Thursday 26 November 2015

Prince Philip, Messi, Jay Gibbs and Nathan’s hat-trick.

It was good to see Jay back against  Llandudno Junction.
After my detour last week of an exclusive interview with Town striker Kevin Lloyd the blog is getting back to normal this time around as I take a look at the Cofis’ last four matches.
The last regular entry followed the comprehensive victory at Caersws that put the Canaries top of the Cymru Alliance League. The following week saw us hosting Llandudno Junction in the second round of the Welsh Cup and I think everyone had been expecting a really tough challenge from a team that was previously unbeaten in thirteen matches, of which they had won an impressive eleven. However, after a competitive opening half an hour I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Caernarfon dominated the action and ran out comprehensive, and comfortable, 4-0 victors.
The whole team played well on the day but, in my opinion, Jay Gibbs stood out as the star man, running the game from midfield and finding the back of the net twice. Jay was returning to the side following a three match suspension and, having seen him watching the Caersws match from the stand and probably kicking every ball with the team, I was not surprised he was so good against the Railwaymen. Everyone who has seen Jay will know how good he is and whilst I’ve heard one or two people say he should sometimes try and curb his natural competitiveness on the pitch, I think his attitude is brilliant and exactly what you want from a midfielder. I’ve never played at a decent level of the game but there must surely be a fine art to playing with such drive and passion whilst also trying to avoid being booked, especially in today’s climate when a broody look at the referee can result in a card! Far from erring on the side of caution I think Jay should just keep on going as he is.
Although the manager has made it clear that winning the league is the priority this season, a good run in the Welsh Cup would be wonderful for the club, both for prestige and financial reasons. The team has been rewarded for the victory over Junction with an away tie at Goytre in the next round and I’m sure they will prove formidable opponents. It’s a 140 mile trip to their Plough Road ground and I’m pleased to hear that Iwan has decided the squad will travel down the night before, which seems a sensible thing to do. I can’t remember too many occasions when Caernarfon have decided to stay overnight before an away match and it’s good to see such a professional approach from the management. Hopefully, it will make a difference on the day against a side that is top of the country’s Southern equivalent of the Huws Gray Alliance. I don’t know much about Goytre but, having seen photos of their ground on their website, I hope it doesn’t rain because I can’t see many sheltered areas there!    
A Cracking Cheeseburger and Not Much Else.
Top Burger at the New Stadium.
The Cofis returned to the bread and butter of league action following the cup victory and I have to admit that the match at Holyhead was not the best. I enjoy going to the New Stadium and although Caernarfon have not always had the best of results when playing there, a warm welcome and a cracking cheeseburger are always guaranteed at the ground!
Having looked forward to a good encounter between two footballing sides, the match turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. This was mainly due to the strong wind that enveloped the ground, making it extremely hard for the players to accurately pass the ball for anything other than the shortest of distances. To use a footballing cliché, it was very much a game of two halves, with the hosts bossing proceedings with the wind at their backs before the break whilst the Canaries were on top in the second period. Kevin Lloyd very nearly clinched the points for Town late on but he could not quite manage to get his effort in, having done well to get on the end of a Nathan Craig cross.
Not many teams will return from Holyhead this season with anything more than a defeat and therefore a draw was not too bad but such is the increased level of expectancy amongst us all these days that there was probably a slight feeling of disappointment on the way home that we didn’t win. It really was just one of those days when nothing much happens in front of goal and, not for the first time this season, I kept thinking during the match that Caernarfon could have done with former player Darren Thomas to work some magic and create a goal. That said, I still think it was more of a point gained than two lost.
Nathan Craig in front of the Main Stand at  Holyhead.
Although the action on the pitch had not been the best, spectators were treated to some unexpected entertainment just before the final whistle when one of the stewards walked over to the Main Stand and ordered a fellow steward to walk down from his perch at the top of the stand, and proceeded to share some rather stern sounding pearls of wisdom with him! I’m not sure what it was all about, and whilst it was all very odd it gave most of us a laugh!
Just two more things to mention about the afternoon.  Although half of Holyhead’s New Stadium is rather spartan it possesses an impressive Main Stand that must rank amongst the best in Welsh football. The club also has an excellent goalkeeper in Carl Jones, who I believe is second only to Paul Pritchard as the league’s best stopper. I do think he enjoys a tad too much banter with supporters during matches, but I have yet to see him have a bad game so it obviously doesn’t affect his performance.
Just Like Christmas Morning as Messi Returns.
Rumours had been rife since early November that the aforementioned Darren Thomas was on his way back to Caernarfon but I put it down to wishful thinking on the part of the supporters, myself included. I have often referred to Darren in this blog and everywhere else for that matter, as the ‘Cofi Messi’ and I was as disappointed as everyone else when he left for Aberystwyth in the Summer. I didn’t blame him because he wanted to play in the Welsh Premier League and he is certainly good enough to do so, but had always hoped he would do it with us.  
Then, on the Monday following our trip to Holyhead, Iwan sent me a message to ask if I could get to the Oval later in the day as he hoped we could make a special announcement about a new signing. Obviously, Darren’s name came to mind and a few hours later I was in the Boardroom taking photographs of him with the manager. As a committee member I was delighted that we were signing one of the best players in Welsh non-league football but as a supporter it felt a bit like Christmas morning when I saw the Cofi Messi was back!
As I very much doubt that Iwan would put me in his side on a Saturday afternoon, being the club’s Press Officer is the best job I could ask for at the Oval and breaking the news on the club’s website and social media outlets was pretty exciting. Judging from the amount of likes, retweets, views and comments the news enjoyed, I think every other Caernarfon Town supporter felt exactly the same as I did! Only time will tell of course but I do feel getting Darren back to the Oval could go a long way to helping us back into the top tier at the end of the season.

