritional contest against an Aber side they defeated 18-7 earlier this month.

“It’s going to be a tough battle up front,” he said.

“Aber have a big pack and we’ve struggled at times this season against those kind of sides.

“We’ve given away too many penalties in some of these games and teams like Aber have been able to to capitalise on those and drive over the line from line-outs.

“We need to be better in dealing with those threats and look to impose our strengths on the game.”

Mold are in the midst of a fine five-game unbeaten run and are within nine points of the summit, with seven league games remaining.

Heald is pleased with his side’s consistency this term but believes a lack of bonus points has proved costly so far.

He added: “You look at how well Rhyl have done, not just in winning games consistently but picking up nine bonus points this season.

“We haven’t done that enough and we’ve probably let a bonus point slip away five or six times so far.

“With some big games ahead of us we know it’s still in our hands, but we need to improve on that record to sustain that challenge.”

Wrexham head coach Alan Jenkins expects a tough test as his side host Colwyn Bay this weekend.

Jenkins’ men currently sit third in the table, but with games in hand on second-placed Mold and leaders Rhyl, they know that top spot is in sight.

“It’s going to be a really tough game for us,” said Jenkins.

“They always push us very hard and Saturday will be no different. They tend to be very physical and look to dominate teams with their defence, so we’ll have to deal with that.

“The conditions don’t look like they’re going to be kind, so it will probably end up being a forwards game.

“We’ve worked on tightening up our style of play and coming off nine a bit more, so hopefully that can pay off at the weekend.

“They’ve had a couple of impressive results this season, none more so than beating Mold, so we know that we’re going to have to be at our best.

“We’ve got good numbers available, with a few lads coming back from injury so that’s always a bonus.

“This time of year is always difficult with it being so stop-start, we haven’t played for nearly a month. Hopefully with the training we’ve done we can get straight back into it come Saturday.”

Leaders Rhyl play at Llanidloes while sixth-placed Shotton Steel head to Nant Conwy Seconds.

Welshpool go to Newtown while Division One leaders Llandudno host Caernarfon and Bala have a derby date at home to Denbigh.

Llangefni travel to COBRA, Bethesda welcome Pwllheli and there is a big game at the bottom as Dolgellau go to Bro Ffestiniog.

Wrexham second team captain Danny Guy has called for his side to create a gap between the sides below them as they travel to Pwllheli seconds.

Guy’s side sit sixth in Division Three and while they are a way off Flint in fifth, a win would build confidence at a key stage of the season..

“It’s a tough time of the year with the Six Nations being on, there is no chance of building momentum,” said Guy.

“Looking at the table, there is a bit of a divide between top half and bottom half and we need to make sure we get closer and closer to the teams at the top rather than the bottom.”

Menai Bridge host Llangefni seconds, basement side Rhos welcome Machynlleth and Aled Davies’ Flint side host struggling Denbigh seconds.