El Hombre Bala, Sinatra and the Alternative Awards…..

It’s been nearly three months since I last added a blog and so, with 2018 coming to a close, I thought it might be time to try and squeeze in one final entry before the new year arrives. Of course, a lot has happened in and around Caernarfon Town Football Club since the last blog and to try and catch up in the same format at usual would be a daunting job, not just to write but also for you to read. Therefore, I’ve decided to put together a few highlights and comments to cover the three months, and will close with the inaugural Oval Ways Alternative End of Year Awards. So, brace yourself for a whirlwind recap to cover the last twelve weeks from where I was standing….

October.

Rambo explaining to Gwyn Derfel how he and his defence 

kept two clean sheets against the Nomads. 

Although the Cofis failed to win a match throughout the month, there was only one defeat,  a 0-3 reverse at home to an excellent Newtown side. The other three matches were all drawn and the pick of the bunch, in my opinion, was the goalless encounter with Connahs Quay Nomads. Followers of the Welsh Premier League will be aware that Andy Morrisons’ side are battling TNS and Barry Town for the league title and so to keep a clean sheet against them for a second time this season was an impressive achievement.

I missed the match at Abersytwyth due to a combination of illness and not wanting to risk life and limb by travelling through Storm Callum for two hours. I’ll be honest and say that I believe the Welsh Premier League should have cancelled the match on safety grounds of those braving the atrocious weather. I received two photos from a friend travelling to the match and believe the club requested a cancellation in plenty of time before everyone started their journeys but the message was clear that the fixture had to be played. Thankfully, everyone got back home safely but this is certainly something that needs to be looked at in the future. I understand that we are now playing in the Welsh Premier League, but people’s safety is obviously the priority and common sense needs to be used in such circumstances.

November.

Defeat at Carmarthen but Nathan was back with a vengeance!

A long trip to Carmarthen was first up and it was a first visit to Richmond Park for me. I opted to drive down, and thankfully, my mate Bob was also up for the journey, as otherwise I fear I would still be driving around the country lanes looking for the ground! The weather was atrocious, again, but we began well and when Nathan Craig put the Cofis ahead with a free kick I thought we’d go on and win the match. Unfortunately, football is not that straightforward and the hosts did well to get back in the match and eventually ran out 4-3 winners. Although the post-match interviews the players gave me later showed how frustrated they were, I still think the team had done enough to get at least a point. However, a huge positive to take away from the afternoon was the return of Nathan, who scored a hat-trick and showed, once again, how important he is to the side.

Job done at Park Hall.

We travelled to England six days later, in atrocious rain(again), to play The New Saints. I’m not sure how many people gave us a chance of gaining anything against the champions but the players were confident and the Cofi Army was there, so it was game on! Having defended well in the first half, the Cofis fairly dominated the second period and Nathan gave us a deserved win with a penalty late on. Suffice to say it was a pretty special victory for Caernarfon and, oddly enough, I neither saw nor heard the previously loud TNS contingency on the way out of the ground! It had been an enjoyable first visit to Park Hall although I did find it quite a peculiar set-up, having to enter a sort of childrens’ play area and café/bar on the way to the football ‘arena’, which I was surprised to see only had two half-stands containing seating areas. But still, what a great win for the Cofis! Incidentally, Noah Edwards was our man of the match and deservedly so, as he was excellent throughout.

Gaz celebrating his goal against Cardiff Met. 

The players backed up the TNS victory by beating Cardiff Met 2-0 in front of the Sgorio cameras the following week. Gareth Edwards and Noah were jointly named man of the match but, in truth, all of the Caernarfon players could quite easily have been given the accolade. In my opinion, the performance was our best of the season up to that point as Met are a very good side and yet, we bossed the action and had the opportunities to win by a much more handsome margin.

December.

A 2-2 draw in Llanelli was followed by a tough looking trip to Prestatyn in the Welsh Cup. Despite taking a wrong turn near the ground and ending up halfway to Rhyl, we managed to make it before kick-off and whilst I cannot say hand on heart that I enjoyed standing in the bitter cold wind for ninety minutes, I did rather enjoy seeing the Cofis beating Neil Gibson’s side by three goals to nil. The last time we had played at Bastion Road, the Seasiders beat us on their way to the Cymru Alliance title and so it was nice to turn the tables on them this time around. They’ve had a very tough couple of seasons but it seems that the recently returned manager is slowly turning things around and the addition of players of the calibre of former Town player Ben Maher is a positive sign that he’ll do just this.

Cai whips in a cross at a windy Prestatyn.

We were back to league action the following week, and another bumper crowd enjoyed a sensational performance from the players, as the Cofis beat Abersytwyth 4-0. Nev Powell’s side had been on a great run of form leading up to the encounter, being unbeaten in eight matches, but they were no match for Caernarfon on the night, as Nathan Craig (2), Sion Bradley and Darren Thomas got on the scoresheet to see us closing the gap on Aber in the race for the top six. Sion was named man of the match and it’s been brilliant to see how well he’s taken to the top flight this season.

Messi opened his account for the season against Aberystwyth

The decision to put back Caernarfon’s match at Barry Town on December 22^nd to 7:35pm was unfair and totally uncalled for in my opinion. I understand that Sgorio wanted to show the encounter live but more consideration should have been given to what time of year it was, and the travelling involved. In the WPL, teams can request evening matches against opposing teams that are within a hundred miles of each other, which generally means that our encounters with sides in Mid-Wales will usually be played on Friday evenings. So, how was our four-hour trip to Barry ever sanctioned for a 7:35pm kick off? Again, the powers that be need to seriously reconsider such requests in the future as it’s not reasonable to ask players and supporters to travel coast to coast for an evening kick-off. The match itself was a cracker, and I felt the Cofis were unlucky not to have got at least a point. Unfortunately, and not for the first time, one or two missed opportunities cost us at least a point but the players could hold their head high after a super performance against a very strong outfit.

