Holywell Town 2-3 Caernarfon Town

The visitors were soon on the back foot and Holywell Town took the lead with around 5 minutes on the clock as a great cross in from the left by Steve Thomas saw Shaun Tuck climb to head home to give the home side a great start. The visitors soon regrouped and nearly grabbed an equaliser shortly afterwards but Jamie Breese headed wide under the challenge by Ross Ankers. Caernarfon Town could then thank debutant goalkeeper Alex Ramsay to keep the score at 1-0 as he produced a great save to deny Town captain Steve Thomas from doubling the lead before the Caernarfon defence could clear the ball to safety.

Ross Ankers had a shot which sailed inches over and Tuck was ready to shoot on goal but Clive Williams for Caernarfon was able to block the shot without it troubling Ramsay in the Caernarfon goal. Jamie Breese then had an effort go over the bar before Connor Tagoe was able to block a free kick by Nathan Craig as the visitors looked to grab an equaliser before the break.

The second half started and in order to try to get back into the game, Caernarfon Town made a double substitution and immediately they had an impact on the game. The visitors started strongly and first chance of the half fell to Breese but his shot sailed over the bar with the goal right in front of him. Holywell goalkeeper John Rushton then had to punch clear another effort on the Wellmen’s goal.
Lee Healey then headed over from a Steve Thomas corner before Caernarfon Town grabbed the equaliser. Danny Brookwell, who had a good game on the left, beat John Jones and his low cross was parried away by Rushton, but only as far as substitute Kevin Lloyd who was on hand to force the ball home. Three minutes later, the visitors had taken the lead. Brookwell found himself in the box and his shot rebounded back out off the post as far as Nathan Craig, and his cross was headed by Jamie Roberts but Rushton got a hand to it but as the ball seemed to be going out for a corner, Lloyd pounced at the far post to poke the ball home.

The visitors had new found confidence by now and were pressing to increase their lead, but the Wellmen defence held out. Town were still in it however and John Jones rose well to head goalwards from a conrer but his effort was blocked before being cleared to safety. Manager John Haseldin then brought on Paul Williams for Connor Tagoe as the Wellmen reshuffled to be able to break the Caernarfon resilience.

The Wellmen then had a boost as the visitors were reduced to 10 men, Caernarfon’s Rob Jones getting his marching orders for an off the ball incident with Paul Williams. Town looked to take advantage of playing against ten men count and substitute Brady McGilloway looked to force an opening, and his effort from outside the box seemed to be curling into the top corner, but Caernarfon keeper made a great save, diving to his left to force the ball over the bar. Steve Thomas then delivered a corner into the box and Tony Roebuck, who was playing his last game for the Wellmen, rose to head the ball goalwards but his effort went wide under the challenge of the Caernarfon defender. Matty Hurdman tried his luck with a free kick from the edge of the box but it beat the wall and unfortunately for the Wellmen, it beat Ramsey’s near side post too.

Town were then awarded a penalty, as a cross by Graeme Williams saw Nathan Craig raise his arm and the ball hit it and the linesman immediately flagged and the penalty was awarded. Up stepped Lee Healey to take it and his spot kick was unfortunately saved by Ramsay, who dived low to his left to save the kick. Town were hurt even more a few minutes later as the Visitors grabbed a third goal. The ball was passed to Brookwell on the left and he skipped past the challenge of Jones, before sprinting clear of Gareth Sudlow, he had the onrushing Jon Rushton to beat and went round the keeper to be left with an open net to hit home, much to the delight of the Caernarfon Town supporters who had congregated behind the goal.

More heartache for Town in the dying minutes as Shaun Tuck was given his marching orders for a second yellow card before Town got a last gasp goal, Phil Lloyd forcing the ball home after keeper Ramsay’s clearance from a corner was punched towards his own net and Lloyd made sure but it was too late for the Wellmen to try to grab an equaliser as the referee blew for full time.

Definitely a game of two halves and the crowd had witnessed a good game and Town will have a chance to get back to winning ways next Saturday as Llanfair United travel to Halkyn Road.