Caernarfon V The New Saints
Friday 23 February, 19:45
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Caernarfon 1 - 8 TNS
The reigning Cymru Premier League champions visited the Oval on Friday. Caernarfon have played them twice already this season, losing both but only after leading for long periods of the matches. Friday evening was different, as the full-time outfit from Shropshire took full advantage of a lacklustre performance from the hosts.
Caernarfon did well initially after going behind in the first minute to a Brad Young goal, and it’s to their credit that they struck back six minute later with a contender for the goal of the season. When Cai Griffiths found Sion Bradley with a long ball back from the back, there seemed little danger to the New Saints’ defence, but Bradley had other ideas and beautifully took the ball down on the edge of the area and struck a rocket that gave Connor Roberts no chance as it struck the top of the onion bag.
To be fair, the Cofis were the better side in the first half and hour, although their goalscoring opportunities were limited to two free kicks just outside the area that they could not take advantage of.
However, as can often happen against Craig Harrison’s men, they suddenly upped a gear and scored three goals in as many minutes courtesy of a Cieslewicz brace and Young again.
Zack Clarke had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit for the hosts on the stroke of half time but, having outpaced his marker on the way into the box, he pulled his effort wide as Roberts approached off his line.
Young completed his hat-trick four minutes after the break as Caernarfon struggled to keep u with the visitors, and two goals by Holden in the last five minutes completed a cruel ending to a difficult night for Richard Davies’ men.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Sion Bradley.
Team: Lewis Webb, Iwan Cartwright, Joe Faux, Dion Donohue, Sion Bradley, Danny Gosset, Marc Williams, Zack Clarke, Louis Lloyd, Morgan Owen, Cai Griffiths.
Subs (used): Adam Davies, Ben Maher, Darren Thomas. Not used: Hari Thomas, Gruff John, Steffan Alford, Owain Ellis.