Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 – 2 Caernarfon

Opening day fixtures don’t come much harder than an away trip to face Connah’s Quay. The Nomads finished last season as the league’s runners-up and victories against them at their temporary ground at Flint have been few and far between for most teams.

The match began slowly as both sides seemed tentative in the early exchanges.

Caernarfon’s first look at the hosts’ goal arrived in the nineteenth minute after a good move that ended when Bradley crossed into the six yard area for the arriving Clarke but a Nomads defender managed to get is toe to the ball and clear for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, the ball was half cleared to Gosset, whose half-volley beat keeper Renshaw but struck the bar before going out.

Nomads went ahead in the twenty seventh minute when Mikey Stone struck past Roberts with an excellent free kick. The goal booted the hosts and they were on top for the next ten minutes before Caernarfon shifted a gear and started to dominate.

They could, and possibly should, have been on level terms before the break when Bradley went close on no less than three occasions, the third being the closest when his goalbound shot was deflected off a defender for a corner.

Town manager Richard Ddavies must have tweaked something at half time because his charges re-appeared for the second half and dominated the action for most of it, although Roberts had to produce a smart save on fifty minutes to deny Murray.

Town had a decent looking penalty shout turned down by VAR three minutes later and, just two minutes later, they were awarded a spot kick after a Cieslewics cross was handled in the area. Bradley made no mistake from the spot to level the score.

The hosts could have been back in front on the hour mark when a cross into Town’s penalty area fell kindly to West, but he blasted his effort six feet over the target.

Gosset went close to giving the Cofis the lead with a low shot that sailed a foot wide of the upright and he was involved again in the move that gave Town the lead.

There were seventy one minutes showing on the clock when Town’s captain launched an excellent delivery upfield for Bradley to chase. The winger controlled the ball and set up Zack Clarke, who cut inside before planting the ball into the top left hand corner of Renshaw’s net.

The Cofis could have added to their lead in the closing minutes but, more importantly, they kept the hosts at bay to clinch an excellent victory.

Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Osian Evans.