Interest was high and Sion Bradley was on fire against Llandudno

In recent years we have become accustomed to welcoming Porthmadog to the Oval on Boxing Days but this year, of course, there had to be a change of plan and, with our near neighbours from Nantporth now playing in the second tier, our natural opponents for the festive season was Llandudno. Obviously, matches between the sides will never be derbies in the true meaning of the word but, with our former manager in their dugout to add some spice to the occasion, it certainly made for an interesting looking fixture. There was a bumper crowd at the ground but Scottish Power struck early in the first half and a power shortage resulted in an abandoned match at half-time. The teams faced up again three days later and again.

Another 1300 plus crowd

Danny Brookwell in action against Llandudno

walked through the turnstiles and we were all treated to an absolute cracker, which ended at 3-3. I don’t want to dwell too much on other teams but Llandudno impressed me on the day and, knowing how their manager operates I find it hard to believe they are bottom of the league at this stage. I’m sure they’ll add to their squad in January and will get out of trouble but still, I’m surprised by their present predicament. Sion Bradley was our man of the match in the draw and what a player he’s proving to be for us!  

So, as I write this, the team stands sixth in the league with three matches to play. We’re level on points with seventh placed Aberystwyth but have a superior goal-difference and a game in hand so have a chance of securing a top six spot at the half-way stage. That would guarantee both our place in the top tier next season and a European Play-off spot! I don’t want to add to the pressure on Eards and the players, but how exciting would that be? Anyway, there’s still lots of football to play and our final three fixtures of the first phase, against Llandudno, Carmarthen and Bala, are all going to be tough.

Now that I’ve finally caught up with our fixtures, I’m delighted to introduce the Oval Ways Alternative Awards for 2018. There is one point I am very keen to make clear at the outset which is there are no actual prizes for the winners so I don’t want anyone catching up with me looking for their silverware. Hopefully, the fact that they’re winners will be enough for them!! So, here goes……..     

Egg on Face Award.

If I’ve learned anything since starting this blog, it’s that there are plenty of people who are more than ready to criticise and get personal if they don’t agree with what I’ve written, even if most of it is lighthearted. The worst case has been after questioning Owain Tudur Jones’s dismissive comments about Caernarfon early in the season. The former Welsh international footballer was not personally responsible for the social media criticism I received, but certainly some of his friends or acquaintances were. Despite this, I have absolutely no qualms in giving the Sgorio analyst this year’s Egg on Face award, which he so obviously deserves, for saying the Cofis were favourites for relegation.  

The Blatter.

To be fair, Tudur Jones has been much more complimentary about the club in recent weeks and has even thrown a compliment or two our way, which has been both surprising and humorous. With this in mind, I am therefore pleased to announce him as this year’s recipient of the ‘Sepp Blatter Backtracking Award’. Huge congratulations to Owain on his double success!

Most Accommodating Staff.

This is shared between security staff at Connahs Quay and the canteen staff at Carmarthen. The Nomads ground may seem a little quiet and soulless but the staff were great, and even helped me put on my media bib, although it might have been more through pity than anything else! The ladies providing refreshments down in Carmarthen were bubbly, friendly and gave us a free cheeseburger, so they too also deserve something for their efforts!   

Best match official.

Cheryl Foster was the only person in the running for this one. Ms Foster has refereed the Cofis on a number of occasions in the past three seasons and been excellent every time. I recall her officiating a Caernarfon Town match at Gresford in 2016/17 and was impressed with how she discussed matters with the players and tried to let the action flow. This seems to be her preferred way of officiating and her common-sense approach puts her head and shoulders above everyone else in the Welsh Premier League.

Paul Daniels time at the Oval....

The Clive Owen Award.

Readers of a certain age, mostly over forty I would guess, will be familiar with the name Clive Owen, a high-profile Welsh referee from a bygone era, who seemed to love nothing better than court media attention aroused by his latest contentious decision. This is the feeling I get with some match officials in the top tier, who brandish more cards out than Paul Daniels in the seventies. There are some decent officials in the league and so this award goes to all the usual suspects who you just dread seeing park up at the ground before the match. You’ll know the ones I mean.

The Sinatra.

The Holy Dean showing his allegiance 

The legendary Frank Sinatra was renowned as much for his comebacks from retirements as for his singing and so our old friend from up the A55, Johnny Haseldin, is this year’s recipient of the best, and quickest comeback award. No sooner had the Holy Dean announced he was leaving Holywell that he seemed he was back there in his usual spot in the dugout. In all seriousness North Wales football needs managers like him and, despite the Wellmen’s average season thus far, it won’t take long for Johnny to turn things around there. 

The Neville.

If there was a best right-back in the Welsh Premier League award, Joe Williams would be the winner by a country mile. Unfortunately for Joe, ‘the Neville’ relates not to the former England international’s footballing career, but rather to his punditry work for Sky. He may have been good at hiding Manchester United’s goal from opposing strikers but one thing Neville has yet to master is hiding his dislike of his team’s arch rivals, Liverpool. Therefore, the Gary Neville ‘Can’t Hide my Colours’ Award goes to Marc Lloyd Williams, who always seems so gloomy whenever the Cofis manage a decent result. Marc was an excellent striker in his day in the WPL but old habits seem to die hard.      

Best Book.

As Connor Macleod of the Clan Macleod frequently said (from yet another bygone era?), there can be only one, and the winner here is Alex Philp’s ‘Cmon the Town’. I’ve known Alex since our school days and he’s a genuinely nice guy, who has now written two excellent books concerning the club. In this offering he reviews ten memorable seasons in Caernarfon Town’s history and it’s a treasure trove of information and photos that will entertain both Cofi fans and football fans in general. A great read!

