Caernarfon Town earned their third consecutive win in the Novira Cymru Premier with a thrilling 5-3 victory over Holywell Town at Barton’s North Wales Stadium.
The Cofis grabbed a crucial early lead through Sion Bradley’s emphatic volley into the far corner before Zack Clarke received Jake Canavan’s through ball and slotted home when one-on-one with Alex Swindell as the striker continued his record of scoring in every Novira Cymru Premier game so far this season.
Holywell forward Fabrizio Murtas scored his first ever goal in the top-flight as he flicked home Dom McGiveron’s corner, but Caernarfon quickly regained their two-goal lead in first half stoppage time as Clarke prodded in the rebound from Bradley’s saved attempt.
A similar scenario happened early in the second half as Caio Hughes’ cross-turned-shot curled directly past Connor Roberts, only for the Wellmen’s hopes of a comeback to be dented moments later as Osian Evans’ header down found Clarke, who finished from close range to clinch his brace.
Florian Yonsian kept things interesting as his calmly converted penalty following a handball inside the area from Paulo Mendes made it 4-3. However, Caernarfon put the game to bed with the pick of the match’s goals as Noah Edwards sent a powerful effort into the top corner from distance for his first goal since rejoining the club earlier this summer.
Offrande Zanzala thought he added a sixth goal for the away side in the closing stages, but he was denied his first Caernarfon goal after VAR deemed the Austrian forward had fouled Swindell in the build-up. The Cofis have now recorded their best ever start to a top-flight campaign with 12 points from their first five games.
Trefelin claimed their first ever point in the Novira Cymru Premier as Louis Gerrard’s stoppage time equaliser salvaged a tense 1-1 draw with Ammanford at Ynys Park.
Ammanford stalwart Euros Griffiths put his team ahead on 36 minutes after he rose highest from Charlie Davies’ free-kick delivery and guided his header into the bottom corner.
Both sides received straight red cards shortly before the hour mark as Trefelin captain Kane Owen was dismissed for his foul on Seth Woodhouse before Griffiths was also shown his marching orders after an altercation in the aftermath of Owen’s foul, which VAR confirmed after a lengthy review.
Ammanford were reduced to nine men in the first minute of stoppage time as Callum Thomas was shown a straight red card for his off-the-ball foul on Roan Piper.
The visitors tried to see out the remainder of the match, but they were outdone by a moment of brilliance from Gerrard in the dying seconds as the defender watched the ball come down from Luke Martin’s punched clearance and sent a sweetly-struck volley into the net. VAR checked for a possible offside when Morgan Thomas delivered into the area, but the goal stood and Trefelin could celebrate their first ever point in the top-flight.
Owen Brain starred as Barry Town United maintained their perfect record with an entertaining 4-2 triumph over Airbus UK Broughton at Jenner Park.
Elliott Dugan nearly put Barry in front early on as he met a pacy free-kick and headed onto the post from just a few yards out, but the league leaders found their opener in the 29th minute as Brain picked out the bottom corner with a low drive from distance.
Brain turned provider for Barry’s second goal on 56 minutes as he slipped through Owen Cuddihy, who slotted beneath Louis Fallon for his first competitive goal since October 2024.
George Peers halved the deficit for Airbus with a diving header from Kaiden Cooke’s cross, but Barry immediately restored their two-goal cushion as Brain’s wide free-kick sailed over everyone, including Fallon, and found the bottom corner in what was almost a carbon copy of Brain’s free-kick goal against Holywell Town last Friday.
Long range specialist Jordan Evans pulled a goal back for Airbus with his stunning strike into the top corner from outside the area, but once again the home side responded as Jack Shaw tapped home at the back post from Sion Spence’s cross. Shaw’s second goal in as many games eased all nerves for Steve Jenkins’ side as they continue to set the pace at the top of the table.
Reigning champions The New Saints produced another clinical display as they beat Colwyn Bay 5-1 at Park Hall.
Saints rued their missed chances in the opening stages, but all that frustration was put aside in the 26th minute as Josh Lock met Dan Williams’ low cross and sent a superb first-time finish into the top corner, leaving Mark Halstead no chance of the save.
Lock produced another spectacular effort, this time from the edge of the area as his shot dipped over Halstead and flew into the top corner. Rhys Hughes added a third goal shortly before half time to put the hosts in firm control as he converted from the penalty spot following Nathan Peate’s foul on Williams inside the area.
