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!  

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!

Kev Lloyd, George Michael and Showing the Red Card.

Kevin Lloyd. 

Having ended the last blog by contemplating whether or not Town manager Iwan Williams would replace Toby Jones, who had recently left for Conwy Borough, we didn’t have to wait long for the answer as the manager moved quickly to sign not just a striker but also a defender and a midfielder!

The first arrival was a name from the past, and although slightly surprised, I was delighted when Iwan said he was bringing Kevin Lloyd back to the club. Kev, of course, played for the Canaries for three seasons, signing for former manager Clive Jones during the summer of 2010, and he was a big hit with the supporters during his time at the Oval. A Caernarfon Town supporter through and through, he has been a regular visitor to the Oval since leaving two years ago and although I haven’t spoken at length with him since his return, I’m pretty sure he’s thrilled to be back. I’m hoping to get hold of Kevin soon for an interview to share on here, but for now I’ll use his words from the Oval Ways book to prove just how much he enjoyed playing for the Canaries during his first stint which will give an indication of what it will mean for him to be back:

“It was fantastic to see so many of the lads I know going to the Oval to support the team. Seeing so many of my friends in the Cofi Army at our matches made me very proud and it meant a lot to me!”

Kevin making his return for the Canaries against Buckley.

Kev has played a prominent part in all three matches since his return and done well, which is something the manager pointed out in his comments after the Buckley and Connahs Quay matches. It’s early days yet but the signs are promising that he could strike up a good partnership with Jamie Breese and I believe and hope he can become an important player for the team going forward. 

James Thomas is another former Canary to have returned recently and, if anything, his arrival came as an even bigger surprise than Kevins’. Also known as ‘Smiler’, James played for us in the Welsh Premier League and although it’s been a few years since he left, I do recall that he was a skilful wide man with an excellent left foot. He came on for the final

James 'Smiler' Thomas.

quarter of an hour at Caersws and looked as skilful, and confident, as ever and he certainly gives Iwan a different option on the flanks. I gather ‘Smiler’ has been living abroad recently, although rumours that he’s been working as a George Michael lookalike are yet to be confirmed.

Iwan’s third new addition is Tom Taylor, and although I know very little of him, the fact that he was Player of the Season at Glantraeth in 2013/14 and was reportedly training with a Welsh Premier League club during the Summer suggests he has lots to offer. Having suffered from injury in recent months, the manager has hinted we may have to wait a while to see the very best of Tom as he recovers from injury so it will be interesting to see how he goes. Not rushing back into action too soon will be important and I’m sure Iwan and his staff will manage this in the correct manner. 

The first two months of the season have seen much more activity than usual at the club, personnel-wise, and it’s been interesting to see so many changes. Iwan’s predecessor, Lee Dixon, brought in a virtually new squad to the Oval in his first summer at the club and I think it’s generally expected that a new manager makes wholesale changes when he arrives. Iwan has done things differently to Lee as he kept most of Dicko’s group and added a few quality signings during the off-season to hopefully strengthen it. 

Ellis Healing (above) and Danny Brookwell (below)
have both arrived after the start of the season.

What’s been especially interesting is the way he has dealt with the spate of injuries we’ve had, reacting quickly whenever the squad has been low in numbers and making tough decisions along the way. Looking at the team’s latest match at Caersws, six of the starting line-up were at the club last season, Jamie Breese and Joe Williams were signed during the Summer and the remaining three players have been brought in since the start of the campaign. In addition to this, the three used substitutes were also signed by Iwan, two of whom arrived after the big kick off at Holywell. Injury may have forced Iwan’s hand a bit, although I certainly wouldn’t know, but I also think the volume of recent signing might also be something to do with the team’s difficulties in breaking defences down, which was definitely a problem at the beginning of the season. Certainly, signing players such as Ellis Healing, Danny Brookwell and Kevin Lloyd to add to Jamie Breese and Jamie McDaid suggests that the manager felt we needed more attacking options and in recent weeks I feel we have looked much better going forward. 

