Caernarfon Town FC V Colwyn Bay FC
Sunday 31 December, 14:30
Cofis Go Sixth
Caernarfon 2 – 1 Colwyn Bay.
Caernarfon are still very much in the race for a top sixth berth at the end of Phase One after a nail-biting victory over Colwyn Bay at the Carling Oval today.
The Cofis had dipped out of the top six positions following Haverfordwest’s draw at Aberystwyth yesterday but Richard Davies’ men knew that victory in this much anticipated clash would hand their destiny back into their own hands with one match to play.
There was a bumper crowd of nine hundred and seventy eight in attendance and they witnessed a full blooded, no holds barred encounter between two sides that were desperate to impress.
With Colwyn Bay fighting for survival in their first season in the Cymru Premier League, the stake were high and the action was slow to get started. There were plenty of nerves in the air as the players got to grips with wet and windy conditions.
The first half saw a catalogue of missed opportunities by the hosts, with the first arriving in the tenth minute as Sion Bradley’s corner found Louis Lloyd at the far post and he set up Phil Mooney, who could not keep his effort from eight yards from flying well over the crossbar.
Daniel Gosset was next to threaten the visitors’ goal when Zack Clarke found him in the box after a good run, but Gosset’s effort was directly at goalkeeper Joseph Smith and Bay managed to clear the danger. The Cofis had a penalty shout in the fifteenth minute when Daniel Jones seemed to pull Bradley down in the box but referee Mr Petch waved away the hosts’ appeals.
Caernarfon continued to dominate possession and looked the more likely to score but, apart from a header from Gruff John in the twenty fourth minute and an opening for Clarke a minute later that he could not manage to take advantage of, there was very little goalmouth action for the remainder of the half.
The second period was a much more open affair and the Seagulls nearly went in front eight minutes in, when McCready’s long range effort seemed destined to dip into the net before Town keeper Harri Thomas managed to tip the ball over the woodwork.
Marc Williams ballooned the ball over the Seagulls bar two minutes later after good work by Adam Davie and Smith did well to tip over a Clarke belter from just inside the box.
The action was fast and furious at this stage Udoyen Akpan should have done better when he capitalised on a Mooney mistake at the back, but the striker took long to get his effort on goal and Thomas raced out to rob the ball off his feet.
The hosts finally got their noses in front just after the hour mark when Gosset deftly played Williams through and the experienced midfielder managed to get there before Smith and poked the ball home from six yards.
Richard Davies’ men were two up ten minutes later after Bradley put Clarke through and the striker made the most of his opportunity to stroke the ball past the onrushing Smith.
Mc Cready pulled a goal back for the visitors with nine minutes left to play and, despite a few nervy moments before the final whistle, Caernarfon held on for what was a deserved victory.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Marc Williams. Team: Hari Thomas, Iwan Cartwright, Gruff John, Phil Mooney, Ben Wynne, Marc Williams, Danny Gosset, Louis Lloyd, Adam Davies, Zack Clarke, Sion Bradley.
Subs (used): Joe Faux, Ben Maher, Darren Thomas. Not used: Tom Pritchard, Cai Griffith, Morgan Davies, Harry Hughes.