Three Caernarfon Town players in Wales ‘C’ squad for Oval international

Darren Thomas has been called up by Wales C. Picture: Caernarfon Town FC

Three Caernarfon Town players are in line to play on home turf as part of the Wales C squad to face England C at The Oval on Tuesday, March 24 (kick-off 7.45 pm).

Hosts Caernarfon provide two debutants in Leo Smith and Darren Thomas, with goalkeeper Alex Ramsay once again selected.

Midfielder Smith, 21, joined the Canaries on a permanent deal last summer following spells with Wrexham and Llandudno.

Nicknamed the “Cofi Messi”, Thomas, 33, has netted well in excess of 100 goals for Town. Since the club returned to the Welsh Premier in 2018-19 he has been one of their most consistent performers.

He won Sgorio’s Goal of the Decade competition for his phenomenal individual effort for Caernarfon against TNS in the 2014/15 Welsh Cup.

This is the third time Wales C and England C have faced off against one another, after the fixture was introduced in 2018.

Following a win for England at Jenner Park in 2018, goals from Kayne Mclaggon and Adam Roscrow helped Wales secure a draw last time out at Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium.

Mark Jones has selected a squad of 20 from the JD Cymru Premier for this year’s fixture, with nine uncapped players in the party for the International Challenge Match.

Current Cymru Premier leaders, Connah’s Quay Nomads have one player chosen by manager Jones, as Connor Roberts is called up after his debut in last year’s outing in Salford. Cefn Druids’ Nathan Peate is also picked for a second time.

Bala Town’s Chris Venables, who scored in the first fixture in Jenner Park in 2017/18, is handed his third cap.

Three-time Welsh Premier Golden Boot winner Venables currently leads the 2019-20 top-scorer standings with 22 goals.

Wales chief Jones said: “We’re excited about playing this match at the home of Caernarfon Town. We know that not only the Cofis passionate fans will come out in support of the Cymru C squad at The Oval but all those in the surrounding area as well, and we can’t wait to bring international football to their doorstep.

“This will be the third match between Cymru and England in as many seasons and I believe that we’ve assembled a strong squad to give us the best possible chance.”

Tickets for the game can be found on the Football Association of Wales website at the following link: FAW.Cymru/Tickets

Supporters can pay on the turnstiles at the stadium on the night of the game. Tickets cost £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for Under-16s.

Cymru C squad

Alex Ramsay (Caernarfon Town); Connor Roberts (Aberystwyth Town); Callum Roberts (Connah’s Quay Nomads); Dylan Rees (Cardiff Met); Luke Cummings (Barry Town United); Emlyn Lewis (Cardiff Met); Joel Edwards (Cardiff Met); Nathan Peate (Cefn Druids); Chris Hugh (Barry Town United); Aeron Edwards (The New Saints); Kane Owen (Penybont); Clayton Green (Barry Town United); Darren Thomas (Caernarfon Town); Leo Smith (Caernarfon Town); Eliot Evans (Cardiff Met); Chris Venables (Bala Town); Kayne Mclaggon (Barry Town United); Will Evans (Cardiff Met); Evan Press (Barry Town United); Lee Jenkins (Aberystwyth Town).