Judging from what we’ve seen thus far at the Oval this season, most teams will look to frustrate Caernarfon and hope to sneak a win on the break. Druids carried out the plan perfectly and Gresford also very nearly did but I think the manager has reacted well and definitely has more options available to deal with the problem now. Talking of Gresford, I don’t think I’ve been more frustrated as a spectator than during their visit to the Oval. I’m not normally one to say anything too negative about other sides (in print, anyhow!) but did tweet after the goalless draw that it was frustrating to see teams parking their bus on the pitch and playing for the draw from the very first minute. To be fair to Gresford they defended really well and have an outstanding goalkeeper in Jonathan Hill-Dunt, who kept them in the match with a string of excellent saves. He is also pretty good at helping run the clock down and I had to smile when he replied to my twitter message, saying I should give his side more credit, calling their tactics ‘game management’ as opposed to ;parking the bus’. I will never give a team any credit for wasting time and not trying to at least play some football and if ‘Game Management’ means ‘Time Wasting’ then I might start using this phrase from now on. 

Jamie Breese (above)and Rob Jones (below)
Support 'Show Racism the Red Card.'

Things have definitely taken an upward turn, entertainment wise, since the Gresford match, and I think that in addition to the new signings it also has a lot to do with the attitudes of our opponents. We all know that Iwan prepares his team to play an attacking style of football and the last three opponents, Buckley, Connah’s Quay and Caersws also like to play football. The recent matches against these teams have been entertaining affairs with no less than nineteen goals and whilst I’m sure we’ll see plenty of buses trying to get on the pitch at the Oval before the end of the season, I also believe that Iwan now has the options to find a way to drive them off the pitch! Time will tell of course, but the signs are good thus far.

Before finishing, here’s my rundown on the team’s last three matches:

I really enjoyed the match with Buckley for a number of reasons. A much needed home victory and the return of Kevin Lloyd were the most prominent amongst them but I also thought the players did very well to cope with the early injuries to Gareth Jones Evans and James Bell. 

Already missing a few regulars for the match, the manager was himself forced into action early on, and Jamie Breese dropped back to form a midfield partnership with the manager. This obviously had an effect on the team’s pattern of play but they still managed to play football and did well to get the victory. For once, Buckley manager Tom Taylor stayed in the technical area on the touchline instead of wandering around the pitch but it obviously impaired his vision as his post-match comments on the club’s website include him saying that his side were the better passing team. Really? I wouldn’t agree but his team definitely had a go, which is more than others have done recently. 

I’m afraid I missed the Word Cup tie at Connahs Quay due to work and I’m still gutted about it. Although the team lost after extra time everyone I have spoken to have praised the team and, from all accounts, the Cofis could have won the tie in ninety minutes. The fact that they more than matched a Welsh Premier League side for the third time this season speaks volumes about the quality in the team and having done so with a threadbare squad is even more impressive. Tom Taylor (our player and not the Buckley manager!) made his debut on the night as a late substitute but was mightily close to starting the match in goal, due to traffic problems on the A55 having delayed our number one, Paul Pritchard. Luckily, the Cat managed to make it with around a minute to spare and, despite the ruse, had another excellent match between the sticks. 

Iwan with Tom Taylor, who nearly made his debut in goal!

Joe Williams during the match at Caersws.

The team travelled to Caersws last Saturday and were excellent in a 6-3 victory. Unusually for the hosts, they find themselves bottom of the league and, in all honesty, I thought Caernarfon were by far the better side. Town started well, and got better as the match progressed. Despite Caersws being down to ten men after twenty five minutes, Town had already looked a stronger outfit and were already looking likely winners. To be fair to the hosts, they kept going for the ninety minutes and were a credit to their manager, Graham Evans for rolling up their sleeves until the final whistle. Despite the long journey I always enjoy my visits to the Recreation Ground and the work they’ve carried out at the ground in recent years is impressive. The Bluebirds always extend a warm welcome to visitors and I really hope they can turn things around on the pitch and manage to keep clear of relegation. I travelled to the match with the Chairman Arfon, vice-chair Dylan and the Chairman of vice, who shall in this instance remain nameless for the sake of the club, and have to say that the trip to and from Powys was every bit as enjoyable as the match itself. I could not possibly divulge any of the tales that were shared amongst us on the day but suffice to say that most, if not all of it, is totally unrepeatable. All harmless fun, of course, and another reason why I love supporting the Canaries. 

