Barry Town United are the only team with a perfect Novira Cymru Premier record intact as they came from behind to earn a 3-1 victory over Holywell Town at Barton’s North Wales Stadium on Friday.
Barry applied early pressure as Owen Brain’s dipping effort struck the crossbar before Jadyn Crosbie saw his header ruled out for a foul inside the area when applying his finish. Although Barry were much on top in the early stages, it was in fact Holywell who went ahead inside just 15 minutes as Caio Hughes met Mark Winslade’s cross and produced a lovely first-time finish into the far corner.
The Wellmen’s lead did not last long though, as Brain’s corner caused a scramble inside the area, where Elliott Dugan poked into the net from close range to level the contest. Brain nearly put Barry in front moments into the second half when he raced through on goal, but Alec Mudimu tracked back and did enough to guide the ball onto the post.
Owen Davies won Holywell a penalty near the hour mark after he was fouled by Josh Bernard inside the area, but the striker’s spot kick was saved by George Ratcliffe. Davies’ miss proved costly and Barry completed the turnaround in the 72nd minute through Brain, whose wide free kick sailed over everyone in the crowded area and nestled into the far corner.
Substitute Jack Shaw wrapped things up for Barry in stoppage time as he timed his run well to meet Sion Spence’s through ball and slotted past Alex Swindell to give Steve Jenkins’ side a fourth consecutive win, which puts them two points clear at the top of the table.
Penybont maintained their unbeaten start with a 2-1 win over Llandudno, who dropped points for the first time this season at the Dragonbet Stadium.
Bont took the lead two minutes before half time as Owen Pritchard’s strike was blocked by Tom Stephens, only for the looping ball to drop kindly for Tom Mehew, who smartly poked the ball over Joel Torrance with his back to goal.
Mehew doubled his and Bont’s tally moments into the second half as Nathan Wood’s corner ricocheted off Pritchard and once again into the path of Mehew, who brought the ball down and finished into the bottom corner from just six yards out.
Llandudno nearly pulled a quick goal back, but Liam Shephard made an outstanding tackle to prevent Cammron Morris from a simple tap-in.
Bont goalkeeper Dan Higgs then made two vital saves for his side to Harvey Bennett’s bicycle kick and Morris’ close range strike. The Seasiders found a way pass Higgs at the third time of asking as Kieran Smith’s effort from the edge of the area crept in at the near post to set up an interesting finish, but Bont saw out stoppage-time to make it 10 points from their first four matches.
Champions The New Saints climbed up to second in the table with a rampant 5-0 victory over 10-man Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Stadium, which included two stunning strikes.
Danny Davies thought he had put Saints ahead in the 35th minute when he tapped home from Ben Wilson’s flicked header, but the defender was deemed offside and the goal was ruled out.
However, Saints were awarded a penalty and Met defender James Clarke was shown a straight red card following a VAR check deep into stoppage time. Ben Wilson stepped up and made no mistake from the penalty spot to give the away side a crucial breakthrough.
The numerical advantage opened the floodgates for TNS, who doubled their lead on 56 minutes through Rhys Hughes’ thunderous effort from the edge of the area. Wilson then scored his second penalty of the evening to quickly make it 3-0 after Isaac Jefferies was brought down by Tom English.
Summer signing Dynel Simeu scored his first goal for Saints in style as he picked out the top corner from distance, leaving Arron Davies no chance of the save. Rory Holden came off the bench and wrapped things up late on for the champions as the Irishman met Dominic Corness’ clipped delivery and headed home. Craig Harrison’s side remain unbeaten and are yet to concede a single goal in the league so far.
Cambrian United made an even bigger statement with a stunning 3-0 victory over struggling Haverfordwest County at Dynamite Bridge Meadow.
Cambrian, who were looking to build on their first win of the season against Flint Town United from last weekend, found the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half as Jay Woodford powered his header beyond Ifan Knott from just six yards out.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the 72nd minute as a neat pass from Dylan Edwards into the path of Danny Hillman allowed the latter to send a low drive into the net at the near post.
