Pep Talks, Man Flu and Pantomime Villains

I’m sure we all have football grounds that we enjoy visiting more than others and one of my favourite destinations as a Caernarfon Town supporter is Holywell’s Halkyn Road.

My first visit to the ground was in the late seventies when I attended a Cup tie with my grandfather, who was chairman of our village side, Mountain Rangers. I can vaguely recall a cold Saturday afternoon watching my Taid’s team, in their black and white striped shirts, against what I perceived back then to be an English side. I now know they’re not, but back then, a trip up the A55 past Conwy may well have been, such was the rarity of travelling too far from Rhosgadfan. I don’t recall too much about the match itself but am sure it ended in a draw.

In more recent times, of course, my visits have been in support of the Canaries, and matches have included League of Wales encounters, the infamous Battle of Halkyn Road during our treble campaign of 2012/13, and last season’s opening day stalemate.

To use a rather boring footballing idiom, last year’s encounter had been a match of two halves, where Caernarfon bossed the first period before the hosts turned the tables in the second, although the match remained goalless and the points were shared. Our latest visit to the home of the Wellmen was very similar, with the difference this time being that, unlike Holywell’s efforts last year,  Caernarfon’s second half performance was good enough to clinch all three points as the team, and our frontmen especially, ran riot following a half-time pep talk from Iwan! 

Clive Williams and Danny Sullivan. 

Of all the matches I’ve seen between the sides, I am yet to witness anything less than a fiercely contested affair and this recent tussle proved no different. Iwan changed his starting line-up quite drastically for this one with Danny Sullivan forming a new centre-half partnership with Clive Williams, Tom Quinn in at left-back, and debuts for Jamie Roberts and goalkeeper Alex Ramsay. The make-up of the side was very different to what we’ve been used to recently and, to be honest, I feared the worst when the hosts went into an early lead. Holywell started really well and took advantage of Caernarfon’s disjointed performance before the break, although I did fell that, despite not being at their best, the Canaries had enjoyed plenty of possession and, with only a goal separating the sides, the match was still there to be won. The Caernarfon side that re-emerged for the second half was much sharper and seemed rejuvenated, as they set about getting back on level terms. Kevin Lloyd came up trumps with two goals in quick succession to put us ahead and Danny Brookwell sealed the victory with a superb individual goal, finished off with a celebration with the Cofi Army! It all sounds quite simple, but turning the tables on the Wellmen in their own backyard is anything but straightforward and there was a period when we were 2-1 up that a victory was all but secured when Rob Jones was sent off and the hosts were then awarded a penalty. Thankfully, Ramsay pulled off a fine save to keep out the spot kick and, rather than just hanging on, Town still managed to create a number of opportunities to increase the lead before a very late own goal by our new keeper made the score look closer than it could have been.

Alex Ramsay.

Followers of the game outside the top tier in Wales will know that Holywell are a very competitive side and have been for a few years so to manage the win at their ground under the circumstances was a very good result. The Wellmen always seem to play in a similar fashion, with quick strikers up front and an in your face attitude running through the team, and so to get anything more than a few bumps and bruises from them is a good return. I’ve mentioned their manager in the blog on more than occasion in the past and so will refrain from saying much this time around except to say that if the Cymru Alliance League was a pantomime, the Holy Dean of Hasselwell would surely be cast as the villain. Good for a bit of banter and full of theatricals, he’s the perfect fit.

I met Holywell’s chairman, Sean Elliott, for the first time before the match and enjoyed hearing about the club’s plans for Halkyn Road. Having recently built a clubhouse at the ground, there’s more work on its way, including a stand behind one of the goals and it was interesting to hear how they as a club are also looking to become a part of the community, much as we are trying to do.

Joe going topless....

Before moving on, I must mention Joe Williams, who was forced off with an injury midway through the second half. The Cofi Cafu came over to watch most of the remaining minutes with the supporters behind the goal, and it’s not something we generally see with players, but it said a lot to me that he was as passionate as every single member of the Cofi Army when Danny Brookwell scored to wrap up the victory! Iwan mentions his One Club ethos a lot and Joe’s actions proved that the players believe it every bit as much as we do. However, I must have a word with Joe soon about taking unnecessary risks with his health by removing his shirt as he walked off the pitch and to the dressing room 

The Cofi Cafu joins us to cheer the team on.

after his injury. 

Whilst everyone else in the round were well wrapped up against the elements, Joe decided to go topless, and he paid for it in the next few says by suffering from the dreaded ‘Manflu’. Thankfully, I’ve found out that Boots chemists have come up with a new way of combating this serious illness and I’ve already put in a decent sized order with them for the new concoction, called ‘Manflu SoupaHero’ (see below). I would, however, still advise Joe to keep his shirt on!   

One the way!

The victory would have given the players a huge lift so soon after the home defeat to Llanfair United a fortnight earlier and I hoped that the next match, at home to Mold, would not be a case of ‘after the lord mayor’s show’. Despite playing well, it looked as if this may well prove to be the case as the visitors frustrated us for eighty five minutes of that match, successfully frustrating Town with a rearguard action reminiscent of John Wayne and his gang in the Alamo film. They seemed to have succeeded where Big John failed right up to the final minutes when Kevin Lloyd popped up with the winner, racing before his marker to a Jamie Breese cross and flicking the ball past Mike Jones at the near post. It was a great finish and Kev fully deserved the praise heaped on him by Iwan in the post-match interview we carried out. I hope Kev won’t mind me saying this but I remember him telling me last summer that he wasn’t sure if he would be able to commit the time to getting himself fit enough for this league and, if he didn’t know it then, he surely does now! What an impact he’s had since coming back to us from Llanrug!