Town’s victory and other results last Saturday means the Cofis are now top of the Huws Gray Alliance League and whilst it’s still early days in the title race, I think we have a real

chance of being there after the final match of the season next March.
This Saturday, the Cofis entertain Llandudno Junction in the Welsh Cup and I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that it’s about time we had a good run in this competition. Fingers crossed! 

Finally, it's important to mention that the Show Racism the Red Card initiative's Fortnight of Action is taking place up to 31st October and it was great to see both Caenarfon Town and Caersws taking part last Saturday. We all know what the message is and I think it's important to mention it here, and I'm delighted to publish the above photo of the team spreading the message before saturday's match. For more information please visit the official site by following this link: http://www.srtrc.org/home

James Bell, former Cofis and 'The Deluded One'.

Celebrating Jamie's winner against Bala.

No trophies have been handed out to anyone and we’re just two months into the season, but the recent six day period during which the Canaries won three big matches was pretty exciting stuff, and may hopefully prove to be a sign of things to come.

The first of those fixtures, the Word Cup tie against Bala Town, was the highlight of the season thus far for me, and I thought the team was excellent on the night. The visitors arrived at the Oval in good form, and as joint leaders of the Welsh Premier League. If I’m being totally honest I was just hoping the team would be competitive and could maybe sneak a win but felt that Bala were favourites to get through. If every football supporter in the country relied solely on coverage of the beautiful game offered by BBC Wales and S4C, we could all be forgiven for thinking that the WPL is the only decent form of the game on offer in Wales and that there is a huge gap between it and the league immediately below. Well, Caernarfon Town have showed by defeating full strength Bangor City and Bala sides that the gap may not be that big after all.

James Bell was my Man of the Match against Bala.

Where Caernarfon had dug deep to overcome Bangor, showing resilience and dogged determination to grind out a famous win, the victory over Bala was achieved with the free flowing football that Iwan Williams is so passionate about and, if anything, the one goal margin flattered the visitors.

I feared the worst after the opening twenty minutes as Town struggled to contain the Lakesiders and when we went behind early on it seemed that we might have been in for a long night. However, I noted that the Bala players hardly celebrated their goal and, looking back now, it might have been that Steve O’Shaughnessy’s side may have underestimated the Cofis and expected to chalk up a comfortable win. As odd as it may sound, the opening goal seemed to have a more positive effect on Caernarfon than Bala as Iwan urged his side to find an immediate equaliser and the players responded well.

From the moment Rob Jones equalised, Town dominated the match and at times Bala could not get anywhere near the ball. I must confess to being a big supporter of playing two strikers up front and  would like to see Caernarfon playing with two frontmen but the way Iwan set up his team against Bala worked perfectly on the night, with Ellis Healing and Jamie McDaid providing plenty of support for Jamie Breese. The Cofis were very impressive, fully deserving of the victory and I don’t think Bala could have complained if the winning margin had been wider. Rob Jones and Paul Pritchard were named the supporters joint man of the match but for me it was James Bell. James suffered a frustrating injury last season and was out of action for a long period but has recently signed a contract at the club so is obviously rated by the manager. He was superb on the night and I’m sure we’re going to see him develop into an excellent midfielder.

A memorable evening at the Oval and it was great to see the positive reaction on social media as the result filtered through. I can only hope the message got through to the powers that be at BBC Wales and S4C!

Iwan looking on at Eithin Duon. 

