Cup heartbreak for Cofis
But Canaries can atone for Bala loss in last-four c lash against Holyhead
CAERNARFON Town will be determined to avoid semifinal heartbreak for a second time in seven days this weekend.
The Canaries travel to Holyhead Hotspur on Saturday (2.30pm) with a place in the Huws Gray Cup final at stake.
Caernarfon are the holders and a meeting with Flint Town United awaits the winner in the final.
The Cofis are sure to aim to go one better than last weekend, when they were beaten 3-1 by Bala Town in the Welsh Cup semis at Rhyl.
Bidding to reach the showpiece game of Wales’ premier knockout for the first time in their history, Caernarfon led 1-0 until the 77th minute, only for the Welsh Premier outfit to clinch their first final appearance with three late goals.
The Lakesiders started the stronger, Stuart J Jones’s early header being cleared off the line by Joe Williams before Kieran Smith whipped a lovely 25-yard effort inches wide.
Cofis keeper Alex Ramsay then produced a phenomenal reaction save to thwart Smith before, at the other end, Ashley Morris pushed a Nathan Craig piledriver over the bar.
Caernarfon were beginning to impose themselves on the game when they took a 27th-minute lead.
Magician Darren Thomas burst into the box from the right and his low cross was sliced into his own net by defender Jones.
The introduction of Bala substitute Lee Hunt at the start of the second half had a huge effect on the tie.
The third highest-scorer in WPL history twice forced Ramsay into saves and went close from an overhead kick. However, despite their dominance, the Lakesiders were still 1-0 down until 13 minutes from time when the elusive leveller arrived.
Hunt used his pace and awareness to latch onto a decisive pass from Conall Murtagh and finished in style. Three minutes later, Caernarfon’s first real goal attempt of the second half saw Kevin Lloyd blast over. Extra time was on the cards until, in the 88th minute, Smith drilled a low, left-footed shot into the bottom corner from an angle.
And Bala sealed it when Anthony Stephens set up Hunt for a tap-in.
Disappointment for the Huws Gray Alliance side, but their amazing support and the players’ spirited performance still made it a day to remember for a club very much on the up.