Flashback: NWCFA Challenge Cup Final – Bangor City v Caernarfon Town (2013-14)

Next season the North Wales Coast FA Challenge Cup competition is due to return after a six-year absence.

Grassroots North Wales is running a mini-series recollecting past finals.

In our fifth instalment, we remember the feisty 2014 final between old rivals Bangor City and Caernarfon Town at Nantporth.

Bangor City 2 (Mcdaid, Colbeck) Caernarfon Town 2 (Austin, Barrow pen)
(aet – Caernarfon won 5-4 on pens)
NWCFA Challenge Cup Final – May 13, 2014

Caernarfon ended up winners of the last Coast Challenge Cup Final before the suspension of the competition on a penalty shoot-out following a volatile encounter at Nantporth.

The local derby got off to a lively start as within the first minute the referee was forced to stop play as smoke bombs were hurled onto the pitch by visiting fans.

It was City who showed the first real sparkle when on 14 minutes Jamie Mcdaid put the home side in front after rounding the ‘keeper and sliding the ball into an open net.

On the half-hour Caernarfon made a break into the City penalty area and as Gerwyn Jones cleared the ball off the line the referee blew his whistle and indicated a penalty.

Worse was to follow as City defender Jones was dismissed for what the referee said was a pulling of shirts.

Nick Bould in the Bangor goal became the hero as a well-struck penalty was saved by the young stopper down to his right-hand side.

It took until the 41st minute for Caernarfon to make their numerical advantage count as captain Grahame Austin beat Bould after a long period of pressure by the visitors.

Half-time: 1-1

As the second half got underway, City fans may have been forgiven for thinking the match would now be dominated by Caernarfon.

The young Bangor players had no intention of lying down though, and at times it seemed as if it were they who had the extra man.

Time after time City pushed the visitors back into their own half with Jay Colbeck, Mcdaid and Joe Culshaw all going close to regaining the lead.

Despite the pressure City just could not find the goal they needed and on 88 minutes Caernarfon thought they had won the match as Dion Donohue put the ball in the back of the net.

Caernarfon were already celebrating before they finally noticed the linesman’s flag raised for offside.

With only two minutes of normal time left it was a well deserved let-off for the depleted Bangor side and extra time was on its way.

Full-time: 1-1

Eight minutes into the first period of extra time, Bangor found the net as Colbeck got on the end of a lovely cross into the box and put the ball beyond visiting keeper Paul Pritchard.

The travelling fans had been silenced behind the goal and 10 man Bangor had the upper hand.

Another controversial decision on 105 minutes then changed the match.

As a Caernarfon player broke into the box ‘keeper Bould came racing from his line and appeared to win the ball, but the referee again pointed at the spot ruling that the young stopper had fouled the attacking player.

Jordan Barrow stepped up to take the penalty and this time Bould could do nothing to stop it as it was struck straight down the middle.

City had not yet given up, and on 114 minutes substitute Ieuan Lloyd struck the woodwork.

Neither side could grab the winner so penalties would decide the outcome.

Colbeck’s penalty was saved and it was 4-4 when Barrow stepped up to win the cup for Caernarfon.