Briton Ferry Llansawel earned one of the most remarkable opening weekend results in JD Cymru Premier history as they triumphed 3-0 away at reigning champions The New Saints on Sunday.
TNS had never lost at home on the opening weekend of the campaign, but found themselves a goal down at half-time as Ruben Davies was left free in the box to head home Tom Price’s cross on 37 minutes.
Ferry may have been expecting an onslaught after the break but they doubled their lead just before the hour mark as Ryan George delivered a superb cross for Tom Walters to head in.
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A stunning away victory – and TNS’ heaviest defeat for over four years – was complete in the 75th minute when an error from Saints goalkeeper Nathan Sheppard gifted the ball to Davies to hammer home his second goal of the afternoon.
Darren Thomas scored a dramatic late equaliser as Caernarfon Town came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus on Saturday.
Met were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute after Morgan Owen tripped Sam Jones inside the area, with Archers captain CJ Craven converting from the spot to put his side ahead.
The hosts doubled their lead a minute before half-time courtesy of a stunning strike from Ryan Reynolds. The midfielder received the ball 30 yards out and a struck a ferocious first time effort past Connor Roberts via the underside of the crossbar.
Matty Jones set Caernarfon on the comeback trail in the 78th minute with a neat back post finish after good work and a cross from Zack Clarke on the right, before Thomas lashed home a low drive on the edge of the box in stoppage time – just two minutes after coming on as a substitute – to salvage a point for the visitors.
Last season’s runners-up Penybont began the new campaign with three points as Mael Davies’ strike secured a 1-0 win away at Haverfordwest County on Friday night.
It was not the start to the season that last year’s golden boot winner James Crole wanted, as he was shown a straight red card early in the second half for an off the ball incident with Alaric Jones.
However, despite being a man down, Bont found the decisive goal just before the hour mark when Luke Armstrong’s long ball forward was flicked towards his own goal by Greg Walters and Davies was quickest to latch on to it to fire home.
Ben Ahmun, Owain Jones and Greg Walters all had chances to find an equaliser for the Bluebirds, but resilient defending from Penybont saw Rhys Griffiths’ side win on the opening day for the fourth season running.
Llanelli Town’s first match in the JD Cymru Premier for six years ended in defeat as Barry Town United ran out 2-0 victors at Stebonheath Park on Friday night.
Ben Margetson opened the scoring for the visitors in the 17th minute, as he was left unmarked at the front post to head home Owen Cuddihy’s corner.
Teenage forward Ieuan Owen blazed over a glorious opportunity for the Linnets, but he made amends by finding the net in first half stoppage time, steering home Robbie Willmott’s cross into the bottom corner.
Llanelli tried to find a way back into the contest in the second half, but Barry defended well to earn a clean sheet and an opening day win for the first time in six years.
The other newly-promoted side Colwyn Bay earned a point as they drew 1-1 against Connah’s Quay Nomads at the Blue Turtle Arena on Sunday.
In a game that saw former teammates Michael Wilde and John Disney go head to head in the dugout, it was Disney’s Nomads who took the lead in the 27th minute when Max Woodcock’s cross from the left was met by a superb diving header in the middle by summer signing Jason Oswell.
Bay were back level just nine minutes later though as two of their own new arrivals combined – George Hughes swinging a free-kick into the box for Nathan Peate to head home.
It was a well-contested second half in front of a healthy crowd of 1,516 – the biggest attendance of the weekend – but neither side could find a winner under the Sunday evening sun.
The points were shared also at Maes Tegid on Friday night as Bala Town and Flint Town United played out a 1-1 draw.
Bala found the breakthrough with 20 minutes on the clock as Hussein Mehasseb poked the ball past Jack Flint from Nathan Burke’s corner for his second goal in as many games since returning to the club.
However, the Silkmen were level 10 minutes later as Jake Canavan’s cross was only cleared to the edge of the box where Ben Wynne produced a clever volley past Joel Torrance.
Lee Fowler’s men nearly turned the game around completely just before half-time through Ben Hughes, but the midfielder’s fierce effort from close range was spectacularly kept out by Torrance. A goalless second period saw the contest end level.
JD Cymru Premier Weekend results in full:
Bala Town 1-1 Flint Town United
Haverfordwest County 0-1 Penybont
Llanelli Town 0-2 Barry Town United
Cardiff Met 2-2 Caernarfon Town
The New Saints 0-3 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Colwyn Bay 1-1 Connah’s Quay Nomads