Saints started the second half where they left off as Jordan Williams’ deft lob made it 4-0 before Dominic Corness’ cross-turned-shot from the right flank nestled into the bottom corner.
Peate fired home in the midst of a goalmouth scramble to get Bay on the scoresheet and deny TNS a fifth straight clean sheet, but that only proved to be a consolation for the Seagulls as the champions maintained their unbeaten start to the domestic campaign.
Connah’s Quay Nomads secured their fourth consecutive win after Iwan Murray’s brace inspired a 3-0 victory over Cambrian United at the Essity Stadium.
The Nomads wasted no time and took the lead after just eight minutes played as a well-worked attack saw Murray thread the ball into Callum West, who teased the Cambrian defence and goalkeeper Kelland Absalom before coolly slotting home at the near post.
Murray doubled the lead 10 minutes before half time as he capitalized on a defensive mistake from Cambrian captain Kyle Jones, rounded Absalom and tucked away his first goal for the club.
Connah’s Quay’s Indonesian international Joe Simatupang-Ferguson had a goal disallowed at one end of the pitch before he made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Dylan Edwards shortly up the other end to keep the hosts’ clean sheet intact.
The Nomads eventually put the result beyond doubt late on as Harry Franklin went on a mazy solo run down the left hand side and cut the ball back to Murray, who slid in and netted his second goal of the game. John Disney’s side have now kept three consecutive clean sheets and are now up to third in the table.
Flint Town United earned their first point of the season in dramatic style as Lassana Mendes’ late equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw with Penybont at the Dragonbet Stadium.
Penybont opened the scoring inside just four minutes as Tom Mehew curled beautifully into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to score his fourth goal of the season.
Nathan Wood and Owen Pritchard both had glorious chances from close range, but not finding the crucial second goal proved costly for Bont as Harry Dean’s blocked cross fell out to Mendes, whose low drive crept in at the near post to give Lee Fowler’s side an impressive point on the road.
Jack Veale scored twice as Cardiff Met bounced back with an impressive 3-0 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel at Cyncoed Stadium.
Ferry goalkeeper Rhys Wilson made a remarkable save after Sam Jones tried to divert CJ Craven’s effort towards the far corner, but the Archers did have to wait long before they did find the breakthrough as Veale’s corner directly found its way over the goal line despite Wilson’s best efforts to clear the danger.
Jasper Payne continued his bright form in front of goal to put Met 2-0 up near the hour mark as he received Myles McKenzie’s pass and calmly caressed the ball into the bottom corner when one-on-one with Wilson.
Ferry’s frustration grew with 10 minutes remaining as Luke Salter was sent off for a second bookable offence after he brought down Fumpa Mwandwe on the edge of the area. Veale stood over the resulting free-kick and curled tremendously into the top corner to cap off a fun evening for Ryan Jenkins’ side, who already have as many wins as they achieved from their first 12 games last season.
Llandudno also returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over struggling Haverfordwest County at the Go Goodwins Stadium.
The first half produced no goals, but there was no shortage of drama as Haverfordwest’s Hari Thomas and Llandudno’s Mark Cadwallader both had gilt-edge chances from just a few yards out to put their respective sides ahead. Marc Williams was then shown a straight red card for his challenge on Ifan Knott, but following a VAR check, referee Aaron Wyn Jones changed his on-field decision and downgraded Williams to a yellow card.
VAR took centre stage once again on the stroke of half time as Haverfordwest midfielder Panashe Makwiramiti was shown a straight red card for his high foul on Leon Hughes. Llandudno made the numerical advantage count nine minutes into the second half through captain Ross Weaver, who tapped home a loose ball inside the six-yard box after Haverfordwest failed to clear Iwan Cartwright’s corner.
Ben Ahmun fired over twice in quick succession from close range as the Bluebirds pushed for an equaliser, but Llandudno ensured they claimed all three points late on as Liam Higgins broke free inside the area and applied a clinical finish at the near post. The Seasiders have now won four out of their first five games since promotion back to the top-flight.
Friday night results in full:
Barry Town United 4-2 Airbus UK Broughton
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3-0 Cambrian United
Cardiff Met 3-0 Briton Ferry Llansawel
Holywell Town 3-5 Caernarfon Town
Llandudno 2-0 Haverfordwest
Penybont 1-1 Flint Town United
The New Saints 5-1 Colwyn Bay
Trefelin 1-1 Ammanford
