Caernarfon Town FC V Bala Town
Monday 26 December, 14:30
It was a Boxing Day to forget for Caernarfon Town as they suffered a 1-5 defeat at home to Bala.
Caernarfon 1 - 5 Bala
Despite missing five regular starters, the Cofis were still able to field a good starting eleven and they started well, immediately on the front foot and causing the visitors plenty of problems during the opening exchanges of the match. They went ahead in the tenth minute after Rob Hughes put Darren Thomas away in the box and the playmaker plundered the ball past the onrushing Alex Ramsey, much to the delight of the Cofi Army at the Marcus Street End.
Hughes and Joe Faux went close to adding a second in the space of the next five minutes but some poor marking by the hosts as they defended a corner saw Antony Kay arrive free at the back post to head past Tibbetts.
With the early action providing an exciting spectacle for the five hundred and eighty two spectators in attendance, the match turned on a harsh looking decision by referee Tom Owen, who gave Town defender Ryan Williams his marching orders after a rash challenge on Lassana Mendes. The decision all but ended the match as a spectacle as the visitors took full advantage of their superior numbers on the pitch and went ahead in the thirty fourth minute through Mendes.
Town were still trying to create opportunities to get back into the match but one of the Cofis’ main threats, Rob Hughes, was forced off just before the break, making their task even more difficult.
Further goals by Luke Wall and Ollie Shannon put the game beyond the hosts and, despite attempts to make the scoreline a little more acceptable through efforts by Osian Evans and Sion Bradley, a last minute strike by James Davies proved the final, and rather harsh nail in Caernarfon’s coffin.
The sides meet again on Friday evening at Maes Tegid and Cofis manager Huw Griffiths will be hoping that a few of his absent players will return to bolster his squad to try and stop a worrying run of form.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Josh Tibbetts and Darren Thomas (joint).
Team: Josh Tibbetts, Gruff John, Laurie Bell, Ryan Williams, Noah Edwards, Rob Hughes, Sion Bradley, Ben Wynne, Lloyd Marsh-Hughes, Joe Faux.
Subs (used): Harold Essien, Osian Evans. Not used: Tyler French, Cai Griffiths.
