Ammanford came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Colwyn Bay in their first ever Novira Cymru Premier home fixture at the Rec on Friday.
Bay seemed to be in control of the contest as Adam Davies bundled the ball home from Jordan Davies’ cross and Matty Hill fired in from Louis Robles’ cutback to put the Seagulls two goals to the good at the interval.
Ammanford were gifted a lifeline shortly before the hour mark though, as Hill’s wayward headed clearance allowed Jonathan Evans to retrieve the ball and clinically curl past Mark Halstead.
Ammanford’s comeback was complete with five minutes to play as Ryan Astles’ foul on Evans down the byline resulted in a penalty, which was calmly converted by Matt Delaney, who made it two goals in as many games to earn his side a hard-fought point.
Cambrian United also claimed their first ever point in the top-flight as Liam Eason’s late penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw against Briton Ferry Llansawel at the M&P Group 3G.
Ferry’s top scorer from last season Tom Walters put the Reds ahead with 32 minutes on the clock as he headed home from Tom Price’s corner at the back post.
However, Eason nipped in front of Alex Gammond and forced a foul out of the Ferry captain to earn Cambrian a penalty. Eason stepped up from the spot and made no mistake as he drilled his effort past Will Fuller.
The Cam Army agonizingly could only settle for a point despite their flurry of late opportunities, which saw Eason’s header denied by the crossbar and Alex Bonthron’s close-range volley denied by the post.
Barry Town United scored another late winner as Owen Brain’s strike sealed a dramatic 3-2 win over Flint Town United at the Essity Stadium.
Elliott Dugan capitalised on a defensive error from Fling and tucked away the rebound from his own saved effort to put Barry ahead in the eighth minute. Flint were level just four minutes later though, as Joe Malkin scored from the penalty spot after he was fouled inside the area.
The Silkmen edged in front on 26 minutes as former Novira Cymru Premier title winner Harrison McGahey played an accurate long ball into Harry Dean, who clinically found the bottom corner to score his first goal in Welsh domestic football. Tunde Owolabi nearly made it three for the home side later in the first half, but his powerful volley rattled the crossbar.
Brain then brought Barry level nine minutes into the second half with a curling effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the area for his first goal of the evening. Dugan and Namory Kane both had glorious chances to put their respective sides ahead, but both players failed to find the net from close range.
However, there would be a winning goal as both sides entered stoppage-time. Barry captain Callum Sainty had two efforts saved by Jack Flint in quick succession, but it was third time lucky for the visitors as Brain slammed the ball home to give Barry another late victory following their triumph against Cambrian United last weekend. Meanwhile, Flint have now conceded late goals in consecutive 3-2 losses.
Penybont staged an impressive comeback to earn a statement 2-1 victory over Caernarfon Town at The Oval.
Over 1,100 fans were in attendance as Caernarfon hosted their first Novira Cymru Premier match back at their renovated Oval, and it was the dream start for the Cofis as Zack Clarke tapped home from Adrian Cieslewicz’s perfectly weighted low cross.
Noah Edwards thought he had doubled Caernarfon’s lead when he capitalised on a defensive mistake from Penybont, but luckily for the visitors, Edwards was ruled offside and the goal was disallowed.
Bont levelled the scoreline in the 19th minute through Tom Mehew’s spectacular effort into the top corner from distance before Edwards’ foul on Ryan Hill inside the area resulted in a penalty, which Hill himself stepped up to convert and turn the game around.
Rhys Griffiths’ side held on to their lead to earn their first competitive win since last season’s European Play-Off Final.
Llandudno produced an emphatic first half display to triumph 4-0 over fellow newly-promoted side Trefelin at Ynys Park.
Llandudno were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute after Harvey Bennett went to ground following a high challenge from Trefelin captain Jordan Davies. Bennett stepped up from the spot and rolled home into the bottom corner, sending Scott Coughlin the wrong way in the process.
Bennett’s penalty opened the floodgates for the Seasiders as headers from Callum Stephens and Adam Stephens within the space of seven minutes made it 3-0.
Bennett bagged his second of the evening five minutes before half-time to cap off a wonderful first period for Jordan Hadaway’s side as the forward simply fired in the rebound from Adam Stephens’ lob, which struck the post.
Tref improved, but some important saves from Joel Torrance ensured the visitors headed back to the North Wales coast with three points and a clean sheet.
Connah’s Quay Nomads avenged their opening weekend defeat with a 3-1 victory over Holywell Town at Barton’s North Wales Stadium.
The Nomads found the breakthrough in the 28th minute as Joe Simatupang-Ferguson went on a magnificent solo run and laid the ball out to Callum West, who delivered a low ball which Holywell defender Sam Baker turned into his own net.
Harry Franklin quickly doubled Connah’s Quay’s advantage as he latched onto Max Woodcock’s long ball and sent a composed finish beyond Alex Swindell.
Holywell halved the deficit in bizarre fashion as Ieuan Hewitt’s long throw sailed over everybody, including Nomads goalkeeper Chris Renshaw, but Egyptian forward Hussein Mehasseb restored the visitors’ two-goal cushion with a deft finish from close range.
There were two lengthy VAR checks in the second half for potential red cards for Mark Winslade and Conor Partridge, but neither player was sent off as the Nomads got off the mark.
Cardiff Met continued their bright start to the season with a 2-0 win over Airbus UK Broughton at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium.
Airbus probably should have taken the lead with the first real opportunity of the match as George Peers met Joe Palmer’s long ball, but could only fire wide of the target when he only had Arron Davies to beat.
A moment of brilliance from Ryan Reynolds put Met in front midway through the first half as the midfielder retrieved the ball on the edge of the area and sent a superb strike into the top corner, leaving Louis Fallon no chance of the save.
Davies made some crucial saves in the second half to maintain Met’s lead before Jasper Payne, who scored a hat-trick against Holywell on the opening weekend, wrapped up all three points for Archers by steering Aaron Wildig’s low cross into the back of the net. Met now join Llandudno and Barry Town United as the only three clubs to win their opening two league matches.
Champions The New Saints marked their first home game with a win as goals from Josh Lock and Rhys Hughes secured a 2-0 victory over Haverfordwest County at Park Hall.
Jordan Williams and Lock both had glorious chances to put Saints ahead from close range, but their efforts were straight at Ifan Knott. However, the hosts eventually found their opening goal in first half stoppage-time as Lock brought down Dynel Simeu’s long ball, turned onto his left foot and placed his effort into the far corner.
TNS were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute as Hughes’ volley struck Clayton Green’s arm inside the area. Hughes stepped up and squeezed his effort beyond Knott to bag his first goal for the club since joining from title rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads this summer and ultimately put the game to bed.
Weekend results in full:
Airbus UK Broughton 0-2 Cardiff Met
Ammanford 2-2 Colwyn Bay
Caernarfon 1-2 Penybont
Cambrian United 1-1 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Holywell Town 1-3 Connah’s Quay Nomads
The New Saints 2-0 Haverfordwest County
Trefelin 0-4 Llandudno
Flint Town United 2-3 Barry Town United
