Caernarfon Town’s Darren Thomas wins Goal of the Decade

Darren Thomas’ stunning individual effort for Caernarfon Town against The New Saints in the 2014/15 Welsh Cup has been named Sgorio’s Goal of the Decade.

The online competition was whittled down to the final four and viewers of the S4C football show selected the ‘Mini Messi’ cracker at The Oval versus the holders as the greatest net-finder of the period 2010-19.

Thomas beat Lee Beattie’s amazing bicycle kick for Prestatyn Town against Bangor City, Les Davies’ angled wonder chip into the ‘postage stamp’ for the Citizens at Neath and Carmarthen Town Jack Christopher’s sublime volley on the turn.

Then Huws Gray Alliance side Caernarfon met mighty Welsh Premier champions TNS in the third round of the Welsh Cup on November 30, 2014.

The Canaries were already one-up through Nathan Craig’s free kick before Thomas brought the house down – literally.

In the 25th minute, Thomas turned sharply close to the halfway line before leaving a trail of defenders in his wake and lashed home a beauty from the edge of the D.

Unfortunately, what happened next also lives in the memory as a wall behind the goal Thomas had just fired into gave way, causing a large group of spectators to plunge forwards in a heap.

Thankfully, no-one was badly injured, but the game had to be delayed at a crucial stage which repairs were made.

On resumption, TNS settled much the better, and three goals in seven minutes put them ahead by half time.

Despite a fantastic second half display from the Cofis, there was no further score and Saints went through, but one will always wonder how Town might have fared had they not been disrupted in their prime.

Thomas went on to win the Cymru Alliance title twice with Caernarfon before the Canaries returned to the Welsh Premier last season.

And the ‘Mini Messi’ has been in magnificent form on his top flight comeback, currently topping his team’s goals list for the campaign.

Les Davies, whose goal was among the finalists, was named Sgorio Player of the Decade yesterday.