The tables were turned three days later when it was Caernarfon’s turn to play the role of favourites against lower league opposition in a cup tie. The match at Llanrug was always going to be a difficult one and I found it a rather peculiar affair. With all due respect to the hosts, I thought Caernarfon were very comfortable in the first half and had it not been for the heroics of ‘Rug goalkeeper Dylan Roberts, we would have been three or four goals ahead at the break.  I don’t know what was said in the home dressing room at half time but whatever it was seemed to work as Llanrug were a different team in the second period and they caused all sorts of problems for Caernarfon’s defence. Despite seeing the home side going ahead courtesy of goals by former Town players Kevin Lloyd and Neil Thomas, I always felt the Cofis would get back into the game and so it proved when Jamie McDaid did well to equalise late on.

Once the match went into extra time I thought that Caernarfon were in pole position and it was brilliant that Clive Williams got the all-important goal. As all Town supporters know, Clive missed most of last season through injury and having him back in the squad this term is like having a new player at the Oval. And what a player he is! When Lee Dixon signed him from Bangor I knew very little of Clive but everyone I spoke with told me he was some player, and they were right. Following Saturday’s match, Jay Gibbs (justjay@jaygibbs8) got it spot on when he tweeted ‘if Clive Williams doesn’t get the man of the match today I don’t think he ever will’.

Clive Williams (left) was excellent against  Llanrug.

Before moving on, I have to mention Neil Thomas and Kevin Lloyd, both of whom were members of Town’s memorable 2012/13 treble winning team, and showed during the match that they had lost none of their goalscoring instincts.

Kevin has always been seen as a bit of a maverick but I have always found him to be a really good sort and always good for a laugh and one thing that always shines through is that he’s a true Caernarfon Town supporter and is not afraid to show it. I haven’t seen him since the match but when I do will ask him how he felt after scoring against ‘his’ team!

Neil Thomas enjoyed just one season at the Oval but was a special one it was, as he proved a massive influence on the team as captain, and finished the term as the club’s top scorer. I think some people see him as a bit of a pantomime villain and certainly Neil is always happy to partake in some banter with supporters but he has been a top player in the Welsh game and still is a very good striker. He was known as ‘the fox in the box’ during his time with the Canaries due to his ability to find the net and he proved last week that he still has an eye for goal.

There was no chance of a breather for the team after two hard, and high profile matches and a trip to Porthmadog followed three days later as Town returned to league action.

On a personal level I was pleased that my usual travelling mate, Gwyn, was back in action and so it was great to be chauffeur driven to the Traeth. I was pleased to see him, but not so much with his declaration that heavy rain was forecast at seven o’clock, just half an hour before kick off. Although there had been no sign of rain all day and indeed not even on the way to Port, I’m afraid the heavens opened as predicted and continued for the next two and a half hours!

Cofis past and present, Cai Jones and Gareth Edwards

The first thing I noticed upon walking through the turnstiles was how good the ground looked. It goes without saying that the pitch seemed as impressive as always but the new hard standing area from the clubhouse and in front and of the three stands was excellent and has improved the ground immensely. Cup of tea in hand, we both headed for shelter and ended up in a small covered standing area between the two main stands. Little did I know then that I would soon be joined by a football genius who stood in front of me just as the match kicked off. Listening to this elderly gentleman of I assume a Porthmadog persuasion (seeing as he was criticising just the one team!), he obviously felt he knew all about the game and indeed I kept asking myself why this ‘Amateur Morinho’ was not sitting in the home dugout with Craig Papirnyk, where his talents and knowledge would be best served? Any sense of credibility he may have had vanished around the seven minute mark when he stated, quite plainly, that Town’s left-back could not kick the ball and was a definite weak link. Caernarfon’s left back on the night was Nathan Craig, which probably suggests that, far from being the local ‘Special One’, the opinionated gentleman might be more of a ‘deluded one’. To be fair though he may have known we were Caernarfon supporters?

