Llongyfarchiadau/Congratulations: Caernarfon Town reach Europe for first time ever!
Caernarfon Town 3 (Lloyd 20, Clarke 26 pen, Bradley 36) Penybont 1 (Reynolds 90+1)
Prepare your passports and check those currency rates – the Canaries are flying into Europe for the first time in their history!
Caernarfon Town booked their place in next season’s Uefa Conference League with a tremendous 3-1 win over Penybont in front of 1,960 spectators at the Carling Oval.
Having whipped Newtown 5-0 in the semi-final, the South Wales visitors were favourites heading into the JD Cymru Premier Europe Play-Off final on a sun-baked Saturday afternoon.
However, a dynamic first half display from the Cofis which delivered three goals was enough to secure a famous win for the men in yellow and green.
Caernarfon were pretty switched on from the start. In the 17th minute they counter-attacked and the ball ended up with Daniel Gosset whose fine shot was well saved by Adam Przybek.
In the 20th minute Town took the lead. Darren Thomas fed an exquisite pass through to Louis Lloyd who cheekily nicked the ball goalwards over Przybek to score. Kane Owen made a valiant attempt to clear the ball before it went over the line, but the officials decided it had crossed.
The Canaries doubled their advantage on 26. Billy Borge fouled Lloyd in the area trying to deal with a high bouncing ball and the referee pointed to the spot. Zack Clarke converted to Przybek’s right.
In the 37th minute, the immense Sion Bradley robbed Mark Little on the left, burst into the box and applied the calmest of finishes for 3-0.
Lloyd had a chance for a fourth before the break but lashed wide from the right-side of the box when a pass inside might have been a better option.
HALF-TIME: 3-0
Penybont created a few chances in the second half, but it was not their day.
Gabriel Kirkcough nodded wide from a good position, Chris Venables’ header was cleared off the line by Marc Williams and Daniel Jefferies headed against the bar, Venables skewing wide from the rebound.
Caernarfon remained a danger on the break, Clarke battling brilliantly down the right before unleashing a fierce effort that Przybek saved superbly.
In the first minute of added time, Penybont did manage a consolation goal when Ryan Reynolds guided a lovely left-foot effort into the net, but there to be no denying Caernarfon Town.
All the best in Europe to Richard Davies and the crew!
CAERNARFON TOWN
Josh Tibbetts, Iwan Cartwright, Gruff John (Phil Mooney 83), Dion Donohue, Sion Bradley, Daniel Gosset, Darren Thomas (c – Ben Maher 83), Marc Williams, Zack Clarke (Osian Evans 90), Louis Lloyd (Adam Davies 69), Morgan Owen.