Although Mold showed little desire to take us on and played as defensively as if they’d been coached all week by Jose Mourinho, I can’t blame them for that and they very nearly succeeded in their attempt to get something from the match.  This has become a theme in recent times at the Oval and whilst I’m not a big fan of such a pragmatic approach, the only problem I have with it is more to do with the match officials, who always seem to turn a blind eye to the players’ time wasting. This was indeed the case during the Mold match and it’s something that the FAW should look at and try to combat. 

Sky Sports would have us all believe that teams using such tactics are ‘cute’ and like to dress it all up as ‘match management’ but I prefer to watch football matches with the ball in play and not in the keeper’s hands, or awaiting a defender to fetch it for a restart. In fact, one of the referees' assistants did decide to stamp one thing out on the day, this being Darren Thomas' overhead 'goal' that would have lit up an otherwise dour opening half. I think the official flagged for offside and I was in no position to say if he got it right or not, but it was an incredible finish by 'Messi' which deserved to count just for the skill he showed.

Messi's disallowed goal against Mold. What a finish!

After the match, I carried out a joint interview with Iwan and Kev Lloyd, and another one with our recent signing, Jamie Roberts. I remember Jamie playing against us last year for Holyhead and thought he was a very good player, so was pleased to hear that Iwan had brought him to the Oval.

Jamie Roberts.

Having played for the reserves in their victory over their counterparts from Llandudno Junction Jamie made his first team debut for us in Holywell and was outstanding.  From what I’ve seen of him, he is quick, has great control and movement and in fact looks ideal for the way Iwan wants the team to play. Just as importantly, he is also a really nice guy and I’m sure Jamie will prove to be another massive coup for the manager and the club.

I had originally planned on including the Carmarthen and Buckley victories in this blog but have decided against it as I suspect it’s already overlong as it is. Therefore, I’ll be looking at those encounters, and the return of Leigh Craven and one of my favourite players, Jay Gibbs, next time around. With a bit of luck I may also be able to publish an interview with a member of Iwan’s first team background staff….

Old MacDonald, Sully and Quinn.

When I last put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, the Cofis were flying, having won nine of the previous eleven matches, losing just the once, and to Welsh Premier League opposition at that.

And then we lost at home to Llanfair United and all the talk outside of the club was of how the team had lost its way, and were a spent force. After one lacklustre performance and defeat. Keyboard warriors were out in force, the usual suspects were sniping away and suddenly it seemed that the wheels had come off the champions’ wagon.  Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it, and yet here we are, facing another year in the doldrums if you believe everything you read on social media.

I don’t believe it, and I’m sure that most people who know the players and management team will feel the same. There’s no denying that the team was not at its best against Llanfair and, judging from what I saw after the match, no one knew it more that the players themselves. The truth is, after going a goal up early on the team did not take advantage of their superiority in the opening twenty minutes and the visitors made them pay with an excellent performance thereafter. It would be easy to blame the defeat on a few things during the match that may have had an effect on the result, Chris Williams’ early exit after injury being one, missed opportunities and Danny Brookwell’s sending off another two, but these things happen from time to time and on the day I felt Llanfair deserved the victory.

I’ve been carrying out post-match interviews with the manager this season and, to be perfectly honest, I had thought of heading straight home after the final whistle as I’m sure that answering my questions was the last thing Iwan would have wanted after the defeat. However, I braved the possible consequences and am glad that I did because I think it epitomises our manager and his standards. If you’ve seen the video (available on the club’s twitter and facebook feeds) and, having looked through my ever present book of idioms I believe the one that best reflects his approach to my questions is that he “pulled no punches’. 

Grahame Austin.

I decided against an interview with any of the players who had played and took the opportunity instead to ask Grahame Austin for an update on his injury. The club captain has been out of action all season due to a back problem and it was good to hear Aussie saying that he still hasn’t given up hope of playing again this season. Incidentally, we had to pause the interview at one stage because, just as we were about to start, the Llanfair United players appeared from the dressing rooms, loud, proud and all clad in fancy dress! It was the last things I wanted to see after such a disappointing result but, to be fair, some of the outfits were pretty good (there was a bear and a Indian chief if I recall correctly) and really, it just about summed up the day.

The next match could not come quickly enough and seven days later the team travelled over the Britannia Bridge for a Welsh Cup tie with Llangefni, and what an encounter it turned out to be!

The sides had played at Cae Bob Parry in a pre-season friendly that the Canaries had won quite comfortably, although by just a solitary goal but this clash was a very different affair as we were treated to eight goals, a penalty shoot-out and some fine chanting by the home crowd!

When Jamie Breese put us ahead in the second minute I hoped it would signal a stress-free afternoon but the hosts had other ideas and it ended up being one of the best matches I’ve seen for a number of years. I think it’s fair to say that Caernarfon bossed possession for long periods of the match and certainly played the better football but, by failing to add a second goal they allowed Llangefni to keep themselves in the match and, once the hosts levelled before the break, the match  was very much one of those blood and thunder cup ties that the older generation would have us believe only happened in the good old days. Each time Caernarfon got back in front, Cefni would find a way to peg us back and it came as no surprise when they forced a penalty shoot-out in the last minute of extra time.

Tom Quinn celebrates his goal against Llangefni
(he's somewhere at the bottom of this pile-up!). 

I’m not a supporter of penalties deciding cup ties and would much prefer replays but thankfully on this occasion Town’s spot-kick takers had the edge on their opponents and managed to put the club into the hat for the third round. I was pleased that both Tom Quinn and Danny Sullivan scored their penalties (Tom had scored during the match also) because they’ve had a difficult start to their time at Caernarfon and I hope that the influence they had on the match will give them the confidence to push on now because they’re both excellent players, and nice guys too.  

