Pontypridd United V Caernarfon Town FC
Saturday 01 October, 14:30
Pontypridd 3 – 1 Caernarfon.
Having lost their previous three matches, all in separate competitions, Caernarfon Town were desperate to get back to winning ways in the Cymru Premier League as they travelled to the USW Sort Park to face Pontypridd United.
The hosts have struggled in their first season in the top tier and occupied eleventh position in the league before the match. Unfortunately for the Cofis, this counted for nothing on the day as Pontypridd deservedly came out on top after a day to forget for Caernarfon.
Huw Griffiths’ men started well enough, gaining plenty of possession but not making much inroads in and around their opponents’ penalty area and in fact it was the hosts’ Danny Williams who threatened first when he his a decent looking strike just over the target.
Caernarfon were given a golden opportunity to get on top in the fourteenth minute after Joe Faux was brought down in the home box, but Dion Donohue’s penalty lacked the power to beat Ashley Morris, who got down smartly to his left to keep the ball out.The hosts threatened in the twenty sixth minute as Joe Evans headed over from close range and a minute later Danny Williams saw his long range effort slide past Josh Tibbetts’ left hand post.
Caernarfon were just about holding on and could have gone ahead in the thirty third minute after neat play between Darren Thomas and Joe Faux saw the latter cross the ball into the box, where Gruff John did well to reach but headed straight into the hands of Morris from eight yards.
A Clayton Green effort hit the upright three minutes later for Ponty before they went ahead through Joe Evans, who got on the end of a headed flick on from a thrown in, and finished past Tibbets from eight yards.
The Caernarfon stopper had to leave the field for the second half through illness, which meant a rare outing for Tyler French.
The Cofis began the second period on top, and Thomas and Faux both saw goalbound efforts blocked by defenders within a minute of the restart. Thomas seemed Town’s main attacking threat and he did well nine minutes later when he ran into the penalty area from the right flank before delivering an inviting pass across the six yard area, but there was no Caernarfon player near enough to take advantage. There was another near miss two minutes later after good play between Gosset and Edwards in midfield saw Faux with space to cross into the box from the right, but O’Rourke was inches away from reaching the ball at the far post.
Town’s pressure finally paid of on the hour mark, when Darren Thomas gathered the ball in the area, and turned his man before finishing past Morris with a low effort that sneaked into the bottom left hand corner of the home net. Thomas went close to a second goal five minutes later but his twenty five yarder was off target.
The hosts regained the lead in the seventy fourth minute after French had punched away a corner, but the ball landed at the feet of Jarred Wright, who struck past the diving keeper from eight yards.
Caernarfon huffed and puffed for the remainder of the match in an effort to at least gain a share of the spoils but they were frustrated in their efforts by a resolute home side, and a late off the ball incident involving Darren Thomas saw the Caernarfon playmaker given his marching orders.
To complete a poor afternoon for Caernarfon, Lewis Twomley added a third for Ponty in the fourth minute of injury time.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Gruff John.
Team: Josh Tibbetts, Gruff John, Dion Donohue, Iwan Catrwright, Aaron Simpson, Daniel Gosset, Fidel O’Rourke, Darren Thomas, Noah Edwards, Ryan Williams, Joe Faux.
Subs (used): Tyler French, Ben Wynne, Rob Hughes, Osian Evans. Not used: Harold Essien, Alec Mudimu.
