Now Cofis must beat another of their title rivals
AFTER WIN OVER AIRBUS, TRIP TO HOLYWELL IS NEXT
WHEN the pressure was on, Caernarfon Town well and truly delivered as the Huws Gray Alliance leaders made it 20 league games without defeat with a 3-0 victory over nearest challengers Airbus UK Broughton at The Oval last weekend, reports Paul Evans.
Now Sean Eardley’s side must rise to the occasion again this Saturday when they visit fourth-placed Holywell Town, a team who could yet emerge as the biggest threat to the Cofis’ title ambitions.
On a heavy Oval pitch last Saturday, Caernarfon started brightly and controlled the tempo of play from the off as their defence and midfield gave their attacking quadruple of Darren Thomas, Jamie Breese, Gareth Evans and Danny Brookwell the platform to test the Airbus back-line.
Brookwell hammered the ball against the Wingmakers’ upright in the 10th minute following good setup play from Thomas. This proved a temporary respite for the visitors as Thomas plundered the opener past Dave Roberts from seven yards after a Nathan Craig cross had caused havoc in the penalty area.
Brookwell was disappointed not to have doubled the lead just a minute later when his powerful effort flew inches over from 12 yards before Roberts came to his side’s rescue nine minutes later when he managed to get his fingertips to an Evans effort to push the ball beyond the woodwork.
Two last-gasp blocks from Kristian Platt denied Craig and Thomas before Breese finally gave Caer- narfon the two-goal advantage their play deserved. Town’s number nine found the net in the 41st minute when he was first to react after Roberts had failed to hold on to a Craig delivery into the six-yard box.
In contrast to Roberts, Alex Ramsay had enjoyed a fairly quiet first half between the sticks for Caernarfon and he reacted smartly to his only real test to get his hands to a low shot from the hard-working Leo Riley.
The Wingmakers seemed determined to make more of a fight of it after the break and, having sur- vived another close shave when Brookwell narrowly failed to put the finishing touch to a Thomas cross, they began imposing themselves, although their goal attempts were mainly confined to long range free-kicks.
The best came from Platt, who forced Ramsay into an excellent save low to his left. The Cofis dealt well with everything Airbus could throw at them, and Rhys Roberts was the stand-out member at the back as they kept Riley and Sanogo Aboubacar quiet.
Brookwell was unlucky not to find the target with a half-volley before a Breese effort shaved the upright in the 62nd minute.
A third goal for Caernarfon seemed inevitable and it very nearly arrived in the 70th minute when Thomas got his head to a Craig corner but saw the ball cannon off the bar to safety.
Thomas was again denied when his 30-yard free-kick prompted a remarkable Roberts save.
There were no such heroics from the resulting corner, as man of the match Rhys Roberts rose above a crowded penalty area to head home and secure the points for the Canaries.