Caernarfon Town FC V Penybont FC
Saturday 04 November, 14:30
Frailties at the back cost Cofis again.
Caernarfon 2 – 4 Penybont.
Caernarfon have been one of the surprise packages of the season in the Cymru Premier League thus far but, if they want to continue moving forward, it’s fair to say that they must stop leaking goals.
On the attack, the Cofis are impressive and confident but they need to shore up the back and yesterday was another example of their problems this season.
Caernarfon started the match well enough and should have gone ahead in the sixth minute when Dion Donohue’s low free kick was saved by stopper Anthony Pennock and the ball fell at the feet of the advancing Zack Clarke, who hit the ball over the woodwork from six yards.
The hosts were punished almost immediately as they found themselves a goal down two minutes later. Iwan Cartwright failed to clear his lines on the right flank and only managed to place the ball at the feet of a Penybont player who crossed into the danger area, where Reffell headed the ball on to Venables at the far post and the veteran striker headed in from six yards.
Louis Lloyd was frustrated not to have pulled the hosts back on level terms in the twenty third minute when he was put through by Danny Gosset, but the young winger missed the target from twelve yards when well placed.
The visitors doubled their lead three minutes later when Caernarfon failed to deal with a free kick into their box and the ball was crossed back into the penalty area where Dan Jefferies wrapped his eft foot around the ball to volley in from sixteen yards.
It was harsh on Caernarfon but their profligacy in front of goal had been a factor in how the match was turning out and they missed a golden opportunity to halve their deficit just after the half hour mark when Darren Thomas put Lloyd through on goal but his side footed effort was blocked by Pennock and the visitors were lucky that the ball bounced off the keeper so fast that the advancing Adam Davies could not control it and it bounced off him and wide of the upright. In a way, the moment encapsulated the afternoon for the Cofis.
Things looked a bit more promising for Caernarfon early in the second half when Lloyd put Davies through and big striker finished from close range to put his side withing striking distance. The goal gave Caernarfon the confidence to search for the equaliser and they bossed the game for the next twenty minutes. Clarke teed up Lloyd with a cross that was inches too high, but it was enough to make the opportunity at the far post too difficult for the winger, who headed wide.
Davies had efforts blocked in the six yard area and, with Town well on top, the visitors struck the killer blow when they lumped the ball from a free kick into the penalty area, and the ball ended up with Venables who finished past Hari Thomas from two yards. It was another example of Caernarfon’s weakness in dealing with direct balls into their box and was frustrating for them after an excellent period in the game.
Sion Bradley was introduced to try and salvage something for Caernarfon and on two occasions he was denied by Pennock, whilst Thomas also went close with a rocket from the edge of the penalty area.
However, with full time approaching, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Gruff John lunged and brought down Kircough in the box, and Venables completed his hat-trick from the spot.
Sion Bradley had the final word in the match when he found the top left hand corner of Pennock’s net with an excellent finish from fourteen yards deep into injury time.
To summarise, the match was a peculiar one in that the Cofis probably enjoyed much more possession than their opponents and created more goalscoring opportunities and yet they were on the receiving end of another heavy defeat.
Town manager Richard Davies will be extremely frustrated that his side played well, especially in the second half, but lapses at the back cost them again, and not for the first time this season. He, more than anyone, will be acutely aware that his charges must cut out the mistakes and start making it much more difficult for other sides to score. If he can do that then this season could be a good one for the Cofis as other elements of his side are in good working order.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Darren Thomas.
Team: Hari Thomas, Iwan Cartwright, Gruff John, Dion Donohue, Phil Mooney, Danny Gosset, Marc Williams, Louis Lloyd, Adam Davies, Darren Thomas, Zack Clarke. Subs (used): Sion Bradley, Ben Wynne, Ben Maher. Not used: Tom Pritchard, Kevin Roberts, Cai Griffiths, Harry Hughes.