Many people have mentioned how much character and determination Cefni showed to get back on level terms on four occasions during the match and I agree, but it's interesting that not many have said the same thing about Caernarfon, who also had to roll up their sleeves and react positively having been pegged back so many times. Both sides deserve lots of credit for their efforts.  

A quick mention also to Cory Williams, who I thought was excellent and easily the man of the match.  His goal from twenty five yards was very much worth the price of admission alone and I know there’s more of the same to come from him. Cory has been in and out of the side this season but had his best match for the club in Llangefni and I firmly believe he has the tools to make a massive impact on the team this season. Cory has great quality, on and off the pitch.         

It had been a heartpounder of a tie and was proof enough that the country’s premier cup competition still means a lot to the clubs and true football supporters. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the FAW should consider giving the cup more backing and maybe consider pushing the competition as much as they do the Welsh Premier League. Likewise those in charge of television coverage of Welsh football. Would supporters and casual followers of the game in Wales prefer watching a cup tie between sides they don’t normally see or witness yet another encounter involving The New Saints, Bangor or Rhyl? I understand that they need to push the WPL but at the moment it seems that everything is taking a backseat to the top tier, and I can’t imagine that it does too much good for the grass roots game.

Was the segregation barrier really required?

Anyway, back to our afternoon in Llangefni and just a few things I must mention before moving on. Firstly, upon entering the ground I was surprised to see that there was segregation in place. Seeing the barriers behind the goals was a reminder of ugly days of the past when such things were the norm at football matches (who could ever forget the awful red cage we had at the Oval for away supporters in the eighties?). I found it quite insulting to everyone attending the tie and was puzzled that the Caernarfon Town Board had not been informed beforehand. I believe the local police had asked for the segregation and if this is so, then both clubs should have been informed so as to tell the supporters. I’m not blaming Llangefni at all, but the police should have told us.

I don’t think the segregation was warranted and what made it even more questionable is that supporters of both teams were allowed into the supporters club before, during and after the match for a beer. And, having frequented the bar, I can confirm that there was no segregation barrier in sight!

The PYS Supporters Stand.

I mentioned earlier that the home supporters were in fine voice and I think they’ve already won the best, and most amusing, chant of the season for their excellent rendition of Old MacDonald which rang around the ground as two of the local constabularies’ finest walked towards the PYS Supporters Stand. All good fun and yet another throwback to the old days, although a much funnier one than the barriers!

Something else that made an impression on me was the music played at the ground, which consisted of Neil Diamond, Neil Diamond and more Neil Diamond. In fact, at times it seemed as if we were at one of the Solitary Man’s concerts, his voice filling the rather cold air with classics such as Red, Red Wine and I’m a Believer, both of which fitted my mood as Sully’s winning penalty hit the onion bag to send us through to the next round!

There's only one Messi!

Our reward for winning in Llangefni is a tough but very exciting home draw with Carmarthen Town. The last time we faced top tier opposition in the Welsh Cup was the televised tie against The New Saints in November 2014. On that day, we gave the Welsh champions a real run for their money, the wall collapsed and Darren Thomas proved that there’s only one Messi, and he works at the Oval! 

The tie is certainly something to look forward to but before then the side has two tough fixtures to play, beginning with a trip to Halkyn Road to take on Holywell Town. There’s really no need for me to say much more about this much-anticipated match, as past fixtures between the sides, over a number of years, have proved there is a strong possibility it will be a real cracker!

Come on the Town!  

Interviews, Nemo, Four Victories, One Club.

We’ve had four weekends and four victories since the last blog and, having finished off last time with a look at the side’s frustrating home draw with Caersws, I’m delighted to say that this latest entry is pretty much a frustration-free zone.

Although the draw against the Bluebirds could probably be seen as two points lost in our attempt to retain the Cymru Alliance title, I think the team showed lots of character to claim a point on an afternoon when the players found it hard to click into gear. On a positive note, the league’s early pacesetters, Prestatyn Town, failed to take advantage because they  also drew on the day and therefore the gap between the sides remained just two points, with the Seasiders also having a match in hand.

There was a timely break from league action for the next two weeks as Iwan and the players switched their attentions to cup action, firstly with a short trip up the A55 to Comwy for a Welsh  Cup tie. I always enjoy visiting the Morfa because it’s a proper ground, with stands and terraces, and it also helps that the Canaries always seem to do well there!

Borough had announced a change in management in the days leading up to the match, and Will Ryder was their latest pick to try to return the Tangerines to former glories. A change in the hot seat  can usually go one of two ways, the new man can either immediately re-invigorate a struggling side as players try to impress him, or his new charges may take a long time to understand and adopt his new

Messi. 

ideas. I’m not too sure how the change affected Conwy though, as Caernarfon were outstanding on the night, and comfortably booked a berth in the second round courtesy of a 5-1 victory. Leading the way for the Cofis was our talisman, Darren Thomas, who ran the show from his position just behind Jamie Breese, and chipped in with two goals. Prior to the match, there had been much talk of the possible influx of new players to the hosts line-up but this did not materialise and whilst I have no idea how their new manager saw the match, I do know that our gaffer was delighted with the result! Iwan is desperate for a good run in the competition, and I know that he’s still disappointed by last season’s exit at the hands of Goytre so when I interviewed him after the match, he was in great spirits.

Talking of the post-match interviews we’ve introduced this season, they seem to be quite popular, judging by the number of views received on facebook and twitter. The feedback has been positive thus far and whilst I appreciate that I’m no Michael Parkinson I hope that, together with Iwan and the players, we’re able to provide supporters with a useful addition to the match reports.

