Frustration for Cofis after two home draws
THERE was a sense of déjà vu at The Oval on Monday as for the second time in three days, Caernarfon Town walked off the pitch at the final whistle thoroughly frustrated at being held to a draw – this time 1-1 after an impressive and dominant display.
The Cofis were on the front foot from the start and never really let up, and it is a testament to how the team has developed over the past year that Druids manager Huw Griffiths set out a game plan to frustrate rather than dominate against Sean Eardley’s charges.
The hosts began at a canter and Sam Jones, who was making his first start for the side, enjoyed an early sight at goal in the third minute but couldn’t keep his effort from heading a foot or so over the woodwork.
Caernarfon were ahead two minutes later after Darren Thomas met a Leo Smith corner and bulleted the ball past Michael Jones to get off the mark for the season.
Druids were finding it difficult to gain much possession and were reliant on experienced campaigner Neil Ashton to help keep the defence solid as the steady flow of Caernarfon attacks continued, with Jones, Jamie Breese and Smith looking dangerous on the front foot.
It took 20 minutes for the visitors to threaten the Cofi goal when Kershaw did well just inside the area but pulled his low effort wide of the upright.
At the other end, Peate came to the Druids’ rescue when he tackled Breese, after the striker had gone round goalkeeper Jones.
The score remained unchanged at the interval and it must be said that the visitors looked a little sharper after the restart.
Their endeavour was rewarded in the fiftieth minute when a quick free kick resulted in Kershaw finding the net, despite Ramsay’s valiant effort to keep his clean sheet intact.
From this point onwards, Druids seemed content to sit back and defend and again it was Ashton who stepped to the fore as he marshalled his backline well, although it must be said that the Druids goal lived a charmed life at times.
Jones, Thomas, Edwards, Smith and Breese all had efforts blocked as they looked for Town’s second and, with Danny Brookwell and Cai Jones joining the frontline in the final quarter it is true to say that Caernarfon threw everything at the visitors in an attempt to gain their first victory of the campaign.
Despite continuing their domination, the Cofis could not find a way past the determined Druids’ backline and, once again, the feeling was one of frustration as they now look forward to another tough task, away at Airbus this Friday evening.
Last Friday, the Cofis drew 0-0 with Connah’s Quay and following the previous week’s narrow defeat to champions The New Saints, manager Eardley had made it clear that his players had set the bar for the season and he did not want his charges to fall below that. A tough task, maybe, but one the team more than achieved against last season’s Cymru League runners-up.
Both sides were left rueing missed opportunities at the final whistle but, of the two managers, it was Eardley who will feel more frustrated at not gaining the three points after a hugely impressive display from his players.