Caernarfon Town and NFA finish all-square after a thrilling game

NORTH WALES COAST WOMEN’S LEAGUE – SUNDAY, SEPT 7

Caernarfon Town 1 (E Evans 9)
NFA 1 (R Thomas 78)

Rarely after a game of football can two sides genuinely walk away and claim they should have won. This game was one of those occasions.

Had it not been for two excellent goalkeeping performances and some absolute stalwart defending this North Wales Coast League clash could have easily ended five-apiece.

Several goalmouth scrambles and last-ditch defending, hitting posts and excellent diving saves – this match had it all.

Caernarfon opened the scoring on the ninth minute as Ellie Dunn pounced in front of her defender to lift the ball in towards the penalty box for the incoming Elan Evans, who took two touches and lashed past deputy NFA keeper Cerys Foston, who stood no chance in goal. 

NFA responded and kept trying to carve out an opening, but the Caernarfon defence, led by the excellent Sioned Bohana on her return, rebuffed any ball the attack had to offer.

Due to the visiting side’s eagerness to press they did give up spaces for Caernarfon to extend their lead, returning striker Katie Bowe volleying just over the crossbar.

As the sides went back and forth, the referee did well to calm things as the will to win from both teams threatened to boil over, resulting in a yellow card apiece for Cadie Griffiths and Cofis captain Elain Evans.

Just before the half time whistle, NFA’s Rebekah McGuinness fizzed the ball across goal and it only needed a touch from the oncoming attackers to poke into the net, but it was not to be.

HALF-TIME: Caernarfon Town 1 NFA 0

 After the break the game intensified. With NFA pressing to equalise and Caernarfon looking to pick them off, the match really seemed on a knife edge.

Chances came for Elan Evans and Lisa Jones and Bowe’s technical quality was a whisker away from having a handful of assists to mark her comeback.

NFA just could not get that breakthrough, the impressive Luned Williams in the home goal twice getting down smartly to deny powerful shots from Amy Webster to her right and left.

However, the 78th minute brought the equaliser.

A whipped in free kick from Webster ricocheted off a defender to land perfectly for new signing Rachael Thomas to poke home past the keeper to delight the away contingent.

Both sides went close to a winner, NFA hitting the crossbar from a long ranged effort and Christiana Naziris getting a toe to the ball just in time before sub Mia Wall had a chance to convert a dangerous cross.

Caernarfon threatened late on too, Manon Evans nearly finding an opening after some strong running on the right and her younger sister Elan rounding the onrushing keeper only to be denied by what can only be described as superwoman defending from the NFA player to on the goal-line.

PLAYERS OF THE MATCH

Caernarfon (joint): Sioned Bohana and Malan Hughes

NFA (as voted by the opposition); Rachael Thomas.

Caernarfon manager Owain Bryn Jones: “Really good game of football. Both sides showed intent and a desire to win. We would have liked to have come away with the points as the effort of the squad and some of our attacking play deserved an ending but it wasn’t to be.

“Having added needed experience and quality over the summer,  combined with another season of developing from our girls the future is looking promising but we will take it game by game. Another tough fixture next week against Kinmel Bay so we will have to be ready.”