Caernarfon Town’s Ben Hughes is relishing the opportunity to help his side secure European qualification this weekend.
The 21-year-old, who joined the Cofis on loan from Swansea City in January, has been a key figure for the team in the second half of the season as he enjoys his first taste of senior football.
“I got to a point in my career where first team football was a must,” Hughes says. “I tried to get out on loan in the summer and things didn’t really go my way, but Caernarfon then came in for me. It was January, I needed something to start progressing myself, and I took it.”
Haverfordwest County v Caernarfon Town
That decision has paid off. Since making his debut against Bala Town in January, Hughes has not missed a minute of action ahead of the JD Cymru Premier European Play-Off final against Haverfordwest County on Sunday. But the step up from academy football has not been without its challenges.
“It’s a big change for me physically and how the game looks compared to academy football,” Hughes explained. “In academy football, it’s more about development, playing short and learning from losses.
“But in the first team, especially with Caernarfon’s aim to get into Europe, every point mattered to allow us to compete. Every fine detail counts, any little mistake can be costly.
“Especially as a goalkeeper, it’s about being consistent and reliable, being that solid base that can be relied on every game.”
How his Swansea City move came about
The Swansea-born shot-stopper’s route to regular first team football has been anything but conventional. He played local league junior football until the age of 16 before earning a scholarship with Chippenham Town, which in turn led to a remarkable international debut.
“I went to a Wales futsal camp, and the Wales under-18s were looking for a third goalkeeper. A week later, I made my debut for Wales against England and the Swans picked me up from that. I’ve done a full circle!”
Since his switch to Swansea in 2021, Hughes has featured for the U18 and U21 sides – making an appearance in the Nathaniel MG Cup last season – and has also earned a cap for the Cymru U21 team.
The 150-mile loan move north to Caernarfon could have been daunting, but he says he settled in straightaway at The Oval.
“To be fair to the Caernarfon boys, I met them on the day of my first game and they were amazing, really welcoming. It was made clear straight away that we were going to be working together and working really well.”
And work they have. Since Hughes joined, the Cofis have lost just four out of 14 matches and secured fourth-place in the JD Cymru Premier – the joint-highest placing in their history.
“From the moment I spoke to the gaffer (Richard Davies), Europe was the goal. They’d dropped points earlier in the season, so we knew it would be a challenge. But overall, we’ve been consistent, had really good performances, and shown we can compete.”
One of Hughes’ standout moments came in the Play-Off semi-final against Cardiff Met, where he played a starring role in a dramatic penalty shootout win.
After a make a late double save in normal time to send the tie to spot-kicks, the 21-year-old denied Eliot Evans and Matt Chubb in the shootout to help send the Cofis on their way to victory.
“That was probably one of the best experiences I’ve had playing,” he said. “The fans were really loud behind the goal and gave me that little boost of adrenaline. That game showed everything I’m about as a goalkeeper – coming up big in big moments when I’m needed. That’s what I like to say are my biggest strengths.”
As Caernarfon prepare to face a well-drilled Haverfordwest side, Hughes knows the test ahead will be tough but it’s one he believes his side is ready and equipped for, especially after securing European qualification via the same route last season.
JD Cymru Premier European Play-Off final
“It’s going to be a really good game. Both games I’ve played against them ended 1-1. They were tight and could’ve gone either way, but we can be confident going into it off the back of the game against Cardiff Met and the result against Barry. Hopefully, our match sharpness and fitness could create an advantage and we can feel confident we can go there and play a good game.
“We have players who know how to win games of this magnitude. There are a couple of new players in this season, but there are also players who’ve been in the Cymru Premier or have played in the Football League and have dropped down, so they know what big games are like and how to play them.
“The gaffer has been there before, he knows what he needs to do from his side and he’s very good at being relatable and encourages us to be ourselves.
And when it comes to another potential penalty shootout?
“You’ve always got to back yourself,” Hughes added. “There’s that added confidence for me after the Cardiff Met game. As a goalkeeper, penalties are one of those few times you can actually win the game for your team.”
