Caernarfon Town 2-1 Flint Town United: Bell sends Canaries into SPFL Trust Trophy after late header
CAERNARFON, WALES - 14 MAY 2022: Caernarfon's Daniel Gossett scores a goal and celebrates during the JD Cymru Premier Play-Off Final fixture between Caernarfon Town & Flint Town United at The Oval Stadium, Caernarfon, Wales, 14th May, Wales, UK. (Pic By John Smith/FAW)
Caernarfon Town will compete in next season’s SPFL Trust Trophy after they won 2-1 against Flint Town United after extra time.
Laurie Bell’s 119th-minute header gave the Canaries their first playoff win as they put behind them two seasons of heartbreak.
Danny Gosset had given Caernarfon the lead in extra-time but Ben Nash equalised on the stroke of half-time.
Huw Griffiths’ side will join The New Saints in the Scottish competition, where they will wait until October for who they could play.
A sloppy back pass allowed Flint an opportunity in the opening minute but Jakub Ojrzynski made a much-needed save. Connor Harwood slid the ball to the returning Mike Wilde but the Polish shot-stopper blocked it well with his body.
Caernarfon had an appeal for a penalty kick turned down as Noah Edwards snuffed a shot at his brother Kai Edwards with the defender blocking it with his arm.
Both teams were scrapping it out for an opening goal and there was petulance between both with some fly fouls and a few off-the-ball incidents.
The hosts were the most adventurous of the two sides and peppered Rushton’s goal with Dion Donohue causing problems. A snapshot from Mike Hayes was saved well by the Flint goalkeeper following an error from Edwards.
Caernarfon continued to dominate in the early knockings of the second half. Sion Bradley scragged a shot at the goal but again the goalkeeper was reactive to it.
Flint grew into the game as the second half went on and Ojrzynski needed to be alert when Callum Bratley tried to place a shot underneath him.
Former Flint man Rob Hughes were one of the players that looked to ignite the game into life but after dribbling past a few players, his shot was straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.
In a late search for a winner, a header from Laurie Bell on the six-yard spot went just over the bar with the Cofi’s the liker to break the deadlock.
Late on, Noah Edwards forced Rushton into another save as he jinked his way into space and curled a shot at the post.
Donohue’s exquisite delivery throughout the match caused problems and Ben Nash very nearly turned into his own net.
Flint very nearly stole the game as Wilde rose highest to header against the post after a superb cross from Sam Hart. From the resulting corner kick, Alex Jones scuffed a shot at Ojrzynski to go near to a late win.
Jones then followed it up with a diving head but Bratley got the way in the goalbound header which took the game to extra time.
After a 98-minute wait for a goal, the moment finally came for the opening goal. Iwan Cartwright threaded a pass through to Gosset and he brushed past the defenders before thumping a shot home.
Flint responded however on the cusp of half-time in the first period of extra-time. A sliced Bratley cross found Nash to fire home for an equaliser.
Caernarfon believed they had retaken the lead after Donohue had travelled 60 yards before firing home. It was deemed however that Cai Jones had interfered with play when the shot was taken.
As the game neared penalties, Caernarfon took the latest of leads with this goal standing. Mike Hayes’ cross found Bell to head home in a crowded penalty box.
Caernarfon Town: Jakub Ojrzynski, Iwan Cartwright, Gruffydd John, Dion Donohue (C), Sion Bradley, Danny Gosset, Mike Hayes, Rob Hughes, Noah Edwards, Joe Faux, Laurie Bell.
Goals: Danny Gosset 98, Laurie Bell 119’
Yellow Cards: Noah Edwards 22, Dion Donohue 44’
Flint Town United: Jon Rushton, Jake Phillips, Sam Hart, Ben Maher, Ben Nash, Kai Edwards, Alex Jones (C), Mike Wilde, Callum Bratley (Mark Cadwallader, 117), Connor Harwood, Danny Harrison.
Goals: Ben Nash 105’
Yellow Cards: Sam Hart 37, Alex Jones 115’
