It was a frustrating week in the UEFA Conference League for Novira Cymru Premier sides, as none were able to claim victories on Welsh turf before travelling away next week.
Connah’s Quay Nomads’ new-look side earned a 0-0 draw against Kosovan side FC Ballkani in their first leg at Llanelian Road on Wednesday.
The Nomads, with five new signings in their starting line-up, weathered an early storm as debutant goalkeeper Chris Renshaw tipped an awkward bounce over the bar before captain James Jones produced a last-ditch challenge to halt Valentin Serebe when the Ivorian was through on goal.
Perhaps the best chance of the game came on 20 minutes when Max Woodcock’s cross from the right found debutant Mikey Stone at the back post, with the 22-year-old sending a pinpoint header goalwards only to see it cleared off the line by Gentrit Halili.
The Nomads continued to have the better of the chances in the second half, with Ballkani goalkeeper Adnan Golubovic needing to be on hand to deny Harry Franklin, James Jones and Joe Simatupang-Ferguson.
The visitors, who reached the group stage of the UEFA Conference League in 2022 and 2023, almost snatched a stoppage-time winner but Anel Sabanadzovic fired just wide to ensure that the tie remains level going into the second leg in Kosovo on Thursday 16 July (KO 19:00 BST).
“You want to try to win the game, but you also don’t want to lose it in the first leg,” John Disney said afterwards. “All 15 players who came on the pitch did really well. I think there’s a nucleus there of a really good squad.
“Ballkani look good, very strong. The market value of their squad is close to £7million, so it was a really good test for our players and it will stand us in good stead. We’ve got some new players to the Welsh system and I thought they did a fantastic job. I’m really, really happy with them.”
Cardiff City Stadium hosted Penybont’s first leg against Andorran side FC Santa Coloma, as Rhys Griffiths’ side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat on Thursday.
With new investment and a flurry of signings, six of whom started in the capital, there has been plenty of positivity around Bont this summer. However, they started slowly and were behind after 16 minutes when Pedra Munoz’s cross reached 13-cap Andorra international Guillaume Lopez, whose looping header found the net via the post.
Santa Coloma, who beat Penybont in the first qualifying round three years ago, could have scored again in the first half but Andy Villar and Alex Gomez both hit the woodwork.
However, Bont came out with renewed impetus in the second half and won a penalty on 52 minutes when a shot from debutant Max Melbourne struck the hand of Inigo Barrenechea in the box. It seemed as though there was no better man to step up from the spot than new signing Ryan Hill – who scored seven out of eight penalties for former club Aldershot last term – but the winger was denied by goalkeeper Andre Alcaraz.
Penybont continued to look the more lively throughout the second half, but could not find an equaliser as the game turned scrappy with a series of fouls from both sides. Rhys Griffiths’ team head to Andorra for the second leg on Thursday 16 July (KO 18:00 BST).
“The ultimate feeling is probably pride,” Griffiths said after the game. “I thought we played well, particularly second half, but there’s also frustration. It feels like a bit of an opportunity missed – it’s not the first time I’ve felt like that against Santa Coloma!”
“I’d be lying if I said they [FC Santa Coloma] didn’t deserve to be ahead first half, but second half I thought we were outstanding. I don’t think Santa Coloma decided to drop into a low block, I thought they were forced back. Fortunately for them they rode it out and rode their luck a little bit.”
It was a historic night for Caernarfon Town as they hosted a European fixture at The Oval for the first time, but there was disappointment on the pitch as the Cofis were beaten 5-0 by Estonian side FCI Levadia Tallinn.
Buoyed by their much-awaited return home, Caernarfon made a strong start to the contest, looking to find Zack Clarke at every opportunity and the forward flashed a shot wide inside the first 10 minutes.
However, that early promise came to a halt in the 15th minute when two Estonian internationals combined to give FCI Levadia the lead, as Rasmus Peetson headed home Mihkel Ainsalu’s cross.
The visitors, who are currently 10 points clear at the top of the Estonian top-flight, took firm control of the tie by scoring twice more in the final five minutes of the first half. Joao Pedro curled home a strike from the edge of the box, before Mark Roosnupp poked home a loose ball from close range after Caernarfon failed to deal with a delivery into the box.
Levadia added a fourth goal just two minutes into the second half as Bubacarr Tambedou played through Ainsalu to score. Caernarfon were reduced to 10 men just after the hour mark when Ben Nash brought down Tambedou in the box, but there was some respite for the Cofis as teenager Maksimilian Skvortsov blazed the resulting penalty over the bar.
A fifth Levadia goal did arrive on 78 minutes though when substitute Enock Otoo rolled home a strike just two minutes after coming onto the pitch. Caernarfon travel to Estonia for the second leg on Thursday 16 July (KO 17:30 BST).
“I suppose it couldn’t have gone any worse,” Richard Davies admitted after the game. “I’m still proud of the players. It’s one of those where we’ve killed ourselves tonight.
“They [FCI Levadia] are a good side, they’re clinical, but it’s two goals in the first half from set-pieces where we’ve got to be better. The third one, we don’t do enough and against better sides you get punished. We come out second half and within two minutes we’re four down and just kills all the momentum. The sending off was the final straw and then the last one was always going to happen.
“We’ll reflect on it, have an honest conversation about it, and then we’ll try to dust ourselves off and make our fans who are travelling next week proud.”