     

The Magnet.

This is another no-brainer as the best magnet winner has to be the one used when picking out teams for the fourth round of the Welsh Cup. Who would ever have guessed that our neighbours at Nantporth would be handed a home draw against Caernarfon? Having said this, the Cofis have a decent record on the banks of the Menai Straits so we’ll be going there quietly confident of a positive result.

The Bishop.

It’s common knowledge amongst Caernarfon supporters that Scouse comedian John Bishop played for us many years ago and so it’s only right that the award for Best ‘Stand-Up’ Moment is named after him. It will come as no surprise that Sean Eardley is the front runner for this accolade and, having thought long and hard about his various ‘Bishop’ moments in 2018 I have decided that his Christmas Gifts for the Players routine was his stand-out moment! This all came about after our recent match with Aberystwyth and I was carrying our post-match interviews with Nathan and Eards. I also wanted a one-off video where we could have some fun with Sean and so suggested he could go through his Christmas list for the players. Quick as a flash, he told me to give him five minutes and left the room for some props! It was all unplanned and off the cuff but Sean got it done in one take, and you can see the winning stand-up moment by following this link on the club’s official youtube channel:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjxGGkz6qIw

Eards in full flow during his winning stand-up routine.

Special Awards:

Above and Beyond: Gareth Edwards taking time off a family break to make a three hundred mile round trip to play for the Cofis against Llandudno.  

Best Comentator: Malcolm Allen, for being fair and honest in his assessments and usually getting his pre-season predictions spot on!

Best Chippy. The one in Caersws, end of! 

El Hombre Bala Award: Nathan Craig. Nathan is the best player in the league in my opinion and anyone who saw Roberto Carlos from dead-ball situations will know why our captain wins this award.

El Hombre Bala

Biggest Impact: Sion Bradley. It’s hard to believe this is his first season in the Welsh Premier League and indeed his first year with us, but he’s been a revelation since joining and I can’t wait to see how he develops with us in the future.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has read the blog during the past twelve months, and also those who follow the twitter @OvalWays and facebook accounts. Also, huge thanks to the Caernarfon Town management, players, volunteers and supporters for giving me something to write about. I may not be a prolific blogger, I don’t always get it right, but I hope that at least some of the stuff I post is worth reading.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd! 

Happy New Year!  

Poor decisions, Bruce Lee and a Legend.

One of the best things for supporters about being in the Welsh Premier League is that we get to see highlights of our team’s matches throughout the season. It’s been so long since Caernarfon were last in the top division that I can’t remember whether this was the case the last time we were in it, but I do know it’s something that is much more accessible these days. Thanks to the advent of social media, we can now see our team’s goals any time we want.  

Even if we’ve been at the matches, it’s still good to see the moves, the goals, the near misses and the goal-line clearances and it goes without saying that Sgorio does an outstanding job of covering, and advertising, the league. Of course, the coverage also tends to highlight refereeing decisions and whilst it can grate a little when what had been seen as bad decisions at the time is confirmed in the highlights, it does at least confirm that, in the main, the standard of officiating in the top tier still has a way to go to match the professionalism demanded of the clubs by the FAW.

The apologists will point out that everyone makes mistakes and there would be no football without match day officials. I concur on both accounts but would also point out that there is a difference between making mistakes and repeatedly showing a lack of judgement when it comes to big decisions in matches. I can only refer to Caernarfon Town fixtures because these are the ones I’ve been present at and, out of the nine league matches we’ve played thus far, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the Cofis have been on the receiving end of poor key decisions in six of them.

Here’s a quick rundown of the incidents I’m referring to:

Match 1: v Cefn Druids. Gareth Edwards was bundled over in the box just as he was about to reach a cross in front of an open goal. The referee waved play on whilst the television evidence was decisive that a penalty should have been given. 

Match 3: v Cardiff Met. A Met defender headed the ball into his own net from a Caernarfon corner and the referee ruled it out for a perceived push in the box. Later on, Danny Brookwell was upended in the penalty area by Emlyn Lewis but the man in the middle saw nothing wrong with it. The Sgorio cameras caught both incidents and indicated that the decisions were incorrect.

Match 5: v Connahs Quay. A Nomads player stamped on Jamie Crowther but escaped any punishment, despite the referee being just a few feet away. No prizes for guessing what the cameras suggested.

Match 7: v Llanelli. Danny Brookwell was fouled inside the Llanelli penalty area but the referee was adamant the incident happened outside the box. The tv evidence disproved this.

Ben Maher seems baffled by the referee's decision in the Barry match

Match 8: v Cefn Druids. Home goalkeeper Joel Thompson raced out of his box in the tenth minute and brought down Jamie Breese as our striker was going past him. The stopper received a yellow card for his Bruce Lee lunge, despite the fact that Breesey would have had an open goal to roll the ball into had he not been fouled. I’m sure I don’t have to say what the Sgorio highlights proved?

Match 9: Four incidents this time. Two poor decisions leading up to Bala’s first goal, an elbow on Jamie Crowther that left the big man with a bloody nose and another penalty decision that didn’t go our way when Noah Edwards was bundled over in the penalty area.

Referees and their assistants are easy targets for the supporters’ wrath when their team is not doing well but Caernarfon won four and drew two of the six matches I’ve highlighted, so that’s certainly not the case here. It’s simply that we’re just two months into the season and there has already been a pattern of big decisions going against the Cofis thus far. All the incidents I’ve mentioned seemed pretty straightforward at the time, the Sgorio cameras later proved it and when it happens so frequently then I think it’s fair to bring it up. One former Town player mentioned on Twitter last week that Sgorio’s weekly match highlights always have a big decision going against us and it’s hard to disagree. I’m certainly not saying there’s an agenda against the Cofis because the match officials are obviously an honest and dedicated group but they do need to start getting key decisions correct on a more frequent basis.