There was definitely a feel-good factor at the ground for Messi’s first match back in the yellow shirt and whilst the weather was not the greatest, the team certainly didn’t disappoint the supporters who had turned up. The Cofis were simply unstoppable on the day and routed Rhayader 7-1 in front of 272 souls who braved the elements. As expected Darren slotted straight back into the team and it was great to see him back, although it was another of Caernarfon’s highly rated favourites who shone the brightest on the day. Nathan Craig has been excellent so far this season and although he starts matches in the left-back berth, he is much more than a full-back and his deliveries at set pieces and from the left flank are consistently high quality.
Nathan’s Hat-Trick?
Nathan capped a fine personal performance with two goals against the Redkites and did his best to claim a hat-trick on the grounds that it was his goalbound effort that Rhayader player manager Dylan McPhee headed into his own net for Town’s fourth goal. To be fair, he had a point. I believe the official FIFA ruling such matters is ‘Shots that are on target (ie goal-bound)and touch a defender or rebound from a goal frame and bounce off a defender or goalkeeper are not considered own goals’. In this instance, Nathan’s effort was goalbound and was deflected off a defender into the goal.
Nathan's second goal against Rhayader. 
Caernarfon Town president John Watkin was present when Nathan discussed this with me and he was adamant that the goal should be attributed to McPhee as an o.g. Later that night I thought I’d have some fun and sent John a text to say that the match report would have Nathan down as the goalscorer and, just as expected, he phoned me immediately to put me straight! Nathan has never scored a senior hat-trick and although I did my best to try and help him with this, I’m afraid I had to relent as, such was John’s conviction on the phone about the goal I genuinely don’t think he would have slept that night if I had not listened to him!   
A Bit Like Prince Philip.
When I offered Caernarfon chairman Arfon Jones a lift to Mold for the match on Saturday his response went along the lines of “No, we’ll go in mine as I want to travel in a real car!”  And he meant it! I wasn’t complaining as I couldn’t really argue with his point but there is always a downside to riding in Arfon’s car because it does make you feel a bit like Prince Philip. As the County’s most recognisable man, it’s impossible for the chairman to go more than a few yards before having to wave, very much like the Queen, at his adoring public! Thankfully, there were two more committee members sitting in the back to partake in some banter with, including my friend the Chairman of Vice, who can always be relied upon to provide a few memorable, if totally unrepeatable, anecdotes!
The side’s last visit to Alyn Park had not been a happy one and I’ve heard some say that the 1-4 we suffered there last January contributed to heavily to the team failing to win the league. At the time, former manager Lee Dixon had made a few changes to his squad and whilst there’s no getting away from the fact that the performance on the day up to the usual standard, looking back at last season  as a whole, it proved very much a one-off.
Danny Brookwell gets brought down in the box for Town's penalty at Mold. 
I don’t think anyone expected a repeat of last season’s reverse and, from the very first minute, it became pretty obvious that Saturday would be different. Despite the impressive victory over Rhayader, Iwan changed his starting eleven and brought Kevin Lloyd and Danny Brookwell into the side at the expense of Jamie McDaid and Ellis Healing. I heard a rumour that Ellis was unavailable for selection due to a prior engagement but did not expect to see him lining up for Liverpool against Manchester City in Adam Lallana’s shirt on in Sky’s tea-time offering! And to be fair, he did well too!
Jamie Breese taking a breather at Mold.
The team continued its fine form from the previous week and outplayed the hosts who were left chasing shadows as a result of the Canaries’ quick possession football. As it was so cold at the ground I decided to take advantage of Mold’s half-time hospitality and must say they provided a warm welcome. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for their striker Lee Healey, who let his frustrations get the better of him near the end of the match as he recklessly flew into a challenge on Jay Gibbs. He was rightly sent off for the foul and it’s disappointing that as a result Jay may now have to miss a few matches due to a broken bone in his foot. Just as disappointing was the match report on Mold’s website that stated Healey had been harshly sent off. The author must have been looking the other way…. 
All in all, I think it’s been a pretty enjoyable month following the Canaries and, judging by the way the team is improving, there’s a good chance it will carry on into December.
Harry (left) and Paul (right) were thrilled that the
Chairman had agreed to pose for a photo! 
Looking at the strength of the squad, and the quality he now has on the bench in addition to on the field, Iwan has a really tough job on his hands to not only pick his best side for matches but also to keep all the group happy whilst trying to slowly re-introduce injured players. Of course, this is much preferable to having just twelve players to pick from as happened earlier this season (and I can’t resist the temptation of pointing out that eleven was all we needed at Bangor!) but this once again reinforces the need for a reserve side. Fingers crossed we’ll see one at the Oval next season?
Before finishing I think it’s worth mentioning that last week’s interview with Kevin Lloyd has proved one of the most ‘viewed’ blog entries on here which just goes to show how
Clive Williams. 
popular he is with everyone. I spoke with his father on Saturday and he was pleased with how it all worked out which is always a good sign! Hopefully one or two other members of the squad may agree to do a similar piece, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for another exclusive interview soon! 
Finally, a quick thought for one of my favourite players, Clive Williams, who has had to miss the last few matches due to illness. 
A top player, and really nice guy, I hope he’ll be back in action soon!  

