Bala Town V Caernarfon Town FC
Friday 30 December, 19:45
Bala 3 – 0 Caernarfon.
Caernarfon’s alarming run of form continued at Maes Tegid on Friday evening but, if truth be told, they can feel hard done by as their efforts deserved more than the eventual result would suggest.
Having lot 1-5 to their opponents just four day earlier, in a match ruined by an early sending off, the Cofis would have felt they had a point to prove against the Lakemen and they started well enough, looking confident as they bossed possession early doors.
Danny Gosset saw his eighth minute effort sail over the bar whilst Joe Faux’s goalbound effort a minute later was deflected for a corner, from which Gruff John headed over the target from eight yards.
Unfortunately for Caernarfon, and has often been the case of late, a lapse at the back in the twenty seventh minute resulted in a goal for the hosts, George Newell taking full advantage of some hesitancy in dealing with a direct ball from midfield, sticking the ball past
Tibbetts from close range. It was harsh on the Cofis, as it was the hosts’ first goalbound effort of the match, but then it is fair to say that they should have dealt much better with the initial delivery into their half.
The pattern of play remained unchanged, however, with the visitors enjoying plenty of the ball, although frustratingly for manager Huw Griffiths, his charges seemed unable to break down a solid, and deep lying Bala side.
With neither side creating anything of note up front, another mistake by Caernarfon resulted in a second goal for the hosts. The otherwise excellent Joe Faux saw his slack pass in midfield picked up by Dave Edwards and he threaded the ball to Roscrow, who saw his effort deflected past the diving Tibbetts to give Bala a two goal lead just four minutes from the break.
The Cofis began the second half well and again dominated possession without creating any clear cut opportunities, although two dangerous looking efforts by Rob Hughes and Bradley were deflected for corners in quick succession early on.
Hughes tested keeper Harri Lloyd on the hour mark with a long range effort that he spilled, but luckily for the hosts the ball ended inches wide of his left hand upright. Llloyd pulled off a decent save save twelve minute later, getting down well to keep out a Noah Edwards effort.
Caernarfon should have pulled a goal back a minute later when a Hughes delivery to the far post seemed destined to be headed in by the onrushing Laurie Bell, but he failed to connect well with the ball from three yards out and the ball ended wide.
Efforts from Hughes and Thomas failed to test Lloyd but he was forced to make another fine save late on to thwart Thomas, whose low piledriver had seemed destined for the low corner of his net.
A late penalty for the hosts, which saw Venables score, was a cruel ending to the match for Caernarfon, who can rightly feel they deserved more for their efforts.
The continuing absence of key men Dion Donohue and Fidel O’Rourke is a huge blow to the Cofis but manager Huw Griffiths will also know that his side’s regular lapses at the back and lack of nous to create the goalsoring opportunities their overall play warranted, need to be addressed. It will be interesting to see what he can come up with to address both worrying problems in the January transfer window.
Tyn Lon Volvo Man of the Match: Gruff John.
Team: Josh Tibbetts, Iwan Cartwright, Gruff John, Laurie Bell, Naoh Edwards, Danny Gosset, Joe Faux, Sion Bradley, Darren Thomas, Rob Hughes, Ben Wynne.
Subs (used): Osian Evans, Fabrizio Murtas, Lloyd March-Hughes. Not used: Tyler French.
