The New Saints 5-3 Caernarfon Town: Eight goal thriller at Park Hall
The New Saints go two from two in the league after defeating Caernarfon Town 5-3 at Park Hall in an entertaining affair in the Cymru Premier.
Goals from Danny Davies, Declan McManus, Louis Bradford, Blaine Hudson, and Ash Baker sealed the win for the 13-time Cymru Premier champions.
The away side’s goals came from Danny Gosset, Darren Thomas, and Gwion Dafydd.
It was an entertaining fixture throughout with Caernarfon pushing Anthony Limbrick’s team all the way until Ash Baker guaranteed the win in stoppage time.
The result means that the Park Hall side move to six points alongside Connah’s Quay Nomads and Flint Town United. While Caernarfon remain on three points sitting in fourth.
The New Saints opened the scoring in the fifth minute as Chris Marriott whipped in a ball from a corner and Danny Davies headed the ball into the back of the net.
18 minutes in and the Canaries equalised when a ball got flicked into the box by the away side with Danny Gossett getting on the end of it and past Harrison’s left.
A minute later, Leo Smith had a shot from 30-yards out that Ojrzynski managed to put wide.
Five minutes after the Saints regained the lead when Blaine Hudson passed the ball across the goal to Declan McManus who found the back of the net.
TNS got a third just before the half-hour mark when Marriott once again got a cross into the box that Louis Bradford headed past Ojrzynski to make it 3-1.
Huw Griffiths’ side got a goal back with just over 20 minutes to go. Robert Hughes played a ball through to Darren Thomas who scored past Harrison’s left to close the gap back to one.
Centre-half Blaine Hudson gave the Oswestry side a cushion once more not long after. Cieslewicz played a ball in from a free kick which Ojrzynski saved, however, Hudson was there on the rebound to slot home and score.
With just five minutes to go of normal time, Cofi’s closed the gap once more. Substitute Gwion Dafydd got in the box and scored past Harrison’s right to put the pressure back on the home side.
Right at the death, TNS managed to claim the three points. Marriott whipped a ball from a corner that new signing Ash Baker got on the end of and headed in the net.
The Saints will now go on to face Haverfordwest County away at the Bluebirds next Saturday.
Meanwhile, Caernarfon will face Newtown on Friday night at the Oval.
The New Saints: Paul Harrison, Chris Marriott, Jon Routledge, Declan McManus, Danny Redmond, Blaine Hudson, Jordan Williams, Louis Robles (Adrian Cieslewicz 66’), Leo Smith, Danny Davies (Ash Baker 79’), Louis Bradford.
Goals: Danny Davies 5’, Declan McManus 23’, Louis Bradford 29’, Blaine Hudson 73’, Ash Baker 90+4’.
Yellow cards: Danny Redmond 63’, Jon Routledge 87’.
Caernarfon Town: Jakub Ojrzynski, Iwan Cartwright, Gruffydd Williams, Steve Evans, Dion Donohue, Sion Bradley, Danny Gosset, Darren Thomas, Robert Hughes, Ryan Williams (Aaron Simpson 83’), Cai Jones (Michael Hayes 71’) (Gwion Dafydd 76’).
Goals: Danny Gosset 18’, Darren Thomas 68’, Gwion Dafydd 85’.
Yellow Cards: Darren Thomas 60’, Iwan Thomas 62’
(Featured Image: Brian Jones)
