Haverfordwest County AFC V Caernarfon Town FC
Saturday 26 August, 14:30
Caernarfon Remain Undefeated.
Haverfordwest 1 – 1 Caernarfon.
Caernarfon made the long trip to Haverfordwest today on the back of victories in their opening two league matches of the season and, on the evidence of their performance at a sunny Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium, they may just disprove the Welsh media’s perception of them as relegation favourites.
Richard Davies’ side seems to have a togetherness and determination reminiscent of the side that first came up to the Welsh Premier League five years ago.
The Cofis began the match well and should have gone in front in the second minute, as Sion Bradley’s corner was met at the far post by Iwan Cartwright, but his effort from two yards out at the far post struck the bar and the ball was eventually cleared by the hosts.
Tyrese Jordan Owen was the hosts’ dangerman throughout the afternoon and he went close to putting his side ahead in the eighth minute after a good run from midfield finished with him hitting the ball just over the target from twenty two yards.
Louis Lloyd, Town’s recent signing from Wrexham, will have been disappointed not to open the scoring two minutes later when he got on the end of a Darren Thomas cross at the far post but could not manage any power into his header, and the ball was deflected off the line and into Zac Jones’ grateful hands by Luke Tabone.
Caernarfon were enjoying the lions’ share of possession at this stage and in the seventeenth minute Lloyd was again denied after getting on the end of a Ben Wynne throw into the penalty area and taking the ball around the advancing Jones, but his goalbound effort was cleared from the six yard area.
It was the hosts’ turn to threaten a minute later when Owen connected well from close range but Lewis Webb pulled off an excellent save before a scramble in the six yard area eventually ended when Ryan Austin cleared upfield.
The action was end to end and Haverfordwet thought they had gone ahead in the twenty seventh minute as Fawcett finished past Webb from close range after a dangerous cross from Tabone but the referee’s assistant deemed the goalscorer offside.
Darren Thomas and Lloyd went close to finding the net soon after whilst for the hosts, Tabone could not keep his header from a corner from sailing inches over the woodwork.
Tyrese Owen was given the perfect opportunity to put the Bluebirds ahead on thirty nine minutes when he was brought down by Ryan Austin just inside the penalty area. The striker took the spot kick himself by Webb pulled off a super stop, diving low to his right to get his hand to the ball, which was then cleared b his defence.
Caernarfon could have gone ahead three minutes from the break when Thomas crossed into the box and the ball struck the woodwork after a home defender got his head to the ball!
The second half did not quite live up to the first period’s thrills as there was much fewer goalmouth action although Webb was forced into early action to thwart the hosts, whilst Bradley looked a danger on the flank, where he tormented his marker throughout.
A Fawcett effort from twelve yards for the hosts was deflected by Austin around the hour mark and the opening goal finally arrived in the seventy sixth minute after the Bluebirds failed to clear a Bradley corner and the ball arrived outside the D to Ben Wynne, who dinked it back into the area, where Louis Lloyd was on hand to scorer with a looping header over the Jones, who had crept off his line. It was an excellent finish by the youngster, who scored his side’s winner against Newtown last week.
Town could have gone two up in the final minute of normal time when they were two men against one on the edge of the area but the striker failed to pick out Joe Faux, who was in an excellent position, and the opportunity failed to materialise.
Then, in the seventh minute of injury time, Rhys Abbruzzese denied the Cofis all three points when he found the top right corner of Webb’s net with a free kick from twenty five yards. It was a cruel blow to Davies’ men but a share of the spoils was probably a fair result.
On this form Caernarfon can look forward with optimism to two very tough looking matches at the Oval over the course of the next week as first Bala and then Connahs Quay Nomads visit. And who knows, they may even continue to prove the media wrong!
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Ryan Austin.
TeaM; Lewis Webb, Iwan Cartwright, Phil Mooney, Ryan Austin, Danny Gosset, Marc Williams, Sion Bradley, Louis Lloyd, Zack Clarke, Darren Thomas, Ben Wynne. Subs (used): Ben Maher, Rob Hughes, Joe Faux. Not used: Ryan Woods, Harry Hughes, Huw Morris.