Moving on to the team’s performances, it’s been a positive two weeks on the field since the last blog.  I finished that one by saying it would be interesting to see how we would fare against the league’s other newly promoted side, Llanelli, in the upcoming fixture at the Oval.

Sean and his players were desperate to bounce back from the previous week’s disappointing defeat to Barry and this is exactly what they did, although it seemed at half time that we were in for another frustrating afternoon.

Something that became pretty obvious early on this season is that there are no easy fixtures in the Welsh Premier League. Defences are well-drilled, teams have pace in abundance and, of course, the fitness levels are excellent. Where teams could get victories despite missed chances and defensive lapses in the Cymru Alliance League, there’s no chance of that happening in the top tier and, as Caernarfon have found out already this season, a failure to make the most of goalscoring opportunities can lead to lost points. Anyone who was at the Newtown match in August would surely testify to that. 

Jamie Breese celebrates his goal against Llanelli

The first half against Llanelli had proved a frustrating one. Caernarfon bossed possession and created a number of chances to go ahead but a combination of fine goalkeeping and a referee who shifted the location of a foul on Brookwell from inside to outside the penalty area, resulted in a barren scoreline at half-time. There’s no doubt the Cofis were the better side up to that point but it needed some Danny Brookwell magic on the hour mark to finally break the deadlock. When Brooky created some space for himself in the box before firing past the keeper from close range it was no less than he deserved as he had been a real threat up to that point, and the goal proved the catalyst to more attacking play that resulted in further goals for Jamie Breese and Cai Jones. The 3-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of the match and, speaking with Eards and some of the players afterwards, it seemed a relief that not only had they won but also that the team had scored more than one goal in a match for the first time this season. 

The encounter had been preceded by the introduction of Welsh footballing legend Wyn Davies to the crowd and it was special to see Caernarfon’s most decorated footballer being appreciated by the Cofis.

Mr Davies was back in town for the unveiling of a plaque at his former home in Ffordd Maes Barcer, and he also received a presentation from the Canaries supporters club. I had not met him before but found him to be a real gentleman, and very obviously still a Cofi at heart. Having played for Newcastle, Manchester United and Manchester City, and also represented Wales on thirty four occasions, ‘The Mighty Wyn’ has more than earned the legend moniker and I hope he enjoyed his afternoon at the Oval as much as we enjoyed seeing him.

The players celebrate Cai's goal against Llanelli

An evening trip to Wrexham beckoned six days later and I found it odd that we were playing Cefn Druids for a second time so early in the campaign. I’m not sure how fixtures are worked out but it seems peculiar to play a team twice in the opening eight fixtures of the season. Anyway, that’s how it panned out and, once again, the players rose to the occasion and, if anything, probably felt disappointed they couldn’t manage a victory after an excellent performance.

I have a confession to make here. I did not attend the match, and so can only go with what I have heard from supporters, what I have seen from the Sgorio highlights and feedback from various outlets that I managed to tap into. By all accounts, Caernarfon shaded possession and enjoyed the majority of goalscoring opportunities and, in Danny Brookwell and Noah Edwards, had the two top performers of the night. Danny’s goal was impressive, as was Alex Ramsay’s direct pass to him and, as I’ve already mentioned in the first part of this blog, the hosts were lucky not to be down to ten men following their goalkeeper’s foul on Jamie Breese in the tenth minute.

To be fair, a share of the spoils at the Rock is a very good result and I’m sure that many teams will find it a feat beyond them this season. I was disappointed to miss the match as it was the first I’ve had to sit out for a while but, due to illness, I just couldn’t make it. Watching the team play is always a nervy affair for me but I can honestly say that being at the match is a much less stressful experience than sitting in front of the laptop for ninety minutes waiting for updates from a variety of online sources!

Danny Brookwell has been outstanding in recent weeks

We were back at the Oval last Friday to face one of this season’s expected front-runners, Bala Town. The Lakesiders are a good side, and have an excellent manager in Colin Caton, who has masterminded their rise to prominence in domestic football over the last seventeen years.

Of course, it was Colin and his side that knocked us out of the Welsh Cup at the semi-final stage two seasons ago before going on to lift the trophy and so this was one of the matches that I was looking forward to more than most when the fixture list was announced.  

As a quick review of the match, I would say that Caernarfon were by far the better team in the first half, whilst Bala enjoyed a twenty minute purple patch in a more even second period. Danny Brookwell was the stand-out performer and he scored two crackers on the night, which has not gone unnoticed in the local media, and social media too. Every Caernarfon Town supporter will already know how good Danny is, so his superb recent form has come as no surprise to any of us. But it’s great for him, and us, that the increased profile of the WPL is giving him the recognition he deserves. Brooky is a really nice guy and it’s good to see him grab the headlines.

Brooky's post match interview with the WPL

There was a feeling of frustration after the match from the players I spoke to that we didn’t win but again that shows how far the team has progressed from that Welsh Cup semi-final. As Nathan Craig pointed out in his post-match interview, the Cofis did not really create many goalscoring chances in that semi-final, whilst this time, the team created plenty of opportunities and should have been out of sight at half-time.  

Big Club.

The match was broadcasted live on facebook and BBC Radio Wales, which were both firsts for us as a club. I was slightly concerned that such coverage would have an adverse impact on the crowd but there was no need to worry as the Cofi Army flocked through the turnstiles again and an impressive crowd of nine hundred and thirty two gathered to watch the action.

I believe it’s worth noting the attendances Caernarfon have had so far this season. In five home matches, the average attendance is now up to eight hundred and ninety seven which is, of course, head and shoulders above everything else in the league. One thing that has certainly helped is the Friday evening fixtures. Matches under the floodlights at the Oval are always special and, with the team now mixing it at the top of the Welsh Pyramid, it seems to me that there is a momentum around the club, and amongst the supporters, that is being reflected at the gate.

