Cymru Premier: No ‘smash and grab’ for Cofis, great away win for Colwyn Bay

JD CYMRU PREMIER – OCTOBER 25

Penybont 0
Caernarfon Town 2 (Harrison 51, Bradley 84)

Penybont manager Rhys Griffiths rather strangely referred to Caernarfon’s victory at the Dragonbet Stadium as “smash and grab”.

Such a label suggests Penybont applied all the pressure and created the majority of chances in the game, while Town defended constantly but managed to steal a couple of goals on the break.

However, this was certainly not the case. The Canaries carved out at least as many opportunities as the hosts, who rarely looked like scoring themselves.

A more accurate description of this clash of top three sides would be ‘a professional and clinical away display from Caernarfon against a team second in the league which had lost just once in their last eight games’.

Indeed, Town had lost on their last four trips to Penybont and were without a league victory in more than a month, so Saturday’s result said as much about the Cofis’ character as it did the win their performance deserved.

Penybont did threaten first, Gabriel Kircough’s firm header from a Kane Owen cross being well held by keeper Connor Roberts.

Caernarfon’s first clear chance on the 20-minute mark saw Sion Bradley blast over afer Dom Smith’s cross ballooned up off a defender.

Kircough was found in space in the box, but his left-foot strike was smartly kept out by Roberts.

Just before the break, Adam Davies headed onto the top of the net after Ryan Sears lobbed into the six-yard box. Half-time: 0-0.

Caernarfon came the closest either side had managed to that point early in the second half.

Bradley battled to win possession on the left, found Matty Jones who passed to Phil Mooney and his deep cross was nodded across goal by Sears where Davies’ header looked a goal all the way, but Kircough produced an heroic last-ditch clearance.

The breakthrough for the visitors arrived on 51 minutes.

Owen’s corner from the right was hooked on at the near post, keeper Luke Armstrong made a hash of things and Kyle Harrison headed in his first goal for the club.

Penybont’s substitutes did give them more potency up front. Owen Pritchard worked the ball onto his right foot and let fly, but Roberts got down well to save.

Davies hit a low drive incies wide for the Canaries before the match-clinching second goal was scored on 84 minutes.

A long goal-kick from Roberts was latched onto by Davies, who rolled the ball across the box and Bradley lashed home with aplomb to the delight of Caernarfon fans behind the goal.

In fairness, Penybont manager Griffiths also admitted his team did not deserve to win the game. He certainly got that right.

Briton Ferry Llansawel 0
Colwyn Bay 2 (Davies pen 4, Forde 39)

No defeats in five starts for Colwyn Bay who have picked up 10 points from a possible last 12 and sit fifth in the table.

Mike Wilde’s team’s latest success was a very impressive one at the Renewable Centre Stadium.

After clearing off the line from an early Llansawel corner, Bay grabbed a fourth-minute lead.

Ethan Roberts was tripped in the area by Ryan Bevan and Jordan Davies netted clinically from the spot – his sixth league goal of the season.

Nathan Peate blasted wide from close range before at the other end Alex Brown got enough on a Thomas Walters shot via a Mitchel Bates cross to deny the hosts an equaliser.

Bay upped the pressure as the first half wore on.

Hughes volleyed wide before Davies’ goalbound header from a Louis Robles cross was headed away by Connor Smith.

A second away strike did come along in the 39th minute, a cross via the right to the back post being drilled across goal by Robles and defender Sol Forde knocked the ball in.

Controversy on the hour when Bay’s Hughes was adjudged to have stamped on sub Corey Hurford in the area. Referee Rob Jenkins awarded Llansawel a penalty and showed a red card to Hughes.

Hurford hit the spot-kick firmly enough, but Brown saved superbly diving to his left.

Sub Ollie Anderson headed onto the bar before Brown performed more heroics with a magnificent late tip over to thwart Ryan George.

Connah’s Quay Nomads 3 Haverfordwest County 3

Nomads were denied three points after Haverfordwest struck twice in the closing stages to salvage a point.

Declan Poole put the hosts one-up on 13 minutes before Jacob Cook doubled the lead after 31.

Greg Walters pulled one back eight minutes into the second half, but when Dan Cowen made it 3-1 from a Rhys Hughes assist after 77, the points looked all but in the bag.

However, Dylan Rees reduced the deficit on 87 before a Ben Ahmun penalty after 90 ensured it ended honours even.

Bala Town 0 Barry Town United 0

Bala have quite a history of 0-0 draws in the Cymru Premier, but Saturday’s stalemate at Maes Tegid was just their second blank of this season.

Cardiff Met University 4 Flint Town United 1

Elliott Reeves put Flint ahead at Cyncoed in the 22nd minute, but Met were level by half time and then added three more goals in the closing stages.
Home scorers: Adam Roscrow, Sam Jones, Lewis Rees, Matthew Chubb.