NATHANIEL MG CUP: Battle of invincibles sees Caernarfon prevail on pens in dramatic tie
NATHANIEL MG CUP ROUND THREE
Caernarfon Town 2 (Lock 82, Gosset 90+2)
Holywell Town 2 (Breese 60, Murtas 75)
(Caernarfon won 4-3 on penalties)
When two sides in as good a form as this pair came together there was almost an inevitability of penalties deciding the outcome.
However, while a shoot-out could have been predicted before kick-off, the circumstances in which it came about would have been far harder to forecast.
With less than 10 minutes remaining, Tier 2 Cymru North leaders Holywell were two-goals up against top-tier Cymru Premier table-toppers Caernarfon.
The quarter-finals beckoned for the Wellmen, but the fighting spirit of the Cofis saw them score twice in the closing stages to force a penalties contest they ended up winning, largely thanks to three saves from 18-year-old keeper Hari Thomas.
It was a fourth shoot-out victory in five attempts featuring three different goalkeepers for Richard Davies’ side, who won previous showdowns with Crusaders, Newtown, Cardiff Met and now Holywell, with Holyhead Hotspur inflicting the only defeat in that sequence.
The final score at Go Goodwins Stadium on Wednesday meant Caernarfon are now unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions this season, while Holywell suffered a first loss after a perfect streak of eight successive victories.
While this was Cymru Premier v Cymru North and the higher league side would generally always be expected to win, the fact this was cup football between two North Wales rivals in magnificent form levelled the playing field somewhat.
Caernarfon threatened first, Connor Evans’ fierce shot forcing a great save from Tyler French.
French did well to deny the hosts again before young Thomas at the other end thwarted an effort from ex-Canary Jamie Breese.
French made a further stop from Tom Weir before the Cymru Premier leaders struck the woodwork twice close to the break.
Another French save foiled the Cofis before Holywell took the lead on the hour, Breese capitalising on Thomas losing grip of the ball to find an empty net.
The away total was doubled on 75 when Danny Sullivan found Fabrizio Murtas, who fired home to send the Holywell support wild.
Caernarfon were not finished yet and when Josh Lock halved the deficit on 82 it was game on.
Holywell were hanging on until two minutes into added time Daniel Gosset, a two-goal hero in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Barry Town United, struck again to force penalties.
The shoot out was dramatic:
- Matty Jones scored for Caernarfon
- Ieuan Hewitt equalised
- Lock made it 2-1 Cofis
- Craig Lindfield netted for the Wellmen
- Gosset missed (he also failed from the spot against Barry, denying himself a hat-trick)
- Jack Sconce’s kick saved by Thomas
- Morgan Owen scores – 3-2 Caernarfon
- Ilan Ap Gareth is denied by Thomas stop
- Osian Ellis misses for Caernarfon
- Holywell’s Danny Sullivan makes it 3-3
- Adam Davies edges Caernarfon in front
- Thomas saves from Tom Bibby
Final penalties score: 4-3 to Caernarfon.
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 The New Saints 3
A fifth successive defeat for Nomads against The New Saints since they beat Craig Harrison’s side in the 2024 Welsh Cup Final.
An Isaac Jefferies double within a minute late in the first half gave the holders a 2-0 interval advantage.
Ben Clark made it 3-0 on 54 minutes and it was not until 93 showed on the clock that Harry Franklin notched Nomads’ consolation, Rhys Hughes missing a penalty for the Deesiders after 75.
Newtown 1 Bala Town 1
(Newtown won 5-4 on penalties)
Cymru North hosts Newtown prevailed on spot-kicks against their Cymru Premier visitors.
Members of the top flight for 33 successive years before getting relegated last term, the Robins served themselves a reminder of better days by squeezing past the Lakesiders in the Nathaniel MG Cup.
Tarran Hollinshead gave the hosts an 11th minute lead before the on-fire Hussein Mehasseb levelled on 29.
No further goals till the 90 so penalties it was and Newtown edged through 5-4, Lassana Mendes crucially missing Bala’s sixth kick.