Holywell Town 0-0 Caernarfon Town

Holywell Town 0-0 Caernarfon Town

The big day had arrived for Holywell Town’s first match back in the Cymru Alliance after nearly a decade in the Welsh Alliance, and Town welcomed Caernarfon Town to Halkyn Road. The Supporters were looking forward to the match as much as the players and all those connected to the club, and even though the game ended goaless, what a game that the 300 odd crowd witnessed.

The match started and the first real chance of the match fell to the Wellmen, a Steve Thomas free kick into the box found the head of debutant Steve Lewis, and his header towards goal forced Caernarfon Town keeper Paul Pritchard to parry the ball out for a corner. A few minutes later however, the visitors thought they had taken the lead. Ryan Davies committed a foul on the edge of the box, and Nathan Craig stepped up to take the kick, and the former Torquay United player’s free kick was blocked and the rebound returned to him, and he placed his shot in the far bottom corner of the net past Mike Platt, but the linesman had his flag up and the goal was disallowed.
Caernafon kept piling on the pressure, and Platt had to get down low to get a hand to the ball to push it around the post for another corner which was cleared to safety by Brett Cotton. Steve Lewis chased the ball and controlled the ball well and ran on towards goal and beat his defender but his cross was cleared out by captain Grahame Austin for a corner, which, when taken, Paul Pritchard gathered easily.

With nearly quarter of an hour on the clock, Jay Gibbs broke free down the right and his cross into the box saw Jamie Breese get a touch but Platt was once again on hand to save the ball. Few miuntes later, Craig saw his shot go wide before Paul Williams got he ball on the left and ran at the Caernarfon defender and beat him but his cross was cleared. Grahame Austin then had an overhead effort go wide before Lewis then nearly put The Wellmen ahead as his turn and shot forced Pritchard into making a flying save and the ball went out for a corner, and as the ball came over, Danny Drazdukas got a touch but it flew over the bar for a Caernarfon Town goal kick.
Jamie McDaid controlled the ball well and his turn and shot went wide of Platt’s goal before the last action of the first half saw the visitors win a free kick on the edge of the box after Dafydd Griffith was adjudged to have fouled Toby Jones, but the kick went over the bar and the score remained 0-0 as the teams went off for half time.

The second half started and yet again the first chance fell to the Wellmen. Graeme Williams broke clear down the right and his cross was cleared for a corner. The resulting corner saw Ryan Davies have a shot on goal but his effort was blocked by Gareth Edwards, then the ball fell to Tony Roebuck but his shot flew wide of Pritchard’s goal. Ryan Davies then lost possession and Jay Gibbs broke through but his shot was saved by Mike Platt.

A few minutes later, Town won a corner and Steve Thomas’ corner kick found Tom McElmeel, but his flick flew inches wide of Pritchard’s post. Nathan Craig then had a free kick gathered weasily by Platt before Caernarfon’s Gareth Edwards received a yellow card for a foul on Steve Lewis close to the penalty area. Town then won another corner and Paul Williams’ corner kick found the incoming McElmeel but his bullet header flew inches wide.

Toby Jones then had a header saved by Platt from a corner before Town came closest to scoring as Lewis fed the ball to McElmeel but his shot came back out off the post with Pritchard beaten. Tony Roebuck then watched as Pritchard saved well from his shot before Caernarfon’s Kevin Roberts fired a shot well over the bar. Lewis then found himself with space on the edge of the box and he was brought down by Gareth Edwards, and referee Andy Harms blew for a free kick when many shouted for a penalty, and Edwards was then shown a red card having been booked earlier in the match and he was sent off the field of play. Lewis was involved in Town’s next move as he headed over before the last chance of the match fell for the Wellmen. Paul Pritchard was forced off his line and Paul Williams went to beat him, and beat the challenges of a couple of defenders before shooting goal wards but his effort was cleared off the line.

The referee blew for full time and everyone present witnessed a great game of two halves as the visitors had the better of the first half before Town dominated the possession in the second half. Town had their first point on the board and we’re on our way......roll on next Saturday as we travel to the Rock to face Cefn Druids.