The last time I mentioned that Caernarfon Town is a big club, I got lambasted on social media from supporters of another club who just couldn’t understand the point I was making. Quite simply, I define a big club by the size of its fanbase, its home attendances, away following and the interest and impact it has on its community. Some clubs, at certain levels of football, may be able to offer greater financial incentives than their rivals whilst others have incentives that money cannot buy. At some point, footballers at all levels can make a decision as to whether they prefer a few quid more in the hand over playing in front of big crowds, and for a fanbase that will follow them through thick and thin as long as they give their all for the cause.

Ain’t Nobody.

I’ll sign off this time by mentioning Sean Eardley, and the excellent job he’s done at the Oval since taking over the hot seat last November. The beginning of next month will mark Sean’s first year in the job and he has been nothing short of sensational in the role. I’ve mentioned in a past blog that he was not just the committee’s only choice to succeed the previous manager, but also the players’ choice too and, despite having little managerial experience in senior football, he has been a revelation in the role.

I don’t really want to repeat things I have already said over past months but, in my opinion, Eards has pushed the team to new levels in terms of professionalism and performances and, just as impressively, he has gone about it in a very understated manner. The majority of the squad is the same now as it was when he took over but he has strengthened it, and brought in players who may have gone under the radar over the Summer, but who are all making a difference now.

Lots of clubs see the close season as a period where they can make wholesale changes to the playing staff and many managers, especially if they are new or recently arrived at their clubs, like to bring in their own players, and contacts, who they are familiar with. However, in my opinion this rarely works (and we’ve seen it numerous times at the Oval over the past four decades), and it takes something more than spending money and securing a quick turnaround of personnel to get success.

Eards has been clever in the way he has strengthened the squad and, just as importantly, he knows how to get the very best out of his players. I’m biased, of course I am, but anyone who believes that this invalidates my point should look at the team’s results over the past eleven months. The proof of what he has brought to the club can be found in the record books, and I have a feeling it’s going to continue too as Sean, his management staff and players, continue to prove the doubters wrong.

Nine matches played, four victories, two draws, three defeats and we’re sixth in the league. Are we still relegation fodder?    

     

Damning Evidence and the ladies.

It’s not often that football supporters will walk out of a ground, having just seen their side on the end of a 0-3 reverse at home, feeling positive about their team’s performance. I know that I certainly have not been in that position before and yet, as odd as it sounds to someone who is not particularly a fan of the cliched positivity of modern-day football, this is indeed how I felt after Caernarfon lost to The New Saints.

As I mentioned in the last blog, the team started the season with two victories from the opening three matches and, in all honesty, the six points were the least the Cofis had deserved, after a very good performance, but frustrating defeat, at Newtown. 

An impressive away victory at Cardiff Met saw the Cofi Army in buoyant mood for the arrival of the Welsh Premier League champions and, as is always the case on a Friday evening under the floodlights at the Oval, the old ground was rocking in anticipation as the Cofis took on the professional outfit from Oswestry.

It’s been well-documented on websites, social media, Sgorio and in podcasts that Caernarfon could, or should, have been three goals up in the first half an hour and, to be brutally honest, The New Saints would have been out of the running had it not been for their excellent goalkeeper, Paul Harrison. He was superb all evening, and thwarted Jamie Breese, Dany Brookwell and Gareth Evans amongst others and it’s not the first time in recent years that he’s had to be at the top of his game to avoid defeat at the Oval. Failure to make the most of our opportunities cost us in the end however and, as tends to happen against quality opposition, they took theirs to clinch a flattering 3-0 scoreline. Of course, I’m biased but feel free to check other sources for the accuracy of this comment, including quotes from the Saints manager, Scott Ruscoe.  

Breesey was unlucky not to find the net against TNS

Granted, it had been a frustrating evening for Caernarfon but, when looking back at the match I cannot imagine that any one of us wearing a yellow and green scarf will have felt anything but pride in the players’ performance. In short, we took The New Saints on and gave them as tough a match as they’ll experience all season. The action was high quality, the atmosphere excellent and the result extremely harsh on us. Oh, and the attendance of 1345 was the tenth highest in Welsh Premier League history! I had a feeling the attendance was special because Gwyn Derfel, Secretary of the WPL, could not stop grinning from start to finish.

What was just as positive as the performance was the manager and players’ response to it. Whilst happy with their efforts there was definitely a feeling of frustration that they’d let their opponents off the hook. I think the supporters felt the same way about the performance too, and an example was when one of the Cofi faithful told me at the end of the match that anyone who complained about the result should not be allowed back into the ground again! I knew exactly what he was saying and agreed to a large extent.

Surprisingly, I had a chat with The New Saints chairman, Mike Harris, and found him to be good company, which goes to show that it’s never a good idea to believe everything on social media! He was a stark contrast to another member of the visiting contingent I came across, who seemed the worse for wear and was giving our canteen staff some serious vocal abuse. No need to elaborate here but it was an ugly, and uncalled for, affair.

The ladies team warming up

I attended the Caernarfon Town Ladies’ match two days later and was very impressed by what I saw. I confess to not having seen much women’s football and would guess that this was only the third match I’ve been to. Swansea were the visitors and the current Welsh Cup holders are an excellent side but the Cofis fronted up and gave them a tough challenge. I know that the management team of Keith Fearns and Tanya Jones have been busy recruiting over the summer months and something that stood out was the number of young players they now have in the squad. The match was pretty even for long spells and I hope the players didn’t take the 0-4 defeat too badly because they created plenty of goalscoring opportunities and on another day it could have been a much closer scoreline. I was very impressed with Town’s Ffion Owen, who shone in midfield, and the speedy right back Cara Hughes, a recent signing from Pwllheli, who is definitely ready for the step up in class. As the club’s media officer I would like to provide more coverage to the ladies and working closer with Keith, Tanya and the players is an aim of mine this year. The extra expectations on media officers in the Men’s WPL has added hours to my weekly duties as it is, but we’ll definitely have to work something out.           