Tuesday 17 November 2015

Kevin Lloyd: No More The Maverick?

What is a maverick? 
The definition of the word in the Oxford Dictionary is ‘An unorthodox or independent-minded person’ whilst the online Urban Dictionary defines it as ‘Someone who refuses to play by the rules and isn't scared to cross the line of conformity.’ 
To me, maverick means someone who has an independent streak and is a bit of a rebel. It’s a word I have felt in the past perfectly sums up Kevin Lloyd. I first met Kev when he joined Caernarfon Town during the Summer of 2010 and had heard beforehand that he could be a somewhat surly character. I have personally not seen this side of him in the ensuing five years but he certainly had one or two interesting moments on and off the pitch during his first spell at the Oval. 
I loved his attitude on the pitch, where he refused to give an inch to the opposition and particularly enjoyed his constant banter with some of our rivals for the Welsh Alliance League during the 2012/13 season! 
Knowing how much he enjoyed playing for the team he and his family supports I was disappointed when he left the club not long after that promotion campaign but he’s done well since leaving and it’s been great seeing his success at Llanrug United, where he had an excellent goalscoring record. Of course, he added to his impressive goal return with a netfinder against the Canaries in the recent Welsh Cup tie at Eithin Duon and I think his impressive display in that match may well have helped earn him a return to the Oval. 
I mentioned in a previous blog entry that I’d have to ask Kev how he felt after scoring against Town that day and I’m pleased to say he was more than happy to answer that question and a host of others about his time at Llanrug, his unexpected return to the club and how he feels he’s changed since his first stint for the Cofis. 
O.W.:You had a successful stint at the club from 2010 to 2013 and were a part of many triumphs for the team. What are your highlights of that time? 
Kev: The highlight was winning the league in that treble season during Lee Dixon’s first season at the Oval. Winning the treble that term was brilliant but the league had been our priority and the club may not be where it is now had we not done it. Another highlight was playing under Clive Jones when the team was full of Caernarfon lads. 