Before moving on from the Conwy tie, I must admit that a most enjoyable Friday evening watching Town win under the floodlights did have one worrying moment when a Caernarfon supporter shared with me his secret of keeping warm at football matches. Expecting a tip that I could possibly use myself during the coming months I was somewhat taken aback when he told me that his secret weapon against the elements are his wife’s tights, which he was wearing at the time. It was a rather awkward moment when he blurted out the words, and I’m sure he immediately regretted imparting the information so, for fear of embarrassing him, and just in case his wife doesn’t know he borrowed her undergarments, I’ll keep his identity to myself, however tempting it is not to!  

The following week saw us travel to Powys as the team began its defence of the league cup with a tricky looking tie at Caersws. It seemed strange playing them again just fourteen days after the 1-1 draw at the Oval and I think everyone expected another tough, and close encounter with Graham Evans’ side and whilst they certainly played to the same level again, Town were much better this time around and were worthy 3-0 victors.

Kev Lloyd, playing better than ever.

It was an entertaining match with both sides creating goalscoring opportunities and it was due only to the expertise of the two goalkeepers that the score was kept relatively low. Both Keighan Jones and Luke Evans pulled off some fines saves and, whilst Caersws could count themselves unlucky to concede two own goals, Caernarfon’s three goal winning margin seemed a fair reflection of the difference between the sides on the day. Incidentally, Town’s third goal was very well taken by Kevin Lloyd who, in my opinion, is playing better than ever since he returned to the club earlier this season. When I spoke with Kev during the summer he told me he had been surprised to still be playing at this level but I hope he doesn’t feel like that now, because he’s been brilliant during the past two months. During the somewhat arduous trip to the match I had decided that if the team won I’d ask the goalscorer(s) for a photo together but, bearing in mind the two own goals, I thought better of it!

Gaz Edwards carrying out his new second job as our 
woodwork strength tester.

It was another good away performance from the team and whilst this latest visit to one of my favourite away grounds was a most enjoyable one I feel I need to point out that the match officials did not have the most consistent of afternoons. I know that the referee and his assistants have a thankless task and that one of the teams and their supporters will always disagree with every decision they make but on this occasion, I thought the standards dipped below the acceptable levels. For those who may not have been to the Recreation Ground, the home dugout is situated nearer the corner flag than the halfway line and therefore the Caersws management team and substitutes sit directly behind the linesman running that touchline. This means the official is put under immense  pressure by the hosts’ management whenever there is a decision to be made, or not, and I’m afraid that during this match it seemed that their constant appealing may have swayed the assistant’s decision making on occasion. I’m not criticising Caersws because they’re obviously trying to gain any advantage they can but the proximity of the dugouts to the linesman is something I believe the Cymru Alliance League should look at.

Iwan Williams, manager and magician.

Iwan was in a rush to get off after the match but still had time to carry out his customary trick of fitting a coach load of gear in the back of his car before setting off! (see photo). 

The Cofis were back in league action seven days later when Conwy Borough were the visitors. This match had originally been scheduled to be played at the Morfa but, due to groundwork being carried out there, the clubs agreed to a switch of venue and I hoped that the players could find a way of replicating their away form on home turf as they seem to have been playing better on their travels this season.

The match started well and we were dominating possession but, having failed to find the target early on, the Tangerines took advantage and went into a surprise lead which they soon doubled. As blasé as it might sound now I didn’t feel overly concerned at two goals down because the players had opened up Conwy’s defence on plenty of occasions during the first match and opening half an hour of this encounter to suggest they could bounce back and take at least a point and, from the moment Kev Lloyd pulled a goal back, it seemed almost inevitable that the Cofis would go on to win the match. Danny Brookwell hit the target to ensure that the teams were level at half-time and the Cofis put on a powerful display after the break to find the net on three more occasions, through Nathan  Craig, Cory Williams and Gareth Edwards. 

Cory Williams made an instant impact against Conwy.

A special mention here to Cory, who came on off the bench and scored with his first contribution, cutting inside from the right flank before beating his marker and curling an effort into the bottom far corner of the net. An excellent strike from him that shows the quality he has and I’m sure we’ll see plenty more of the same from him in the future.

As has become the norm of late, I carried out a post-match interview on video with Iwan and he was as forthright as ever in his comments. This time, however, he was under the added pressure of having been challenged by his players and coaching staff to include the word ‘mushroom’ in his interview, which he just about managed, although I’m not sure how was able to carry on after getting his word in! Cory was also given a challenge in his interview and came up trumps and whilst I’m not convinced it’s the best idea they’ve had (thinking mainly of making my job harder!) it’s a great sign that there’s a good craic in the squad.

I felt that the manner of the victory over Conwy might prove a turning point in the side’s form at home and there couldn’t be many tougher opportunities to test the theory than the visit of Guilsfield to the Oval on Saturday.

Anyone who has even a passing interest in the Cymru Alliance League will know that he Guils are a very strong side and have been for a number of years. The squad may change slightly from time to time but one thing you can be sure of when playing Danny Barton’s side is a real challenge, both  physically and mentally. They are a very tough side to break down and can muscle most teams out of matches, as proved when they beat us at the Oval last term. That defeat still rankles with Iwan and I know he was even more desperate than usual for his side to gain victory this time around. The players did not let him down as they put on a superb performance to win by five goals to one in what I feel was the best home performance of the season thus far.

Dany Brookwell opened the scoring against Guilsfield.