The first team had to wait ten days for the next match and when it arrived, it proved to be an absolute belter! Connahs Quay Nomads are big hitters in the top tier and have been tipped to challenge TNS for the title this season. They have already defeated the champions this campaign and, three days before we visited the Deeside Stadium, they enjoyed an excellent victory away at Falkirk in the Irn-Bru Cup. The challenge in front of the Cofis was tough but the players responded in style and pulled off a superb 1-0 victory against Andy Morrison’s men.

Eards gives his team some immediate feedback after their defeat of Connahs Quay Nomads

Sean Eardley again tinkered with his line-up for this one, with Cai Jones, Sion Bradley and Nathan Craig making the starting eleven having missed out the previous week and, once again, the manager got it right as the team looked solid throughout and dangerous up front. We had forced the hosts keeper into a number of early saves and, just as I was thinking that it might prove to be another Newtown or TNS experience, Bradley found Jamie Breese with an excellent pass that our number nine made the most of. Jamie still had plenty to do when he ran onto the ball forty yards out but he showed a clean pair of heels to his marker before finding the net with a powerful strike that gave John Danby no chance.

The second half was squeaky bum time for Caernarfon supporters as Nomads dominated possession and tried to get the ball inside our penalty area from wide positions. I had always though they were a direct side and, whilst they certainly seemed to prefer the long deliveries into the box, the substitutions Morrison made after the break gave them more pace and they looked to play a bit more.         

However, Caernarfon were superb on the night and no matter what the hosts threw at them, they refused to buckle and held on for a very impressive victory. Obviously, I was delighted with the result, but it was made even more special by the identity of the match winner. This is Breesey’s fourth season with the club and he’s been top scorer in each of his three campaigns with us. However, whilst his goalscoring record for the Cofis is impressive, it only really captures half the story, and everyone who has followed the club over the years will know that Jamie is much more than a goalscorer. I know that he’s a fan of Ian Rush and he’s got the same workrate and attitude, where the first line of defence comes from the strikers.

Far from the action at the Deeside Sstadium

I can’t move on without mentioning a poor decision by the referee in the first half that saw the hosts remain with eleven players on the field. I’m not sure what his reasons were for the decision to ignore the incident but the match highlights on the Sgorio sites is pretty damning evidence of what happened and why he got it so wrong.       

This was my first visit to the Deeside Stadium and it’s a very different set-up to the ones I have watched my football at for the past forty five years. There was a decent crowd there but the athletics pitch around the pitch didn’t help the atmosphere and whilst the main stand is undoubtedly impressive, the remaining three sides around the pitch are as barren as any Caernarfon and District ground I used to frequent weekly as a child in the seventies.

The Cardiff Met ground was similar, with large spaces around the pitch, and I do wonder if this is a reason why the Welsh Premier League gets lambasted so much when it comes to comments about atmospheres at grounds. Like I said, it’s not a criticism, just something that’s stood out during our last two away trips.     

The staff at the ground were very friendly, and welcoming, and special thanks to the steward who helped me put on my press bib! It was also good to hear Andy Morrison’s post-match interview, where he was fair and classy as he made it clear that his side had played well but so had Caernarfon. I finished posting my match report, photos and post-match interviews at 2:00am but it was well worth it!

Following up such a fine performance was not going to be easy but that was the challenge put in front of the players on Saturday as we welcomed Barry Town United to the Oval. I had seen Barry get beaten at Llandudno the preceding Saturday and thought we had a decent chance against them. However, the Barry Town who turned up against us was a very different team and looked a very strong outfit. Their defence looked more robust against us, whilst the front two of McLaggon and Touray were a threat all afternoon. I’ve already mentioned that I’m not a fan of modern clichés but don’t mind using an old one here, and say it was a match of two halves. Barry were the better side in the first half, whilst we turned the tables after the break and were on the front foot for most of the second period. The winning goal, from Marc Jones, was a belter and arriving as it did in the eighty eighth minute made it an uphill battle to salvage a point.

The players could not be questioned about their attitude and efforts and these are things we know we’ll never have to worry about where the present squad is in the question.

Every defeat gives me a new problem to think about; what do I ask in the post-match interviews? A given with Sean and Nathan is that they’re always going to give honest answers, and that’s what they did again after this result. I can’t say I’m a fan of post-match interviews we see on a nearly daily basis from the professionals. The Sky Sports interviewers try their best to goad the interviewees, who are obviously well-versed in how not to go anywhere near giving a proper opinion. Just watch any interview with Brendan ‘we should great character’ Rodgers and you’ll see exactly what I mean. I’m obviously an amateur in what I do but feel that if I ask questions like a fan, which I do, then I know Sean, Nathan and all the players will answer honestly. They’ll say if the team hasn’t been good enough and will point things out that you’ll never get to hear on national television.

Noah Edwards joined the line-up of interviewees after the match and it was good to hear his thoughts on the match. It was also good to see him start a league match for the first time and he certainly showed that he is a fine addition to the squad.

Llanelli Town visit the Oval this Saturday for another tough looking encounter (is there any other kind in the top tier?) and it will be interesting to see how things pan out between the two latest additions to the WPL. Hopefully, the post-match interviews will be a little easier to carry out this time!  

Blue Tinted Glasses, Spandau Ballet and Nicky John!

After three barren months and much deliberation I have decided to give the blog another season, although it seems it may have to be a monthly effort from now on unless, that is, someone can create a couple of forty eight hour days every week. 