O.W.: As a Caernarfon Town supporter it must have been hard for you to leave? Why did you decide to go to another club? 
Kev: I had not been playing regularly for the side and I just felt that things were not working out as well as I wanted. I wanted to play ninety minutes every week and enjoy my football again but felt I had to leave the club to achieve that. I went to Llanrug because I knew the players, and some of my friends were playing there, such as Dylan ‘Midge’ Owen and Darren Phillips. 
O.W.: How did it go at Llanrug, and what were your highlights whilst there? 
Kev: I had a great time there, scoring sixty seven goals in one hundred and one matches and we won the Cookson Cup and FAW Trophy during the time I was there. The FAW Trophy victory was my highlight there. It was a great day for the club and also for me personally as I scored two goals and was named man of the match. I also really enjoyed beating Holywell Town in the final of the Cookson Cup, which they weren’t too happy about! 

O.W.: How did it feel to score against Caernarfon in the Welsh Cup earlier this season? 
Kev: It felt nice to score, but also not so nice to score against Caernarfon. Since I’ve returned the players have given ‘Pritch’ some stick for that goal, so it’s all good now! 
O.W.: How did your return to the Oval come about? 
Kev: “Caernarfon put in a seven days notice to speak with me soon after the Welsh Cup tie and to be honest I was shocked! I had not expected to play for Town again and thought that the Welsh Alliance League was my level. Once Iwan came in for me I didn’t have to think about moving as there was no decision to make! To be fair to Llanrug manager Mark Jat he knew as soon as the approach had been made that I would be leaving and he was happy for me. My Dad is so pleased that I’m back which also means a lot to me.” 
O.W.: How did it feel to be back in the squad for the Buckley match? 
Kev: It felt brilliant to get on against Buckley (see photo, left) and the support the Cofi Army gave me when I ran onto the pitch was superb. I felt nervous to begin with but was fine once I got my first touch of the ball. I was gutted to hit the post because a goal would have been brilliant in my first match back, but the main thing was that the team won and we did, so it was a perfect return! 
O.W.: Did you know the manager before you signed? 
Kev: I knew Iwan only through having played against him over the years but had heard lots of positive things about him and have been impressed with how he’s doing things. He’s a really nice guy and I’m so pleased he’s given me this opportunity. I don’t want to let him down and will be doing my best for him and the club. 
O.W.: Have things changed at all since you left? 
Kev: I think things are being run more professionally. The training is really good and not at all like I’ve had before. We do lots of ball work, playing patterns and tactics and everyone is expected to turn up and take part. Iwan makes sure we work as a team in everything we do, such as going on the team bus together and attending team meetings to discuss matches and tactics. 
O.W.: The team has changed a lot since you were last here, what do you think of it? 
Kev: The squad has definitely been strengthened over the summer. I have played with Nathan, Grahame, Jamie McDaid, Pritch, Kev Bach and Darren before and so know how good they are and really the whole squad is very strong. Gareth Edwards has really impressed me, he speaks well and is very experienced, and Jamie Breese is a really good player with great workrate. I was really pleased to see Darren returning to the club last week because we’re friends and I never thought I’d get an opportunity to play in the same side as him again. 
O.W.: Has the Kevin Lloyd of 2015 changed much from the person who left the club in 2013? 
Kev: Yes, I’ve grown up a lot in recent years. My attitude is much better than it has been in the past and I now realise that it’s all about the team and not just about me. I’m part of a team here and understand and enjoy it. I don’t want to let Iwan, the players, the club and the supporters down and will work hard and do my best for everyone. 
O.W.: And finally, do you have a message for the Cofi Army? 
Kev: Yes, please carry on supporting us and hopefully we can win the league for you and get the club back to where it belongs! 

This is where the blog should end but, having stated at the beginning that I have in the past felt the word Maverick perfectly summed Kevin Lloyd up, I must say that I’m not too sure that it does these days. Yes, there’s still an edge to him on the pitch, and you can be sure that opposing defenders are still going to have their hands full when he’s about, but his answer to a question about his goals for the season suggests that he may no longer be the maverick and is very much more of a team player these days. 
Kev:“Winning the league is what we all want and, although I’m Cup tied I really want us to do well in the Welsh Cup. We haven’t done well in it recently and it would be great for the club for us to enjoy a good run in it this year.” 
A massive thank you to Kevin for answering all the questions before saturday's match at the Oval and although I'm sure he would much rather have been partaking in some banter with his team-mates, I hope he'll agree it was worth it. Diolch yn fawr Kev!