Bala V Caernarfon
Wednesday 31 December, 12:30
Cofis Clinch Top Six Spot.
Bala 0 - 1 Caernarfon.
Caernarfon needed a point in today’s fixture at Maes Tegid to secure their top Six berth for the second phase of the season. Caernarfon started brightly and set the tone for the match early on, as they dominated possession whilst the hosts seemed content to sit back.
The visitors’ first real opening arrived in the twenty first minute when Sion Bradley made inroads on the right before squaring the ball to Adam Davies, who saw his low effort deflected for a corner. Davies turned provider two minutes later when he put Josh Lock into the penalty area but home stopper Joel Torrance was equal to his shot at the near post.
Dominic Smith was next to threaten when he got on the end of a Bradley free kick at the far post but he could not connect as required when stretching and instead of going for goal, the ball flew across an empty six yard area.
Town keeper Connor Roberts was called into action two minutes later and he pulled off a full stretch save low to his left to deny the hosts before Mooney cleared the ball upfield. Ryan Sears was inches away from scoring in the thirty ninth minute when he met Badley’s free kick into the box but the defender’s headed attempt kissed the upright with Torrence beaten.
Caernarfon finally got the goal they deserved two minutes before half-time and it was an impressive team move from their own half that opened the visitors up. The move began when Dominic Smith picked the ball up in his own area before finding Davies on the right, the striker’s deft touch found Paulo Mendea who put Bradley through on goal. Torrence did well to thwart Bradley’s effort and the ball ran to Gossett who slid the ball in from eight yards.
Josh Lock had an effort early on in the second half that failed to find the target and at the other end, Connor Roberts produced a fine save to keep a Hussein Mehasseb out of his net. And this was probably Roberts’ last real action of the afternoon as the Cofis continued to boss the action and, in all honesty, they really should have increased their lead after numerous opportunities to do so in the last half hour.
Sears, Mendes, Lock and Gosset all went close to doubling Town’s lead but failed to take advantage of good openings and this meant the hosts were in contention until the final whistle. For Caernarfon, the victory means they can look forward to ten huge matches in the second phase of the season, when Richard Davies and his squad can test themselves again against the league’s other top sides.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Morgan Owen.
Team: Connor Roberts, Ryan Sears, Phil Mooney, Dominic Smith, Kyle Harrison, Paulo Mendes, Morgan Owen, Sion Bradley, Adam Davies, Daniel Gosset, Josh Lock. Subs (used): Matty Jones, Darren Thomas. Not used: Hari Thomas, Osebi Abadaki, Osian Ellis, Caron Williams, Charlie Griffith.