I began the blog in January 2015 as a way of sharing my views on all things Caernarfon Town and our battle to get back into the Welsh Premier League. It was also a way of filling the void left after I’d published my Oval Ways and Treble Days book. Looking back at that first year of the blog, I somehow managed to write thirty one entries and it’s been no coincidence that the continued success of the team, and increasing pressures of my media work for the club, has seen me publish less blogs year on year, although I would certainly say that my individual writing efforts have become more substantial as time has gone by. 

Of course, the club’s long-held ambition of returning to the top tier of Welsh football became reality after the team secured promotion last April and, as expected, we’ve had to take another massive step forward where professionalism is concerned. I’m referring mainly here to matters off the field and the FAW’s expectations of all clubs playing in their flagship competition. 

I won’t bore you with details of all the extra media boxes I have to tick but, suffice to say, it has all become much more intensive in recent weeks. As a volunteer it can sometimes be hard to keep on top of it all but it’s always worth remembering that this is all part of what everyone involved in the club has worked so hard to achieve over a number of years. 

This has all meant that the blog has taken a back seat in recent months and so, having explained the reasons for my self-imposed three month sabbatical from it, I’ll get back to business and take a look at things from behind, in front and beside, the scenes at the Oval. If you’re still with me, here goes….

The Squad.

One of the first things that crossed my mind after the final match of last season was whether or not we’d be seeing an overhaul of the squad over the summer months. I didn’t think we would need to because the championship winning group of players we had was already very strong and capable of making the step up, although I think it was pretty obvious that we’d need a larger squad to meet the demands of the top tier. As it turned out, it seems that Sean was of the same opinion and he hinted very early on that he was sticking with most of his squad for the challenge ahead, with the possible addition of four or five new players. 

To quote Spandau Ballet and cut a long story short, the manager brought five new faces to the Oval whilst Kevin Lloyd and Sean Cavanagh departed for pastures new. Ross Stephens and Ben Maher were first to join and if I’m honest I knew very little of them, apart from that they had been members of Prestatyn’s squad last season. The next two signings were much more familiar to me, as both Sion Bradley and Cai Jones joined from Porthmadog. Cai, of course, played for us under Lee Dixon and has always done well at Cymru Alliance League level, whilst Sion is someone who has  impressed me in our matches against Port, and also I should add here that a friend of mine, and a well-known Caernarfon supporter, had been telling me for months that he hoped we’d sign him because he was ‘the real deal’. Finally, Sean brought in Nic Gould as the new number two goalkeeper replacing the injured Liam Jones.

Pre-Season Scramble.

When Sean sent me the pre-season fixture list he’d put together it looked a pretty decent one, with interesting-looking matches against Conwy Borough, Morecambe U23, Colwyn Bay, Avro, Portadown and Afan Lido to look forward to. However, things did not quite go to plan and no less than three of our opponents pulled out of their visits to the Oval, which was disappointing to say the least. I know that these things happen from time to time but I cannot remember so many teams pulling out of confirmed friendlies and I cannot believe that we as a team would have let down any clubs we had been scheduled to visit. Luckily, Oswestry, Porthmadog and Holyhead Town helped us out and stepped into the breach but it was a disappointing state of affairs and unfair on Sean having to scramble around for opponents at short notice. 
The Big Kick Off.
The footballing Gods, or Gwyn Derfel and the FAW, were with us when the fixture list was announced for the new season as we were handed a home fixture on the opening weekend and I found it interesting that our opponents at the Oval would be Cefn Druids. Huw Griffiths and his side benefitted from our failure to achieve the Domestic Licence two years ago and gained promotion to the WPL as runners up in the Cymru Alliance League. They’ve taken full advantage since then and achieved a Europa League qualifier spot after beating Cardiff Met in last season’s play-off. Having already played their European qualifiers before the big kick off, I expected Druids to be match fit and full of confidence and they certainly were, on at least one of those counts!

Sean’s decision to bolster his squad over the Summer was certainly justified on the big day, as four of our regular starters from the past three seasons were unavailable to start. This meant debuts for Maher, Stephens and Bradley, with Cai Jones leading the line in an unexpected, and unfamiliar looking line-up. It turned out that all four fitted seamlessly into the side and the Cofis were more than worthy of the 1-0 victory as Cai marked his return with an excellent first half finish. It could have been a bigger margin at the end as the referee turned down a clear penalty after Gareth Edwards was pushed over in the box but we’d have settled for three points at the start so Cai’s goal was enough on this occasion.

It was a special occasion for the club as we made our return to the ‘Big Time’, and an opening day victory in front of the Sgorio cameras, and a large crowd, was just what we needed. When  I replayed the match at home later in the evening, it was nothing like the matches I’ve seen in the top tier in recent years, where crowds and atmosphere have seemed very poor. 

Nicky interviews Dion before the match....

Talking of Sgorio, it was great to see Nicky John and the team there but I do have a bone to pick with Ms John. Fellow Board member, Darren Billinghurst, had arranged for me to interview former Town favourite Dion Donohue before the match but Nicky wanted a side pitch interview with him as well and so, due to a lack of time on the day, I had to sacrifice my scoop for her. To be honest I have absolutely no doubts at all that Dion got the better deal but on a personal note I was absolutely gutted!! 

Job done against Druids.