Jamie Breese celebrating his winner against Port
(he's there somewhere!)

The match itself was a thriller and, despite the awful weather, the teams put on a good show. We seem to come across former Town players regularly these days and it was the turn of Cai Jones to face his former teammates this time although I’m pleased to say that Cai did not manage to replicate Neil and Kevin’s heroics for Llanrug just days earlier and failed to find the net.

Toby Jones.

Caernarfon were second best in the first half but responded superbly after the break to overturn a one goal deficit and gain another important victory on the road. Iwan decided to go a bit more direct in the second period, and Danny Brookwell and Jay Gibbs gave the side more penetration, with Jamie Breese again doing what good strikers do, making the most of his chances to find the net with two good finishes. 

It was a good win for the Cofis and the team showed plenty of heart and character to find a way to win against a very good Port side. On the way home I wondered what was going through the mind of ‘the Deluded One’?

I’ll finish this blog by wishing Toby Jones the best of luck with Conwy Borough. I was delighted when he signed for the Canaries during the summer because he is undoubtedly a quality footballer but for whatever reason things just did not work out for him at the Oval. It will be interesting to see whether or not Iwan will bring in another player to replace him as he may feel that the squad is already strong enough. We’ll find out soon enough….

A Bus, Dick Turpin and BlackAdder.

Globe Way, home of Buckley Town F.C.

With the season steamrolling on at a frantic pace I have again slipped with my blog posts, so here’s the latest instalment, which includes a look back at Town’s matches against  Buckley, Cefn Druids and Guilsfield……

Following the victory at Bangor, the side faced a tricky looking League Cup tie at Buckley and if ever there was a case of coming back down to earth with a real bump then the first half at Globe Way was it! To be fair to the players, they didn’t play too badly in the opening forty five minutes but two errors resulted in goals for the hosts and at half-time it seemed an uphill struggle awaited the team. Thankfully, the players rallied in the second period and dominated the match to score three times without reply to clinch their place in the next round.

Nathan and the supporters celebrating
his winning goal at Buckley.

Although it had been a tough match, I thought it was a great sign that the players dug deep to get the result and it was also pleasing to see two debutants slotting seamlessly into the side, Rob Jones and Danny Brookwell, the latter in particular making a big impact when he came on for the second half. I was also more than pleased to see the return of Carl Owen, who had signed during the week to boost the squad. Carl has a strong season with Town last year and I look forward to seeing more of ‘The Punisher’ in the coming months!

Away from the action itself, I was amused to see a fellow member of the club’s committee, who is probably the quietest amongst us, becoming much more animated than usual at the start of the second half. Sitting in the Stand, he was partaking in a bit of ‘running banter’ with Buckley manager Tom Taylor, who had made his way from the dug-out to the opposite side of the field to encourage the players on his side’s right flank. I’m sure you will have noted I used the word encourage and not coach because managers are not allowed outside to coach the team from outside their technical areas in front of the dugouts. Now, those of you who have happened across Taylor will know that he’s no shrinking violet, so exactly how he thought he’d get away with coaching from where he was is beyond me and so he was quickly sent back to his bench. He was not happy about it, my friend on the committee was! And talking of the Buckley manager, his post-match comments are interesting to say the least, because he must obviously have been watching a different match to me!

Pearls of wisdom from him include the BlackAdder–esque ‘cunningly setting traps for the Canaries which they fell into (I kid you not!), and whenever a losing manager talks about laughable sending  off decisions and his player being too honest when he could have won a penalty then you know he’s feeling more than disappointed by the defeat. Oh dear….

Next up was the visit of league leaders Cefn Druids to the Oval and, having been eagerly looking forward to the match, I can only say that I was equally disappointed with how it turned out. The team had not performed well against another side relegated from last season’s Welsh Premier League, Prestatyn Town, earlier in the season and so I was looking forward to seeing how they would fare with Druids who also suffered the drop. Firstly, I must say that the players deserved more from the match than they got and a draw would have probably been a fair result but, having enjoyed the majority of possession, we did not look like scoring and unfortunately Druids made the most of their best chance to clinch the win.

