Caernarfon Town FC V Bala Town
Monday 25 August, 14:30
Late Caernarfon Double Seals Points.
Caernarfon 2 – 0 Bala.
The Match Preview on Caernarfon’s official website stated that the Bank Holiday clash between the Cofis and Bala was an intriguing looking match due to the high number of changes to both squads over the summer months.
With the Lakesiders having changed their manager in recent weeks and only played two league matches thus far due to a postponement last week, they are an unknown quantity and if anyone learned one thing from their performance today it is that they are well drilled and determined.
As a quick summary of the match it would be fair to say that Caernarfon bossed much of the action and certainly enjoyed the lions share of possession, which increased as the match went on, especially after a red card for the visitors in the second half. Bala were competitive, combative and determined.
Some of the highlights included an early opportunity for the hosts when a slick move on their left flank between Mooney, Evans and Gosset ended when the latter played the ball across the six yard area but a defender hooked the ball away a yard off his just as Evans arrived.
There was much toing and froing between both penalty boxes for the next twenty minutes and it was Town keeper Roberts who was called to action half way through the half when he comfortably got down to a low Louis Hall shot.
Two minutes later Evans got on the end of an Owen cross but he headed the ball directly at Joel Torrence who gratefully gathered the ball from under the bar.
Such was Bala’s defensive organisation that Caernarfon’s only other two efforts at working the scoreboard were long range efforts that missed the target by Lewis and Smith.
At the other end Hussein Mehasseb tried his luck with an effort that sailed inches wide of the upright.
There was little change in proceedings at the start of the second half with the Cofis dominating and whilst Bala were just about managing to keep Caernarfon at bay, a red card for Lassana Mendes on the hour mark would make their chances of getting something from the match that much more difficult.
Torrence pulled off the save of the match in the sixty fourth minute to get his hand to a thunderous effort from Ryan Sears from thirty five yards that looked destined for the net and despite this there seemed a feeling of inevitability about the direction of travel in the match.
It came as no surprise when Caernarfon finally went ahead in the seventieth minute although the goal came from an unexpected source. Sion Bradley cut inside from the left flank and slid the ball to Mooney who tried his luck from the edge of the box. The ball deflected off a lunging Bala player and ended in the far corner of the net, despite Torrence’s best efforts.
Bala failed to respond to the setback and the hosts continued to control and push forward, going close to adding a second on several occasions, including efforts from Lock, Sears and Bradley.
However, the finally found their second goal three minutes from time as Abadaki followed up Bradley’s effort that had been saved by Torrence and he struck from close range to double Caernarfon’s lead and effectively close off the match.
Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Josh Lock.
Team: Connor Roberts, Morgan Owen, Phil Mooney, Ryan Sears, Dominic Smith, Danny Gosset, Paulo Mendes, Iwan Ellis, Adam Davies, Josh Lock, Connor Evans.
Subs (used): Osebi Abadaki, Sion Bradley, Sam Downey, Darren Thomas. Not used: Hari Tomas, Osian Ellis, Kyle Harrison.