And now on to one of Sgorio’s resident analysts, Owain Tudur Jones, or the Long Man

as he appears to be calling himself these days. The former Welsh international has been quite forthright in tipping us for relegation in recent weeks and his reasoning seems to be that whilst our players may be able to raise their games for Welsh Cup matches, doing it on a weekly basis will be a different matter. Owain is never slow in voicing his opinions about the Cofis and, as he keeps reminding us, he’s also scored a few times against us for Bangor. However, I do feel that the blue-tinted glasses he sees football through may have clouded his judgement somewhat. The biggest flaw in his argument is saying that our players raise their games for cup matches, indicating his belief that they’re not good enough for the WPL. I would guess he has only ever seen the Cofis play in the Welsh Cup and so am unsure why he thinks they’ve raised their game for the ties? I have watched them every week for years and seen enough in this time to know that the Welsh Cup performances are indicative of what we see every week from the players. Simply put, he is underrating our players and management. The Long Man had a Long Face at the Oval on the opening day and I have a feeling it’s something he’ll need to get used to. 

Fine Margins. 

We made the trip to Newtown five days later for our first appearance there since the famous FAW Trophy victory at Latham Park five years ago. The ground has had some work done to it since then and looks excellent, although it was a shame to see that the grass pitch had been replaced by the artificial stuff. As always, a decent number of Cofi supporters had made the trip down and they were treated to very good performance from the team, who more than matched the hosts. Goalscoring opportunities were not taken and Caernarfon were made to pay as the Robins went ahead before the break. The second half saw us dominate possession and the introduction of Brookwell, Clive and Breese gave the side a familiar look as they searched for an equaliser. It was not to be, however, and the hosts, aided by the impressive Dave Jones in goal and a later netfinder, clinched a 2-0 victory, although I’m still questioning how. Eards spoke of fine margins later on, and it's clear what he meant. Incidentally, we had a decent shout for a penalty when j Ben Maher was bundled to the ground in the box but the referee was having none of it. I’m not suggesting there’s a pattern here, though….

A missed opportunity at Newtown

One of the hardest but most enjoyable aspects of the media work is carrying out post-match interviews, especially after a defeat, and I do sometimes find it difficult asking relevant questions. Thankfully, Eards and Nathan usually help me out and we go with the flow but this season may be a bigger challenge as we’ve decided to work with a rota of players to speak with in addition to the manager and captain. It was Gaz Edwards’ turn after the Newtown defeat and I thought it went pretty well. His disappointment was obvious and I think we all felt the same way about the result and the side’s excellent performance. 

Here’s the link to our chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC3fqwFMiRw

Last Sunday the team travelled to the capital to play Cardiff Met. The students are one of the teams fancied to do well this season and, having started the campaign with victories in their opening two matches, it promised to be a tough challenge for the Cofis. I would guess that well over a hundred supporters had made the trip down south to back the team and, whilst those without an allegiance to us may have given us no chance, I think most stakeholders will have been quietly confident of a positive result.
Top Class in the Capital.

Eards rang the changes once more with his line-up and was rewarded with a top class performance from his charges. Ryan Williams was given his first Welsh Premier League start and he was outstanding in midfield, where he worked well with Jamie Crowther and Gareth Evans and the elder statesman of the side, Gareth Edwards was again outstanding at centre half. Nathan Craig scored the winner from the spot after a foul on Joe Williams but really, we should have been awarded a spot kick before this when Danny Brookwell was fouled right in front of the referee, who was obviously wearing Owain Tudur Jones’ blue glasses at the time!
It was a superb performance on and off the pitch. The players were excellent, and the Cofi Army matched them every step of the way. I‘m sure the hosts were taken aback by the travelling support and when one considers the long trek down in such difficult weather, it was a pretty impressive effort from everyone to get there. Clive and Gareth were jointly voted the man of the match but, in truth, everyone there, on and off the pitch, made a contribution and made it another special day for Caernarfon Town.
I was quite impressed with the set up at Cyncoed although didn’t expect it to take ten minutes to find the ground within the complex! The facilities there are excellent but I found it all a bit ‘cold’ or clinical, as someone put it to me. I’m sure this won’t be the only time this season where the venue doesn’t ‘feel’ like a football ground and I’m not criticising it, but it’s just a far cry away from the football grounds I’ve been visiting for the past forty odd years.
As a bonus on the day, Bobby and I met up with an old school friend of ours, and we watched our first football match together for probably thirty years! Kevin moved away from the Caernarfon area many years ago but, back in the day, the three of us would go to the Oval or Anfield every weekend and were lucky enough to enjoy regularly seeing John King’s legendary Caernarfon team and the great Liverpool side of the eighties. He now lives in Llanelli but still supports the Cofis and, from what I could see, he was impressed by the present side. I also managed a quick chat with a member of Mr King’s FA Cup side on Sunday, as Robyn Jones is now chairman at Met. Having not met Robyn before I found him to be a really nice guy and it was great to talk about the cup run with him.

Ryan Williams was outstanding in his first appearance of the season at Cardiff Met. 

The team was back in action just forty eight hours later as they took on Rhyl at Belle Vue in the Nathaniel MG Cup. Having rushed into a two goal lead in the opening fifteen minutes, the Cofis looked comfortable but a goal from the hosts ten minutes after half time turned the game in an instant and the Lillywhites deservedly ran out 4-2 winners. There’s not much I can say about the performance really, as Sean and Nathan said it all in their post-match interviews, which you can find here:

Sean:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa7LWHBUCic

Nathan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVRyPX3o1os

On a more positive note, Cai scored a belter to open the scoring and our recent signing, Noah Edwards, impressed on his debut, especially during the first half, when we were on top.
Sean and his players will have the perfect opportunity to bounce back from the Rhyl defeat when The New Saints visit the Oval this Friday. It is sure to be another touch challenge but we’re three matches and two victories into the news league season and this group of players has shown what they’re made of on numerous occasions in recent years. The Welsh Champions are a very good side but, as we’ve heard Nathan Craig say already this season, we’re not in the top tier to make up the numbers. Friday night football under the floodlights could prove to be another special occasion if you’re a Caernarfon Town supporter!
Even the Long Man may then have to succumb to what the Cofi Army already knows….