There were many strong performances on the day but it was Darren Thomas who stole the show with a virtuoso showing, running the match from his free role on the park. Guilsfield had no answer to Town’s frontline as Messi prompted Kev Lloyd, Jamie Breese and Danny Brookwell 

with his clever runs and interplay. Following Darren and Danny’s early goals, Nathan Craig got a brace to give him eleven goals in as many matches this term whilst it was great to see Breesy finding the net again after looking slightly frustrated in the last two matches. Jamie has been the league’s top scorer for the last two seasons and whilst I believe he is the best striker in the league there’s much more to his game than scoring goals. His work ethic is second to none and I would love to see the distance he covers in matches. Three words that describe Jamie to me are: Striker. Team. Player. 

Recent signing Danny Sullivan. 

I’m sure that one or two teams would have been looking at our match with Guilsfield with interest, and maybe expecting us to drop points, so to beat such a strong side by five goals to one was some statement by the team although, typically of Iwan, he was still not totally satisfied, and gave the side a seven out of ten for the performance! Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, the word of the day for the manager was Nemo (I kid you not!) whilst Nathan had to find a way to get washing basket into his post-match interview! I’m not sure where all this silly word nonsense will end, but I’ll be trying my best to keep it clean!

Despite being on such a great run of form the manager has strengthened his squad even further in recent weeks with the addition of two quality signings, Danny Sullivan from Flint and Charley Robertson, who had to wait an astonishing thirty one days for international clearance to don the yellow shirt. Both have made their debuts for us now and I'm sure they'll be looking to get into the side as soon as possible. Competition in the squad is healthy and we've got it in spades!   

Saturday was a special day for the club as a whole because we had been invited by the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum in Caernarfon to lay poppy crosses in the Garden of Remembrance at the Castle. To be given such an opportunity to pay our respects to those who gave their lives for us in wartime was an honour and privilege for the club and the time we had at the Castle is one of my proudest as a supporter. We had representatives from the first team, the ladies team and the Academy and it was very emotional to be there together.

Finally, I’ve been busier than usual on Press Officer duty recently and couldn’t be happier about it! In the past week or so the club has been

able to announce a car deal with B & K Williams Garages and we are also putting something together about the huge contribution the Canaries club have made to the club in recent months. Everyone who lives locally will know that co-owner of B & K Garages. Kevin Williams, is a keen fan of the club and so it’s great that he’s been able to help us secure a great deal for a car that will enable Nathan Craig to carry out his duties as the Head of the Football in the Community project. As for the Canaries, I can say from personal experience that their support has been critical to the club in the last eighteen months, and especially so over the course of the last six months. They are putting money and time into the maintenance of the Oval and I think we’d have been struggling without them during this transitional period for the club’s Board. They have three seats on the new Board and I’m sure we’ll keep on working together to improve all aspects of the club.        

Iwan has brought the One Club motto to Caernarfon Town and whilst there may still be a way to go before we fully reach that point, I’m more confident than ever that we will get there.

Come on Town!   

                            

Normality, Defunct Toffees and Four Weetabix.

The last blog was something of a whistle stop journey through the first month of the season during which I reviewed Town’s first seven matches of the campaign and covered the changes in personnel as the manager tried to finalise the make-up of his squad. I likened the opening weeks to being on a rollercoaster due to the side’s patchy results up to that point but thankfully things have since settled and we’re now very much back to normal with just three matches, consisting of two victories and a draw, to look back on.

The first of those was against Holyhead Hotspur and encounters between the sides are usually really tight affairs, although it does seem that we’ve usually had the upper hand in recent years. I’m not sure how other people see matches between the clubs but I’ve always thought of them as ‘local derbies’ and certainly they’re always played in this spirit, both on and off the pitch. Both clubs have passionate supporters and there is always plenty of banter between both sets, usually at ‘The New Stadium’ where Holyhead’s finest are especially vociferous. They have one particularly vocal follower who goes by the name of a now defunct famous toffee sweet and whom I last saw being given a verbal, and very public, warning at Holyhead’s ground by one of their stewards. I’m unsure as to the cause for such action but I’ll harbour a guess and say that it might have been something to do with a refereeing decision against his side. Anyway, it was good to see that he had made the trip to the Oval for the match, and also somehow reassuring to see him take his customary place, not too far away from the linesman, where he proceeded to offer his advice to all three match officials, his speciality obviously concerning the intricacies of the offside rule.  

Keighan Jones. 

Due to the proximity of the clubs there is always a good chance that one or more of the players will have played for both sides and this in itself always adds some spice to the encounters. This time around, it was the turn of our former keeper Paul Pritchard to play the pantomime villain as he faced the Cofis for the first time since leaving during the Summer. ‘The Cat’ needs no introduction on here, as everyone who supports Caernarfon will know all about his two stints with the club, the first as a member of Wayne Phillips’ Welsh Premier League squad during 2002-2004 and more recently when Lee Dixon brought him back to the Oval in 2012. During the past four seasons I think he’s proved without doubt that he’s the best keeper in the league and, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the best I’ve seen playing for us, although I would also say that he’s the worst dressed keeper we have had. By far!

The Harbourmen are never anything less than a tough nut to crack and they proved it again two weeks ago, arriving at the Oval in decent, if not great form, and on the back of a confidence boosting 8-1 victory over Mold. It wasn’t the most exciting of encounters but the players deserved the victory, despite a dogged rearguard action by Hotspur, and an excellent performance from ‘the Cat’, who pulled off a string of saves to keep his side within touching distance until the final minutes. In the end, a Nathan Craig penalty and a late James Breese strike were enough to clinch the points and give the Cofis a fourth straight league victory. 

Before moving on, our new keeper Keighan Jones deserves a mention for such an assured display on his debut. Having only recently signed for the club he was given an early opportunity to impress following an injury sustained by Paul Whitfield against Flint and he certainly looks a safe pair of hands for us. I feel sorry for Whitty though, as he had done really well since replacing Mike Jones earlier in the season but it just goes to show how important it is to have two quality glovesmen in the squad. In Keighan and Whitty we certainly have this and we also have Alex Crofts in the reserves who has impressed thus far this season. 