Just one of those days for Breesey and the team against Druids.

If I was to take a leaf out of the Buckley manager’s book I could say all sorts about how Caernarfon should have won etc but to be fair to Druids they arrived with a plan to stifle Caernarfon and did just that. They are not the most entertaining of sides but were effective on the day and headed home with the points, and all credit to them. Just for fun, however, I will try and explain how I really felt about the match in five words:

Bus. Parked. Dick. Turpin. Gutted.

On a much more positive note, it was great to meet up with my old friend Mark McKean, who works on the Druids’ website and match reports etc. I have known Mark for many years and he’s been unwell for the last few of them, so I was pleased to see him. Hope you enjoyed the book Mark!!

Catching up with an old friend at the Druids match.

There are no easy matches in the Cymru Alliance League and so, having just hosted the leaders, the team had another really tough match to play seven days later when they travelled to second placed Guilsfield.

The sides met four times last season and each match had been very close. The Guils are a physical side and travelling down to the match with committee member Elwyn Jones, we both felt it was going to be another tough challenge against Danny Barton’s side. I think it’s also fair to say that, whilst we both hoped for a Caernarfon win, we may very well have accepted a draw as a decent result at such a difficult place.          

Clive Williams. 

Scoring goals had been a problem for the team thus far (the Buckley tie excepted) and so it was interesting to see a change in the team’s formation, which saw Jamie Breese partnered up front with Jamie McDaid. I had been hoping to see the two Jamie’s spearheading the attack since the beginning of the season and was impressed at how well it worked. In another change, Clive Williams stepped up from defence to midfield and, having started the match impressively in the middle he had to drop back into centre defence early on due to an injury to Gareth Edwards.

In short, the team was superb on the day, and thoroughly deserved the 4-0 victory. The scoreline could easily have been much more than it was and the performance was probably the best of the season up to that point. Guilsfield were workmanlike and obviously missed the injured Barton but Town were certainly superior on the day. In fact, so good was Caernarfon’s performance that my only concern on the day was for the referee and his assistants, who all looked about fifteen years old! I’m all for getting younger people involved in the refereeing side of the game as we seem to see the same familiar faces in the middle and running the lines every other week, Andy Harms being an excellent recent example (!), but I also think the FAW is doing a disservice to these youngsters when they put three inexperienced officials together to run a game in the second tier of Welsh football. I’ve been told that the FAW are fast-tracking young officials due to lack of referees in the game and, if this is true, then I can understand why they’re doing it, but surely they would be better off, and be much fairer to the officials, by having at least one experienced official for each match, thus giving the youngsters some much needed support and encouragement? After all, they’re not going to get much of that from any of the supporters! 

Guilsfield were struggling so much against the Cofis that even
the Main Stand could not bare to look.

I am sure that having an elder statesman on hand at the Guilsfield match would have helped the young referee who was being slaughtered by one of the home supporters for over-ruling a linesman  for Town’s second goal. The linesman had put his flag up for an offside when Jamie McDaid scored but the referee, quite rightly, pointed out that the player who may have been offside was standing on the far side of the field and nowhere near the ball, and so the goal stood. This was like a red rag to a bull for a purple-faced gentleman in his sixties, or maybe seventies, who was still shouting obscenities two or three minutes later! This is obviously not an isolated incident and I wonder how much it affects the confidence of such inexperienced officials?

The officials had a tough day at Guilsfield....

To be honest, the inexperience of the officials on the day did not really ma

tter as Caernarfon would have won no matter who had been in charge of the whistle and as we left the Community Centre Ground I had a feeling that the victory, and the successful change in the team’s formation, could prove a turning point for the team. The two Jamies had proved too hot for the Guils defence to handle and I’m sure we’ll see plenty of goals from them both in the next six months.
Cup Fever will feature in the next blog as I take a look at the recent cup ties with Bala Town and Llanrug United.
Happy Days....

