Just a Friendly but....

Pre-match at Rhyl.
Photo by Iwan Williams. 

I don’t get to see any football for months and then, typically, I need to be in two places on the same night to watch two of my favourite teams! This is what happened to me last Friday, when I was faced with the choice of heading to Belle Vue to watch the Cofis play their first pre-season fixture against Rhyl or accompanying my youngest son, Iwan, to Llanberis for the Eco’r Wyddfa tournament. I love Caernarfon Town, but love my son more, and so it was that I spent the evening at the foot of Snowdon, helping Haydn Jones coach Waunfawr’s Under 11’s team. Some of you may already be aware that Haydn also happens to be Caernarfon’s Head of Academy and therefore you will not be surprised to hear that  it was not strictly a Caernarfon Town-free evening for me!

As normally happens whenever I have to miss a match, the ever reliable John Watkins proved an invaluable source of information as he kept me regularly updated on what was happening in Sunny Rhyl, and I don’t mind telling you that I was delighted with his messages, although slightly surprised. To be honest, I had not been expecting a 3-0 victory against the Welsh Premier League side! 

With Caernarfon's Head of Academy, Haydn Jones(far left)
and Waunfawr's Under 11's team.

I understand that it was a friendly, and every team uses pre-season fixtures to build fitness and try out new players and formations but no one ever wants to lose a match of any kind, and therefore you can be sure that Gareth Owen and his players will not have been too pleased about the defeat, especially in front of their own supporters and against lower-league opposition.

Obviously, I cannot pass judgement on how well the team played but, from what I have heard, and also what I have read on social media, Iwan’s philosophy of playing a high-tempo style of football was well - implemented by his players. This augers well for the future as the team did not start training together until Saturday, 4^th July and so it suggests that the

Nathan  Craig during the first pre-season training session.

players have enough about them to quickly take on board the managers’ instructions. Iwan himself alluded to this when commenting on the match: “The amount of detail I’ve given the players and the way they delivered it tonight was tremendous.”

I have spoken briefly with two of the players this weekend and they had both really enjoyed the match, whilst also saying that they are looking forward to completing the tough looking training programme that lies ahead before the new season begins. The style the team will be playing next season will need fit players and the new Gaffer and his first team coach, Alun Wynstanley, have put together a programme that will ensure the team is ready for the big kick off.

Photo by Iwan Williams. 

There is plenty of action to be seen before then, however, beginning with the visit to Llanberis to the Oval on Tuesday, 14^th July. This will be a different test for the Cofis as it is a local derby and the Darans will be very keen to put on a good display. Llanberis are a decent side and will definitely provide a physical challenge for Caernarfon. Past matches between the sides have always been close and I expect the same this week. One thing is for sure, the visitors will be a fit group as they have been training for a few weeks and, from what  I have heard, most of this has been done without a football! I know their assistant manager, Geraing Jones, and he will have been working hard on the players’ fitness so I’m sure we’re in for an exciting match on Tuesday. 

Photo by Iwan Williams. 

I wonder if Marc Lloyd Williams will turn up in the Darans team? He has often stated how much he enjoys playing against the Canaries so I suppose it’s a possibility, although I imagne it will depend on whether or not the television cameras are there….

The Cymru Alliance League 2015/16 fixtures were finally announced last week and, not surprisingly, it created one or two talking points amongst supporters. The first match is always highly anticipated and an interesting trip to Holywell awaits the Canaries on the opening day. Town supporters will know all about the tight matches we had with the Wellemn during our treble season of 2012/13, and I’m sure it’s going to be no different in August.

Haseldin has done a great job at Halkyn  Road and his team were tremendous in winning promotion last term. Holywell will be confident of a good showing and Haseldin will have them up for it but Caernarfon have improved a lot in the last three years and the team has nothing to fear. I can’t wait for the match, and will look forward to seeing if they still have those ‘Refuse To Lose’ posters that were up at the ground during our treble year.

The other matter that raised its head when looking at the fixture list was that we have again been given an away match on the Saturday closest to Christmas day. Although I can think of worse places to go than Conwy on December 27^th, it’s disappointing that we have to travel for the third successive year for our Christmas fixture. A twenty minute drive up the A55 is not a massive hardship but it would have been nice to have been given a home seasonal match this year, for the first time since 2011.

It was great to hear that former Town player Jordan Barrow (left)played his part in Airbus UK's impressive 2-2 draw at AK Lokomotiva last week. Caernarfon supporters will already know how good Jordan is following his spell with us in 2013/14 and although his side crashed out of the Europa League, it was still an excellent achievement by the Welsh Premier League outfit.

So, it's all systems go for Tuesday's friendly with Llanberis and, following a lot of hard work carried out over the last three months, those who have not been to the Oval for a while will be impressed by what they see. I am biased, of course, but the old ground is looking brilliant!  

Paul.