Caernarfon’s late winner puts them fourth in the Cymru Premier

JD CYMRU PREMIER LEAGUE – SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

Caernarfon Town 1 (Mooney 84)
Pontypridd Town 0

It took Caernarfon 84 minutes to break down the meanest defence in the Cymru Premier this season, but when the goal finally arrived it was worth the wait.

Phil Mooney’s back post header was enough to secure the Canaries three points which edged them up to fourth in the table.

Richard Davies’ side were up against a team which had conceded a mere three goals in their first seven games, but had also scored only two.

And that lack of bite in front of goal was to prove costly for the Dragons, currently in their second top-flight season, as they failed to punish a home side which missed several opportunities of their own.

This was far from an Oval classic, indeed errors from both sides was one of the chief features of the game, along with a lack of attacking penetration, but after the heartbreak of a 3-2 loss at Penybont the previous weekend, the hosts bagging a 101st minute decider, any sort of win was a good one for the Cofis.

Both teams were jittery at the back in the early stages, Ponty keeper George Ratcliffe having to pounce on the ball after a Mooney effort had spooned up and then bounced around in the area.

At the other end, home keeper Lewis Webb completely missed a Luke Cummings cross and the ball fell to Curtis Jemmett-Hutson, who blasted way off target.

Cummings’ long throws were quite a weapon and one of them in the fifth minute bounced across the six-yard box and missed absolutely everyone.

Caernarfon then began to get on top, Sion Bradley curling a free kick into the side-netting, Mooney heading at Ratcliffe from a Iwan Cartwright cross and Adam Davies miss-kicking virtually in front of goal after tremendous work from Darren Thomas.

Ben Maher’s 25-yard drive skidded awkwardly in front of Ratcliffe, who managed to palm the ball behind for a corner.

Dion Donohue produced a superb tackle to thwart Jan Maertins before Owen Pritchard drilled just wide for the visitors close to the interval.

HALF-TIME: 0-0

Caernarfon started the second half well, the excellent Louis Lloyd breaking into the box from the right and tumbling over, but no penalty was given.

Donohue launched an exquisite pass to Lloyd on the right, the winger played the ball back to Zack Clarke whose fierce shot was blocked. Then Bradley slipped a pass to Marc Williams, whose attempt was sliced well off-target.

At the other end, Maertins had a great chance when he burst clear in the box, but the ball took a bobble and he scooped it harmlessly into Webb’s grateful arms.

Caernarfon had a fine opportunity when Lloyd delivered from the right, but Davies failed to connect with his head and Clarke bundled wide at the back post.

Davies was then set up by Lloyd again, but his left-foot effort was skewed wide.

Pontypridd’s best chance came on 71 minutes when German midfielder Maertins had a free header from a right-wing cross, but he was off-radar.

In the 83rd minute, Bradley fed Thomas, who sped into the box and his close-range attempt beat the keeper, but was cleared by a covering defender.

Moments later, the home goal finally arrived.

Thomas looped a high cross towards the back stick and Mooney timed his jump to make enough contact with the ball to find the net.

There were a couple of alarms in the Caernarfon area near the end, including a penalty claim from Ponty, but the player appeared to go down too easily.

This time there was no late heartbreak for the men in yellow and green – a fourth league win of the campaign was secured.

CAERNARFON TOWN

Lewis Webb, Iwan Cartwright, Dion Donohue, Sion Bradley, Adam Davies, Darren Thomas, Marc Williams, Ben Maher, Zack Clarke, Louis Lloyd, Phil Mooney.
SUBS (none used)
Tomos Pritchard (GK), Josef Faux, Gruff John, Daniel Gosset, Ben Wynne, Cai Griffith.

Caernarfon’s next two games

Tuesday, September 26: The New Saints (home – Cymru Premier, 7.45 pm)

Saturday, September 30: Barry Town United (away – Cymru Premier, 2.30 pm)