Next up was a trip to Ruthin and, never having been to the ground, or even the town, before, it was nice to visit somewhere new and I was really impressed by the excellent set up they have at the Memorial Playing Fields. The admission fee of £4.00p was very decent, and there was also a convenient car park at the ground itself. The dressing rooms were situated in what looked like a fairly old building, with a clubhouse running adjacent to the dressing rooms. This, of course, proved very handy for the travelling Cofi Army, who wasted little time in checking it out!

The Cofi Army in Ruthin. 

As always, the first face I saw at the ground was the fountain of all Cofi knowledge, John Watkins, who informed me that former Town player Danny Jellicoe would be lining up for the hosts. I’ll be honest and say that this was rather surprising news as I thought Danny had retired from playing a few years ago and yet, here he was, warming up with his team-mates. I believe he’s still just hanging on to his thirties and to be fair, he did a great job marshalling his defence. Ruthin had appointed  Chris Williams as their new manager just a few days earlier and this obviously had a positive effect on the side, as they performed much better than you’d expect the league’s basement side to.

The match itself took on a vaguely familiar pattern as we dominated possession and created plenty of opportunities but couldn’t quite manage to take advantage in front of goal. However, when a side has so many match-winners in the line-up, there’s always a chance one of them will find the target and this time it was Darren Thomas, who made a goal out of nothing as he picked the ball up in midfield before driving forward and placing the ball neatly into the corner of the home net. At that time, I half expected the floodgates to open but Ruthin dug in and defended magnificently to keep their goal intact for the remainder of the match. In addition to their defence, I thought Will Owen was outstanding for the hosts.

Town fully deserved the victory and I know that some of the players may have felt frustrated that they didn’t win by a wider margin but, as Iwan said in his post-match interview, a win’s a win and the result ensured a fifth successive league victory.

Danny Brookwell in full flight against Ruthin. 

Another positive to come out of the match was the second half introduction of Danny Brookwell and Rob Jones, who added to their midweek cameos against Holyhead with a longer run-out this time around. Rob added some composure in the middle whilst Danny looked electricifying as he ran at the home defence. I’m not sure there’s anyone faster than Danny in the league and I was tempted to feel sorry for the right full back who had to mark him for the final half an hour! His face as he headed for the dressing after the final whistle told its own story! 

Nathan Craig.

Before heading for home, I conducted interviews with Iwan and Nathan Craig and was found out that Nathan needs four weetabix for breakfast on match days to ensure he gets on the scoresheet! 

The side was back at the Oval on Saturday where Caersws were the visitors. The Bluebirds seem to have strengthened their squad over the Summer and look a stronger outfit than last season although, if truth be told, following a blistering start to the game from the Cofis, I thought we were in for a decent victory. Once again we dominated possession early on without finding the net and, as the match wore on, Caersws gained in confidence and started to play some good football of their own. Having gone into the lead courtesy of a Sean Evans free-kick, the visitors seemed content to sit back, especially having gone down to ten men mid-way through the first half and, despite Town’s dominance and many opportunities, it took a late Jamie Breese goal to get the draw that was the least we deserved. Darren Thomas very nearly secured victory with the final meaningful kick of the match when the ball landed at his feet two yards from goal, but he couldn’t quite manage a clean contact and the opportunity passed.

Jamie Breese secured a point against Caersws with a late goal.

To be fair to Caersws, anything but a draw would have been harsh on them and, whilst the Town players were frustrated at failing to win I think it’s worth noting that they showed a lot of determination to get something from the match when things had not quite been falling for us in front of goal. The supporters man of the match was Darren Thomas and I can certainly see why but, for me, Sam Ashworth was the stand-out performer following his introduction from the bench early in the second period. I thought Sam’s composure and drive from midfield made a huge difference to the side and, at just sixteen years of age, he is already playing beyond his years. Iwan mentioned Sam to me during the summer and said he is a real prospect, and how right he was!

Talking of prospects, it’s been great to see our striker Corrig McGonigle knocking in the goals at Glantraeth in the last two weeks. He’s gone there on loan to regain match fitness and certainly seems to doing that, finding the net three times in his two matches for Warren Gibbs’ side.

Hopefully, we’ll get to see him back in the yellow shirt in the not too distant future.

When Dave Jones asked me a few weeks ago if I fancied putting together my favourite Caernarfon Town XI I jumped at the chance, but did so without fully realising how hard a task it would be! It was almost impossible to look beyond our famous FA Cup side of 1986/87 because that was, without doubt, the finest team I’ve seen in the yellow shirt. However, I also feel that we’ve had other outstanding players who either might have strengthened that side or who are just my favourites. The truth is, of course, every supporter would pick different players in their favourite XI’s and really, I could have named three or four sides of my own picks. What it did prove is that I’ve been lucky enough to have seen many wonderful players representing the side, and I count the current squad in this, and such is the status of the club I’m sure that this will continue to be the case in the future.

Darren Thomas would always be in my favourite XI.

We’ve got another big match coming up this weekend, as we head to Conwy in the Welsh Cup. Iwan has made it clear since joining the club that the cup means a lot to him and I’m sure he’s as desperate as all the Cofi Army to see us enjoy a long run in the competition.

The league title is the priority, but how much would we all love a run in the Welsh Cup?!

Finally, as is often the case in football, some people enjoy criticising other clubs and love to hide their remarks behind the banner of 'banter' and I've read and heard plenty of this since the start of the season. However, we're less than two months in, are unbeaten in six matches and currently lie second in the league. And the players are only just getting started! 

Come on the Town!

        

Rollercoaster: John Travolta and an Eventful Start....

