Top six secured: manager Richard Davies inspires Caernarfon Town to silence critics

Caernarfon Town have secured a top six finish for the fifth time in six seasons since returning to the JD Cymru Premier in 2018-19.

It is a fantastic achievement for a club which does not possess the financial resources of many of its rivals, yet can match anyone in terms of team spirit and togetherness.

This latest success is down in no small part to the management skills of Richard Davies.

After guiding the Canaries to safety when he replaced Huw Griffiths at the end of last season, Davies faced a major rebuild at the start of the current campaign and has passed the test with flying colours.

Following spells as a number two alongside the likes of Griffiths and Sean Eardley, Davies has utilised that experience positively and become very much his own man.

Town went into yesterday’s final game of phase one at Cardiff Met knowing a win would seal a place in the Championship Conference, while any other result would leave their hopes relying on how Haverfordwest and Penybont performed.

Both rivals lost, so the point at Cyncoed was more than enough to secure Caernarfon another upper-half berth for the second phase of 2023-24.

With Dion Donohue out due to suspension, but Morgan Owen and Gwion Dafydd added to the squad recently, the Cofis were in confident mood in the capital.

The Canaries started well, Adam Davies edging them ahead after just eight minutes.

Darren Thomas made a dynamic run before finding Sion Bradley, whose side-footed shot was saved by Alex Lang, but Davies was first to the loose ball and scored from a yard out.

For the rest of the half, Caernarfon were steady rather than spectacular and went into the interval with that one-goal advantage.

The start of the second half saw both teams threaten.

Emlyn Lewis forced Town keeper Lewis Webb into a superb save, while Marc Williams and Louis Lloyd should perhaps have done better in promising positions for the North Walians.

Met, already assured of top six status, levelled on 68 minutes when Lewis got on the end of a Thomas Price free kick.

Four minutes later Eliot Evans turned sharply and drilled a left-foot shot past the diving Webb to put the Archers ahead.

The double setback forced a change in Caernarfon’s mindset and they started to get on the ball much more, finally getting the parity of possession that more suits their players.

Five minutes from time, a left-footed cross from the right by substitute Dafydd was headed on by Davies, Sion Bradley struck the post and Daniel Gosset was on hand to slot into the empty net.

The Cofis went looking for the win and Bradley was unfortunate to see his effort rattle the bar..

Due to the way the Cymru Premier League works, no matter what happens in the second phase of the season the team written off by experts as relegation favourites at the start of 2023-24 are just two matches away from a first-ever European trip.

CAERNARFON TOWN

Lewis Webb, Iwan Cartwright, Phil Mooney, Gruff John, Morgan Owen, Daniel Gosset, Marc Williams, Darren Thomas, Adam Davies, Louis Lloyd, Sion Bradley.
Subs (used): Gwion Dafydd, Ben Maher. Not used: Hari Thomas, Joe Faux, Ben Wynne, Cai Griffith.