Bala V Caernarfon
Friday 08 March, 19:45
Stalemate at Maes Tegid.
Bala 1 – 1 Caernarfon.
Caernarfon made their second visit of the season to Maes Tegid on Friday evening and came away with a point after an entertaining match between the Cymru Premier League’s third and fourth placed teams.
Bala have been on a good run of form in recent weeks and began the match strongly, and could have gone ahead in the second minute. A direct ball from the back caught Caernarfon’s defence square and Osebi Abadaki raced into the box, but he could not beat the advancing Lewis Webb, who was equal to his goalbound effort.
The hosts dominated early possession and threatened the Cofis goal with half chances but their best effort during this period fell to Iwan Roberts, whose half-volley flew directly into Webbs hands.
A good run by Sion Bradley in the twenty eighth minute saw him cut inside from the left and, with Bala’s defence retreating, the winger sent a curling effort just wide of the upright. Bradley was involved in Town’s next effort, eight minutes later, when he whipped the ball into the hosts’ box, but Iwan Cartwright’s glancing header saw the ball fly well wide of the target.
Bala went ahead in the thirty ninth minute when a Gruff John header fell to Abadaki in the box, and his cross found George Newell free in the six yard area, and the striker made no mistake from six yards.
The goalscorer could have doubled the hosts’ lead a minute before half time but Webb again came to the visitors’ rescue as he raced off his line and diverted the ball clear of its target with his foot.
Caernarfon seemed much sharper after the break and captain Darren Thomas won them a corner four minutes after the restart. There was confusion in the Bala defence as Bardley’s corner swung into the six yard area, and Adam Davies was first to react, stabbing the ball in from close range to put the visitors back on level terms.
The Cofis had a decent penalty shout two minutes later when a defender seemed to use his arm to get the ball away from a Joe Faux cross and, on the hour mark Thomas was frustrated not to have put Caernarfon ahead after Bradley found him but his effort from twelve yards was hit directly at home stopper Kelland Absalom.
The visitors were enjoying the majority of possession as the game entered its final quarter and it was a feature of their game that they seemed able to pass through the Bala midfield at will. Bradley’s free kick lacked the power to beat Absolom whilst Zack Clarke’s header from close range flew into the keeper’s hands.
The hosts had two late attempts at goal, through Aeron Edwards and Newell, but the match ended without further goals and the 1-1 draw was probably a fair result on the balance of things.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Morgan Owen.
Team: Lewis Webb, Morgan Owen, Gruff John, Cai Griffiths, Iwan Cartwright, Danny Gosset, Sion Bradley, Marc Williams, Adam Davies, Darren Thomas, Gwion Dafydd. Subs (used): Joe Faux, Zack Clarke, Louis Lloyd. Not used: Hari Thomas, Ben Maher, Osian Evans, Harry Hughes.