Riding an early season rollercoaster was not what I had expected and probably doesn’t accurately describe the fledgling campaign thus far but, if for some reason you’re reading this and haven’t been following Caernarfon Town, or might have missed a match or two, at least the analogy will give you a general idea of what it has been like to be a Town supporter during the first four weeks of the season. 

After a particularly busy pre-season programme, it came as something of a relief when we were finally able to welcome Penrhyncoch to the Oval for the season opener. As I’ve already mentioned recently, the summer friendlies had been a mixed bag, where the team won the matches they’d been expected to, but lost against the more fancied opponents, such as The New Saints and Aberystwyth. Iwan had used some of the fixtures to take a look at a fair number of the reserves and whilst I had found it an enjoyable build-up to the season, seeing new players, and trying to guess the make-up of the first team, especially when taking into account the changes made to the squad since last year’s double triumph, I was more than ready for the real action to begin on August 13th.

Penrhynchoch were a decent side but had obviously travelled from Mid-Wales with a gameplan to put everyone behind the ball and hope to escape with a point. Caernarfon struggled in the opening half and I was very much reminded of our stalemate with Gresford last season when they parked the bus, and keeper Jonathan Hill-Dunt, in front of goal and got the draw they were looking for. It didn’t quite work out that way for the Roosters though and an impressive second half from the Cofis led to a 3-1 victory, thanks to a Cory Williams goal and Darren Thomas brace. 

Meilir Owen.

It was good to see former Town striker Meilir Owen back at the Oval, although this time instead of terrorising defences as he used to thirty years ago, this time he was running the line in his recent defection to the dark side! To be fair to Meilir, he had an excellent game and is just the type of person we need to manage matches, either in the middle or on the touchline. .

This was followed by a trip up the A55 for a Friday evening fixture with Denbigh Town and I was certainly expecting a tough match. Central Park is one of my favourite away grounds, where the pitch is excellent and we always get a warm welcome. This time was no different, and I was pleased to see that work was being carried out on their Main Stand, which will be double its’ original size once the project is completed.

Readers of a certain age will remember the football programme 'Saint & Greavesie' and Jimmy Greaves’ oft quoted saying that football is a funny old game, and rarely can this have been truer than for this thriller!

The stand at Denbigh. 

Town started impressively and led 2-0 at half-time although, truth be told, we could have been further ahead at that stage, such had been our dominance. Then, when Jamie Breese put the Cofis three ahead in the seventy third minute, I think most of us in the ground felt we’d clinched the points. Denbigh did not see it that way, though, and they produced a stunning fightback to clinch a 4-4 draw, salvaging the point with the final kick of the match. If I’m being honest I was slightly relieved that the final whistle was blown immediately after the point clincher as it seemed the hosts looked like scoring each time they attacked in the final twenty minutes.

Having been 3-0 and 4-2 up late in the match, of course it was disappointing that the team could not manage to hold on to victory but credit should also be given to Denbigh for refusing to give up, despite the uphill battle they faced for most of the match.

I have heard a few supporters bemoan the fact that the referee played seven minutes of injury time on the night, during which the hosts scored two goals and I agree that it seemed unwarranted. Having said that, I would have settled for a point before the match so it wasn’t the disaster some would have us believe, although it definitely felt like a defeat on the night! I had carried out a video interview with Iwan for his post-match comments after the Penrhyncoch match and had hoped to do likewise at Denbigh but, considering the disappointment of dropping two points, I decided against it. I know the manager would have been prepared to give his verdict but I might have had to put an 18 certificate on it to share it!  

Not our day against Prestatyn.

Our next match was another tough looking challenge as Prestatyn arrived at the Oval with two impressive victories already under their belt. Last season they had outplayed us on the way to a 4-2 victory and had looked very strong, making their subsequent implosion rather surprising. Unfortunately for us, Neil Gibson’s men seemed to have regained their swagger and proved too strong for the Cofis, running out comprehensive 4-1 winners at a stunned Oval.

I can’t really add too much about the match as, from a Caernarfon Town supporters’ point of view, it was very disappointing that Prestatyn seemed so much better than us. I don’t believe they are, and it may have been just one of those afternoons when the team just can’t get out of first gear but it worried me that the side had conceded four goals for the second successive match as they had enjoyed such an excellent defensive record on the way to the title last year.     

So, four points from the opening three matches mirrored last season’s start to the campaign and, as it didn’t end up too badly at all in May, it was hardly a time for panic. It was also easy to forget that the team was getting used to a new goalkeeper, Mike Jones, and were doing so without a mainstay of the defence, the captain Grahame Austin. Added to this was Danny Brookwell’s absence and also Nathan Craig’s for the past two matches, all of which will not have helped in the grand scheme of things.

Job done after a battling victory over Porthmadog.

The players had the perfect opportunity to bounce back to winning ways just three days after the Prestatyn defeat when they took on our neighbours Porthmadog at The Traeth. As we all know, this fixture has become a staple part of the local football scene in recent years with large crowds usually turning up to witness the Gwynedd derby. This match was no exception and nearly six hundred spectators paid for the privilege of watching the sides go head to head. Of course, Port have a number of former Cofis in their squad these days, which always adds a little spice to the proceedings, and it was good to see Cai Jones, Gareth Jones Parry, Jamie McDaid and Ywain Gwynedd taking part, although for this once I hoped they wouldn’t be at their best!

