Caernarfon V Barry Town United
Sunday 07 September, 12:30
Caernarfon Still On Top After Tough Battle.
Caernarfon 3 – 1 Barry Town United.
Caernarfon remain top of the Cymru Premier League after a hard-fought victory this afternoon against a very good Barry Town United outfit.
The Cofis were again without Paulo Mendes and Zack Clarke and manager Richard Davies decided to gave winger Osebi Abudaki his first start of the campaign on the right flank. Having excelled last week, Phil Mooney and Dominic Smith continued their centre half partnership whilst the returning Ryan Sears was named on the bench.
The hosts should have gone ahead as early as the sixth minute when Abadaki was through on goal but Geroge Ratcliffe rushed off his line and thwarted the goal bound effort with a smart stop.
Barry went ahead three minutes later when Ollie Hulbert did well to get in front of Town’s defence and keeper Connor Roberts to find the net from close range. The visitors took confidence from the opener and, truth be told, they were on top for the next few minutes, finding plenty of space in midfield and threatening on the flanks, where they looked to find their wide men at every opportunity.
However, Caernarfon have wide men of their own who like to create, and Abadaki did just this in the eighteenth minute when he beat his marker on the way to the line before crossing to the far post, Adam Davies meeting the ball and heading into the six yard area, from where Danny Gosset headed in.
It was a blow to Barry, who had looked strong up to that point and it was Caernarfon who then took the initiative as they began to boss possession and got into their stride a little more.
There was not much by way of goalscoring opportunities until the final minute of the half, and it the wait was worth it. When Adam Davies found Gossett with a short pass, the Town captain was a good twenty five yards from goal but he let fly with a rocket that dipped at the last moment to nestle in the top left hand corner of Ratcliffe’s net to give Caernarfon the lead going int the break.
It had not been a vintage performance from the hosts in the first period but they were better after the break and dominated for long periods. Gosset went close with a header two minutes after the restart but his effort was deflected wide whilst, at the other end, Hulbert was unfortunate not to put the visitors back on level with a powerful low effort that saw the ball bounce back off the upright.
With Barry needing to be more offensive in search of a leveller the match opened up and Caernarfon looked dangerous whenever they broke upfield. Josh Lock should probably have done better in the fifty fourth minute when Iwan Lewis put him through but he dinked the ball over Ratcliffe and his goal from sixteen yards.
Iwan Lewis hit the ball wide of the target minutes later whilst Mooney had an effort deflected wide for a corner.
Caernarfon opened up a two goal lead in the sixty ninth minute after good work again by Abadaki, who found Davies in the box and the tall striker did well to control the ball before placing it beyond the reach of the diving Ratcliffe and into his net. An excellent finish by the number nine, who has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign.
Caernarfon were awarded a penalty five minutes before time when Bradley was brought down in the box but Gosset’s attempt at a hat-trick from the spot kick was not quite good enough as the ball struck the bar and out of play.
The Cofis began the match on top of the table courtesy of goal difference and today’s result sees them go three points clear of reigning champions The New Saints. The season is just six matches old and so there’s a long way to go but Caernarfon have started well and that’s all their supporters could ask for.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Danny Gosset.
Team: Connor Roberts, Morgan Owen, Phil Mooney, Matty Jones, Dominic Smith, Danny Gosset, Iwan Ellis, Adam Davies, Josh Lock, Sion Bradley, Osebi Abadaki.
Subs (used): Ryan, Sears, Sam Downey, Kyle Harrison, Connor Evans, Osian Ellis. Not used: Hari Tomas, Darren Thomas.