Cambrian’s evening got even more joyful in stoppage time as 18-year-old Jac Joseph curled beautifully into the top corner, leaving Knott hardly any chance of the save. The Cam Army have now claimed seven points from their first four matches, while Tony Pennock’s Haverfordwest are still without a point to their name and are yet to score a single goal.
Connah’s Quay Nomads secured a third consecutive win as goals from Callum West and Harry Franklin sealed a 2-0 win away to Ammanford in Saturday’s sole Novira Cymru Premier fixture.
Ammanford did well to keep the Nomads at bay for the majority of the first half, with Matt Delaney making a goal line clearance to deny Egyptian forward Hussein Mehasseb. However, the visitors were awarded a penalty in the 44th minute as Babucar Sauane brought down Mehasseb, allowing West to calmly convert from the spot and score his first goal of the season.
Ammanford goalkeeper Luke Martin made some quality saves to keep the scoreline at 1-0, most notable his fingertip save to deny Iwan Murray’s powerful strike from distance. The Nomads put the game to bed with eight minutes remaining though, as Franklin ran onto Max Woodcock’s long ball, rounded Martin and tapped into the net for his third goal in as many games.
Caernarfon Town continued their impressive form with a 2-0 win over 10-man Trefelin at Ynys Park.
The Cofis took the lead after just eight minutes played as a game of pinball inside the area saw the ball fall out to Osian Evans, whose deflected effort gave the youngster his first ever Novira Cymru Premier goal.
Zack Clarke doubled Caernarfon’s advantage nine minutes before the interval as he headed home the rebound from Adrian Cieslewicz’s saved volley for his fourth goal in as many games.
Trefelin came extremely close to halving the deficit and scoring their first ever Novira Cymru Premier goal as Dan John outpaced Ben Nash and cut inside, but saw his curling effort denied by the crossbar. Jordan Piggott made a crucial headed goal line clearance to keep Caernarfon’s clean sheet intact moments before the visitors were also denied by the bar through Paulo Mendes’ wicked volley.
Trefelin’s woes increased in stoppage-time as captain Jordan Davies was shown a straight red card following a VAR check as he brought down Jake Canavan near the halfway line.
Colwyn Bay returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Airbus UK Broughton at the Blue Turtle Arena.
George Peers had two glorious opportunities from close range to put Airbus ahead inside the first half, but he could only fire straight at Mark Halstead, who saved on both occasions.
Those missed chances proved costly as Bay took the lead in the 39th minute. The Seagulls moved the ball well down the left-hand side, allowing Sam Hart to send a teasing ball into the area, where Adam Davies got in front of his marker and headed home into the bottom corner.
Airbus had bright spells going forward in search of their equaliser, but they could not find a way past Halstead, who made another notable save, this time denying Kaiden Cooke’s low drive from the edge of the area to ensure Michael Wilde’s side claimed all three points and kept their second consecutive clean sheet on home turf.
Briton Ferry Llansawel clinched their first away win of the season with a narrow 1-0 victory away to Flint Town United at the Essity Stadium.
Ferry were gifted the breakthrough on the stroke of half time as Dylan Packer’s low cross bounced up off Namory Kane and into Flint captain Jack Thorn, who mistimed his attempted clearance and astonishingly volleyed the ball into his own net.
Thorn almost redeemed himself with 15 minutes to play as his thunderous strike from the edge of the area rattled the crossbar. The woodwork came to Ferry’s rescue once more as Flint forward Lassana Mendes saw his effort from distance denied by the bar. The Silkmen were unable to find a late equaliser, meaning they are still without a point in the Novira Cymru Premier so far this season.
Weekend results in full:
Colwyn Bay 1-0 Airbus UK Broughton
Cardiff Met 0-5 The New Saints
Haverfordwest County 0-3 Cambrian United
Holywell Town 1-3 Barry Town United
Penybont 2-1 Llandudno
Trefelin 0-2 Caernarfon Town
Flint Town United 0-1 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Ammanford 0-2 Connah’s Quay Nomads