Nathan Craig marked his return to the side with an exquisite goal in the opening minute, somehow caressing the ball into the top corner of the net from twenty five yards out to give us the perfect start. Jamie Breese added a second and this proved enough for the points as, despite the hosts pulling a goal back before the break, they failed to truly threaten an equaliser for the remainder of the evening. It was an impressive victory for Town, ad very much required when considering the previous result. It was an interesting team selection from Iwan, as he moved Tom Quinn to defence  from midfield, and brought Kevin Roberts and Corrig McGonigle into the side. The selection worked a treat as Town attacked with verve and looked solid throughout, and they thoroughly deserved the victory.

Kevin Lloyd. 

Following such a convincing performance, the next match could not come quickly enough and I hoped the players would be able to repeat their midweek performance when they took on Gresford at the Oval on the Saturday. As previously mentioned, the team from Clappers Lane proved a hard nut to crack last season and I was expecting more of the same from them, especially when I saw that Hill-Dunt was still between the sticks for them. This time around, however, he had much less of an impact on the match, as the Canaries proved lethal in front of goal, finding a way past him five times before the end of the afternoon. A brace from McGonigle and a Jamie Breese hat-trick were not the only highlights of the match however, as there was also the return of Cofi favourite Kevin Lloyd to the squad.

I think it’s fair to say that supporters were sad to hear that Kevin had decided to leave the club during the summer and I, for one, had hoped he would have stayed on. At the time, Kev gave his reasons for leaving as added work commitments and so it was great to hear that he and Iwan had agreed his return to his hometown club. Kevin is one of us, a true Caernarfon Town supporter, and so we know what it means for him to put on the shirt, and he proves it every time he plays. I really hope he decides to stay on with us now for the long term because he’s a cracking player, and always fully committed to the cause.

Midweek saw us take a break from league action as we welcomed Welsh Premier League side Rhyl to the Oval in the Nathaniel MG Cup, formerly known as the Word Cup. I had been looking forward to this tie as it would be a good test for the side against decent opposition from the top tier and I was quietly confident the players could progress to the next round.

I thought the Cofis started well and probably shaded the first half, although Rhyl did seem a useful outfit and certainly not as bad as their recent heavy defeat to TNS would suggest.

I didn’t feel that the 1-2 half-time scoreline was a fair reflection of the action up to that point but having scored on the stroke of the break, I felt the team were in with a real chance of winning after the restart, but it didn’t pan out this way and the Lillywhites ran out 5-1 winners.

To be fair to Caernarfon, Iwan obviously told the players to go for it in the second half and I thought they put Rhyl under a fair bit of pressure in the opening minutes after the break. However, they couldn’t find a quick equaliser and the visitors made the most of the spaces available to them as Caernarfon attacked, and punished the Cofis with three more strikes.

It was a peculiar evening because the ground felt a bit flat even before kick-off and the scoreline seemed to flatter the visitors, although they certainly deserved to win. It was very reminiscent of the Prestatyn defeat in that the players just couldn’t seem to click into any pattern of play and when that happens, you need a little luck to pull you through, and this was also in short supply on the night.

I don’t want to dwell too much on defeats so will just say that, judging by the faces of the players as they left they ground, they were as disappointed as everyone else at the result.

I carried out a short video interview with Iwan on Friday evening and he spoke at length of how frustrated he had been at Wednesday’s performance and how he expected the players to knuckle down and show what the club meant to them by putting in a much improved performance in the next match, which would be at Flint on Saturday. 
Something I forgot to mention about my visit to the ground last year was the car park available next to the clubhouse, which must be amongst the most picturesque in Welsh football, situated as it is next to Flint Castle (photo).

Flint Castle.

I had heard rumours over the Summer months that the Silkmen were gunning for the title this season and to be perfectly honest I would not expect anything less from them. Unlike us, they achieved the FAW Domestic Licence in April and therefore, very much like us, seem determined to return to the top flight at the earliest opportunity.

The sides had enjoyed an identical start to the league campaign before the encounter but that is where the similarity ended as Caernarfon outclassed the hosts and were full value for the 6-1 victory. I had expected a reaction from the players from the midweek defeat but had not expected us to outplay a team that many people have been tipping to challenge for the title this year. Of course, it’s still early days and they may well do just that, but on yesterday’s evidence, the Cofis are a much stronger outfit. Nathan Craig scored four goals, including two free-kicks that gave Ben Jones no chance in the hosts’ goal. The first of these included a bit of banter between Nathan and the goalkeeper and suffice to say, Jones fell for it, and got caught out by the free-kick!

The Cofis were in imperious form against Flint.  

It was a much improved performance from Town and the return of Darren Thomas certainly made a difference as the Cofi Messi danced his way around players for the whole match, looking to strike at goal or create opportunities for his team-mates. It was, without doubt, the best performance of the season so far by the team and I feel sure that they can now carry on this form and go on a long run of good results.

This time, I did carry out a post-match interview with Iwan and managed to complete it after an aborted first effort, due to schoolboy banter from one of the players! I’ve posted the aborted recording on the Oval Ways Instagram account if you’re interested!

Nathan Craig during the match at Flint. 

Before moving on, I must commend the excellent pre-match music selection that was offered at Cae y Castell, as disco tunes from the seventies streamed through the speakers, which included The Bee Gees classic Night Fever. Nathan Craig must have heard the song whilst warming up because he did a fair impression of a swaggering John Travolta as he led the Silkmen, and especially their goalkeeper, a merry dance for ninety minutes!

So, that’s a quick run-down of the first seven matches of the season, and the reason why I used the rollercoaster analogy at the beginning of the blog. We’ve had ups and downs, highs and lows and not much in between thus far on the pitch, and when you add the departure of Jay Gibbs, the return of Rob Jones and the introduction of our third new goalkeeper, Paul Whitfield, it has been a pretty eventful start to the campaign!

I wonder what I’ll be writing about in the next blog?

Come on the Town!

All photographs used in this blog are copyright of Paul Evans.