Mark Cadwallader scored a stoppage-time winner as newly-promoted Llandudno marked their return to the Novira Cymru Premier with a thrilling 3-2 win over Flint Town United at the Go Goodwins Stadium on Friday.
It was a frantic start on the North Wales coast as Adam Stephens’ deft lob gave Llandudno an early lead before Flint quickly equalised through Tunde Owolabi, who raced down the right-hand side and found the bottom corner to mark his debut for the club in style.
History was then made as a penalty was awarded following in the intervention of VAR in the Novira Cymru Premier for the first time. At first, nothing was given for Anthony Stephens’ challenge on Owolabi inside the area, but the VAR recommended referee Alex Livesey review the decision and upon doing so he awarded Flint a spot-kick. Summer signing Joe Malkin stepped up from the spot and squeezed his effort past Joel Torrance despite the Llandudno goalkeeper getting a strong hand to the ball.Â
Jack Flint made some key saves to keep the visitors ahead, but eventually Llandudno found their equaliser as Marc Williams, who had only been on the pitch for three minutes, poked the ball home from close range.
The Seasiders completed a dramatic turnaround in the 93rd minute as Williams’ fellow substitute Cadwallader latched onto the rebound from Anthony Stephens’ saved free-kick and tapped into an empty net to haunt his former club and give Jordan Hadaway’s side a statement victory.
Airbus UK Broughton were also victorious on their return to the Novira Cymru Premier as Josh Stevenson’s late strike secured a shock 1-0 win over Haverfordwest County at Ogi Bridge Meadow on Saturday.
Jordan Evans and Lewis Rees both had efforts denied by the woodwork in the first half for Airbus and Haverfordwest respectively. The Bluebirds thought they had taken the lead when Ben Ahmun finished from close range, but the flag was raised for offside.
However, the breakthrough eventually arrived with five minutes remaining as Airbus defender Stevenson ran onto Evans’ free-kick at the back post and fired home from a tight angle to send Mark Allen’s side into raptures. The Wingmakers held on to take all three points back to Flintshire and become the first newly-promoted club to win away from home on the opening weekend of a Novira Cymru Premier campaign for 19 years.
There was also late drama at Jenner Park on Friday night as Dan Smith’s stoppage-time goal gave Barry Town United a 2-1 win over top-flight debutants Cambrian United.
Barry found the breakthrough five minutes into the second half as captain Callum Sainty controlled the ball on the edge of the area and sent a clinical volley beyond Morgan Davies.
The Cam Army were level 21 minutes later with their first ever Novira Cymru Premier goal as Barry failed to deal with Alex Bonthron’s flick-on, allowing talisman Liam Eason to guide his effort into the top corner.
It turned out to be heartbreak for the visitors though, as Barry snatched a stoppage-time winner through substitute Smith, who escaped his marker to meet Owen Cuddihy’s free-kick before bringing the ball down and firing into the net from close range to claim all three points for Steve Jenkins’ side.
Cardiff Met were the opening weekend’s standout performers as Jasper Payne’s hat-trick inspired a comfortable 6-1 win over newly-promoted Holywell Town at Cyncoed Stadium on Saturday.
Payne got things rolling Met inside just nine minutes as he smartly finished past Alex Swindell at the near post. Summer signing James Clarke added a second for the Archers five minutes later as his low drive in the midst of a goalmouth scramble rolled on target, with Tom Bibby’s sliced clearance enough to carry the ball into the net.
Payne then turned provider for Fumpa Mwandwe, who coolly finished off a swift counter-attack to make it 3-0 by the half-hour mark. CJ Craven had the chance to add a fourth goal on the stroke of half time, but the Met captain saw his penalty saved by Swindell.
Jack Sconce’s cross-turned-out looped over Arron Davies to give Holywell their first Novira Cymru Premier goal in 27 years. However, Payne restored Met’s three-goal cushion after he tucked away the rebound from Sam Jones’ blocked effort before the forward completed his hat-trick by receiving Jones’ short pass and slotting into the bottom corner.Â
Jones added his name to the scoresheet late in the day by applying a simple finish at the back post from Payne’s initial low shot. It wrapped up Met’s biggest win in the Novira Cymru Premier for over four years.
Caernarfon Town came from behind to earn an impressive 2-1 win against Connah’s Quay Nomads at the Essity Stadium on Sunday.
The Cofis went closely early on as Danny Gosset’s looping effort struck the crossbar, but the Nomads took the lead in the 26th minute when summer signing Mikey Stone fired home a superb free-kick from distance.
Caernarfon were awarded a penalty 12 minutes into the second half when Adrian Cieslewicz’s shot struck the hand of Rhys Watson, and Sion Bradley confidently stepped up to convert past Chris Renshaw.
The comeback was complete in the 71st minute when Gosset’s ball upfield found Bradley, who held off the defender well and laid it off to Zack Clarke to clinically fire home and send the travelling Cofi fans behind the goal wild.
Colwyn Bay got their season up and running with a 2-0 win over league newcomers Trefelin at the Blue Turtle Arena on Friday.
The Seagulls took just two minutes to take the lead as Jordan Davies met Matty Hill’s long throw and steered the ball into the bottom corner from eight yards out.
Bay doubled their advantage eight minutes before half time as Adam Davies chased down Lewis Sirrell’s long ball, broke free of the Trefelin defence and clipped his effort past Scott Coughlin for his first competitive goal for the club. Michael Wilde’s side saw out the second half to claim victory and a clean sheet in front of over 1,000 fans.
Briton Ferry Llansawel came from behind to earn a 2-1 victory over newly-promoted Ammanford at The Renewable Centre Stadium on Friday.
There were 1,185 fans in attendance at Old Road and they did not have to wait long to be entertained as Matt Delaney, who scored the goal to earn Ammanford promotion, put his side ahead in the 13th minute with a well-placed header from Jonathan Evans’ cross.
Ferry levelled the contest on 36 minutes as Anderson met Tom Walters’ header back across goal and nodded in from close range.
Veteran forward Luke Bowen came off the bench to complete Ferry’s turnaround in the 73rd minute as Tom Price’s low driven corner was not dealt with by Ammanford, allowing Bowen to tap the ball home on the line. The goal was checked by VAR for a possible foul, but the on-field decision stood.
Bowen had the chance to bag himself a brace as he stood over a penalty following Rhys Davies’ foul inside the area, but the striker’s tame spot kick was saved by Luke Martin. The Reds managed to hold on though and seal all three points.
Reigning champions The New Saints began their defence of the title with a 0-0 draw away at Penybont on Sunday.
Craig Harrison’s side were knocked out of the UEFA Conference League on penalties by Flora Tallinn on Thursday evening, but they showed plenty of attacking promise in Bridgend as they aimed to bounce back. Indeed, Bont goalkeeper Dan Higgs, on loan from Cardiff City, was on fine form to keep the score goalless.
Higgs denied Leo Smith in the first half after a mix-up in the hosts’ defence, while Danny Davies and Jordan Williams were both thwarted by the 18-year-old after the break.
Penybont offered little threat themselves, failing to register a shot on target, but a point and a clean sheet is not to be sniffed at against the title favourites.
Weekend results in full:
Barry Town United 2-1 Cambrian United
Briton Ferry Llansawel 2-1 Ammanford
Colwyn Bay 2-0 Trefelin
Llandudno 3-2 Flint Town United
Cardiff Met 6-1 Holywell Town
Haverfordwest County 0-1 Airbus UK Broughton
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1-2 Caernarfon Town
Penybont 0-0 The New Saints