                  

I Will Love It and Who's That Coming Over the Hill....

“I Will Love It If We Beat Them…” 

Successive victories over Denbigh, Conwy and Flint had given us a boost following a tough start to the season and the team seemed to be improving with each match. However, one thing that had concerned me at Flint was the small squad Iwan had at his disposal. 

In one of the pieces we put on the club’s website during the summer months the manager made it clear that he planned on having a compact squad that would be small on numbers but hopefully big on talent. Of course, the problem with this is that we’d be reliant on enjoying an impossibly injury-free season and, whilst I know Iwan would have already been thinking of ways around this, and having both himself and Gareth Parry available to play would obviously be a big help, I’m not sure he, or anyone could have anticipated the spate of injuries we suffered in the opening weeks. As a result, just twelve players were available for selection at Flint and this was reduced further when Kevin Roberts left the field at Cae y Castell. 

All this made for less than ideal preparation for our Word Cup tie at Bangor City. Knowing that we were struggling for players on this of all nights was worrying enough but the fact that the Citizens had comfortably defeated Airbus UK just four days earlier added to a slight dampening of my enthusiasm for the match. This was not a lack of belief on my part in the management and players, rather that City might prove a better side than I had believed them to be and obviously we wanted us to face them with a full squad. Despite our lack of numbers however, I still felt we had a chance of winning. 

“I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.” 

It goes without saying that I had been looking forward immensely to the match and was desperate for the side to triumph. Whilst driving to the ground I kept thinking of that famous Kevin Keegan quote from 1996 when he was manager of Newcastle and his side were fighting for the Premier League title with Manchester United: “I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it.” Granted, I didn’t voice this in front of an audience of millions like Keegan did, but he could not have meant it any more than I did. 

I have good memories of watching matches at Farrar Road as a younger when they were doing well in the Alliance Premier League and whilst they have in the past been one of the biggest clubs in Wales I think it’s fair to say they’ve been going through a difficult time recently, both on and off the pitch. 

There has always been a great rivalry between the two clubs and the Citizens have usually had the upper hand over the Canaries in the past few years. However, I feel we have closed the wide gap that once prevailed and as a club we are much more representative of the local area we are part of. Put it like this, there was only one set of players speaking in Welsh at Nantporth on the night and they didn’t play in blue! 

Luckily for the Security firm, Kevin Roberts turned the other way....

I arrived at the Ground early and the first thing I saw filled me with dread. It wasn’t the sight of the twenty two strong security team standing in the car park that worried me but the fact that Town midfielder Kevin Roberts was standing nearby, and was not looking best pleased. Now I don’t particularly like The Kaiser Chiefs but their song ‘I Predict a Riot’ instantly sprung to mind. Thankfully for the security team, Kevin was not about to put them to bed with a medley of his best tackles and I soon learned that his obvious frown was due to being ruled out of the match through injury.

Panic over and once inside the ground I bumped into former Town assisting manager Dave Cavanagh who now works with one of Bangor’s Academy sides. Cav is always good for a laugh and he shared one or two great stories about players at some of his former clubs that I could not possibly share on here! But if he should ever decide to write a book, I’ll be one of the first in line to buy it! 

The pitch itself looked magnificent, and I was also impressed by the Main Stand, which is bigger than I had realised during a previous visit to the ground. I have heard some people say that the venue is yet another example of the modern identikit grounds that are being built by non-professional clubs and whilst it may lack the character of Farrar Road, it is nevertheless a great looking venue. 

There’s no need for me to go over the match in detail but what I can say is that Caernarfon deserved the victory. Despite one or two comments on Twitter (from the vicinity of Anglesey per chance?) stating otherwise, we were the better side on the night. The Canaries had the best opportunities in front of goal and looked fitter than the home side, finishing stronger in both halves. Iwan has spoken about the importance of high fitness levels and it was obvious to me that, despite our small squad, and the introduction of no substitutes, the Canaries looked the sharper outfit at the final whistle. It spoke volumes about the fitness work Iwan and his staff carried out with the players during the summer and also suggests that training facilities are at least just as good in this area as they are up the Coast!

