Tuesday reports – bad night for North Wales in Cymru Premier, good win for Bangor 1876

FOOTBALL REPORTS – TUESDAY, JANUARY 3

JD CYMRU PREMIER

Caernarfon Town 0
The New Saints 1 (Declan McManus 72)
Report/photo courtesy of Paul Evans – diolch/many thanks

It is now five straight league defeats for Caernarfon and eight Cymru Premier matches without a win.

Town’s latest effort against runaway leaders The New Saints was admirable – just a 1-0 loss, but still a pointless night all the same.

Nonetheless, the Canaries, again without a number of key players, put on an excellent performance to suggest they will soon be turning the corner, results wise.

Saints bossed possession for most of the match, although Caernarfon refused to give an inch and made things difficult for them, whilst looking dangerous themselves on the break.

The first sight of either goal belonged to the visitors’ Daniel Davies in the opening minute but he shot wide when well-placed.

The action was almost exclusively in Caernarfon’s half but TNS could not manage to create the opportunities they craved, and some excellent defending by the makeshift home defence, led by Ryan Williams, saw the match remain goalless as half-time approached.

Before the break, however, the visitors were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when referee Mr Pratt awarded them a penalty after Adam Wilson seemed to slip following a challenge from Joe Faux.

For the home side, and supporters, justice was done as Josh Tibbetts pulled off a fine save low to his right to deny Ryan Brobbel from the spot.

The second half saw a continuation of the visitors’ domination with Caernarfon working hard to stay solid, and looking to use the pace of Darren Thomas and Osian Evans on the break.

Unfortunately for the Cofis, substitute Declan McManus popped up in the 72nd minute to finish past Tibbetts.

With a number of fine stops from the Caernarfon keeper thereafter, there remained hope that the hosts could clinch a point. It was not to be, however

Team: Josh Tibbetts, Joe Faux, Laurie Bell, Ryan Williams, Cai Griffiths, Danny Gosset, Noah Edwards, Sion Bradley, Rob Hughes, Darren Thomas, Ben Wynne.
Subs (used): Osian Evans, Fabrizio Murtas, Lloyd Marsh-Hughes. Not used; Tom Pritchard, Gruff John.

OTHER CYMRU PREMIER SCORES

Penybont 2 (Kane Owen 49, Nathan Wood 73)
Airbus UK Broughton 0

Pontypridd Town 2 (Ben Ahmun 13, James Bloom 35)
Bala Town 1 (Kieran Smith 26)

ARDAL NORTH WEST

Bangor 1876 2 (Gethin Thomas 45+2, Corrig McGonigle 77)
Llanrwst United 0

Report: Jonathan Ervine
Photo: Matt Johnson

Bangor 1876 returned to the top of the league with a hard-fought win against a resolute Llanrwst on a wet evening at Treborth.

In a lively start, Gethin Thomas’ powerful shot from just outside the box was well saved by goalkeeper Ryan Williams.

Just before the 10-minute mark, the busy Liam Morris on the left cut the ball back to Jamie Petrie, who was denied by Williams.

Minutes later, it was the visitors who had a glorious chance to take the lead. A ball over the top found Samuel Jones in space beyond the last defender. However, Huw Shaw pulled off an excellent save to prevent Jones from opening the scoring.

Midway through the opening period, Petrie’s shot on the turn went over the bar.

Moments later, Morris’ low effort went just wide of the far post.

Just after the half hour, Ben Owen swung the ball into the box from the right and it was headed down by Morris into the path of Petrie. However, Petrie was unable to find the target as he slid in and it remained goalless.

Sion Edwards’ shot from the left side of the area was well saved by Williams and then headed away for a corner.

Just as it looked like the game would remain goalless at the break, Bangor took the lead after a free kick was played into the box from near halfway.

Corrig McGonigle shielded the ball, which broke to the onrushing Gethin Thomas who side-footed into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

HALF-TIME: Bangor 1876 1-0 Llanrwst United

In the opening minutes of the second period, McGonigle intercepted the ball following a Llanrwst throw-in. His pass across goal reached Petrie at the back post but he couldn’t keep his sliding effort on target.

Just before the hour, during a frantic scramble inside the visitors’ box, the ball struck the bar twice. On the first occasion it was headed against the woodwork before a hooked effort from Corey Jones again clattered the frame of the goal.

A few minutes later, Edwards’ audacious chip from 25 yards drifted just over the bar.

As the game entered the final quarter hour, Bangor’s single-goal advantage at times looked perilous.

However, they doubled their lead with just over 12 minutes left and it was a cracker.

There looked to be no immediate danger when McGonigle received the ball with his back to goal a few yards in from the right touchline just over 20 yards out, but he then turned and curled an exquisite effort over Williams and into the top corner.

Llanrwst continued to press as the clock ticked down and Shaw did well to turn a powerful shot from Dafi Evans around the post.