It was a satisfying night to be a Caernarfon supporter, and the reaction at the final whistle from the Cofi supporters was brilliant. There are a few clips doing the rounds on youtube of the celebrations between the team and players immediately after the match and they’re worth seeing if you catch them. 

As this is a personal blog I think it’s fair to share my own thoughts on the security policy at the match. In the days leading up to the tie, Bangor City FC issued a statement that read thus: ‘The area for Caernarfon Town fans will be one hundred seats in the main stand, with a managed sterile area between both sets of fans. Standing area for Caernarfon Town fans will be from the end of the main stand to the corner flag near the turnstiles.’ 

The general consensus amongst Caernarfon followers beforehand was that there could be anything up to five hundred Cofis in attendance and so I could not have been alone in thinking the allocated area would probably not be sufficient. This became obvious a few minutes before kick off when the crowd in the standing area was three or four people deep, meaning that children and many adults could not see the match. To be fair, Bangor did open a second section in the main stand for visiting supporters at half time but this hardly helped those who had to remain standing and could still not see the action. I can see why Bangor City implemented a security policy. We all know what happened during the Challenge Cup final between the sides at the same venue two seasons ago and I think it was understandable that they erred on the side of caution this time around. However, I always felt that the allocated space was never going to be sufficient and it would have been much better for the whole area at one end of the pitch to also have been allocated to Caernarfon supporters, or at least to have been made available once it became obvious that people could not see the match. This would have meant everyone could have seen the action whilst also keeping the segregation intact. 

I would not go so far as to say the situation invoked memories of those dark days in the eighties when away supporters were forced into ‘pens’ at grounds, but with so many security personnel on hand I think the problem could have been easily rectified. I spoke with one of those security officers later and he told me, not surprisingly, that Town supporters had been impeccably behaved and I hope this message was relayed to Bangor City FC so that every Caernarfon supporter can get to see the game next time we play there. After all, if you pay £8 as an adult and £6 as a child to get into the ground you are entitled to see the match. 

On a more positive note, I can think of many highlights to savour from the evening: 

Nathan Craig and Jay Gibbs ruling the roost in midfield and showing they can get stuck in whenever they feel the need to. 

Seeing our old Gaffer, Lee Dixon, in the Main Stand exchanging some mild banter with the Caernarfon Town committee. 

The goal, and Iwan’s celebrations when Jamie scored. 

The Cofi Army and their celebrations at the final whistle. 

Special mention should also be made of one or two decent chants from the Cofi Army, including a song about Jamie Breese and a specially adapted version of the old Automatic song “What’s that Coming Over the Hill.” Priceless. 

I could go on and mention a few other things that made me smile on the night but if you’re a Caernarfon Town supporter you’ll know exactly what they are! 

On the way out of the ground I bumped into Jamie Breese and I could not resist a photo with our match winner. I mentioned in the last blog entry that I think he can become a key figure for us going forward and I am certain he will score the goals that can take us to a new level of success. I also saw some of the players and the manager and not surprisingly we all had big smiles on our faces. 

Whilst some will say it was nothing more than a victory against a side from a higher league, I would argue that it was more than that, and on more than one level. The committee at Caernarfon Town has always tried its best to do things the right way, and to try and create a community club that the Town’s people can be proud of. We have also tried our best to give local players the opportunity to play for the club. It may not always seem like but as a member of that committee I know it’s true. Most of our team at Nantporth were locally based players who train in this area and the performance just goes to show that you don’t have to fill your squad with players from up the Coast to have a decent team. 

I've come to the conclusion that Kevin Keegan was right all those years ago and whilst his side could not quite manage to put one over their great rivals at the time I am pleased to say that the team I follow was more than up to the task. 

It was a memorable night and I loved it!