Caernarfon Town 2 Porthmadog 2
DERBY rivals Caernarfon and Porthmadog both went into action anxious to secure a win – for different reasons – and the drawn outcome left both camps frustrated.
But Steve O’Shaughnessy’s hosts were the more grateful in the end, because they survived a series of hair-raising escapes and managed to come from behind twice.
The final analysis, however, was focused on two penalties – and on how to take them and how not to.
Caernarfon’s Leyton Maxwell produced a power shot to direct into the net his 76th minute spot-kick, following a foul on home debutant Paul Addow by Ryan Davies.
But earlier, Porthmadog’s Mike Foster, who had celebrated the Welsh Cup tie winner from the spot against The New Saints last time out, steered his 48th minute effort too close to Paul Pritchard.
The rebound had offered Foster a snatched second chance but he failed with that as well, as a Town defender scurried back to clear on the line.
Porthmadog, who dominated the four-match derby series against the Canaries, because of two wins and two draws, had looked like running away with the points during the first half.
In a dream start, they rushed downfield from the kick off, along the left flank for Carl Owen to score inside 15 seconds, without the opposition having touched the ball.
After Gwyn Peters equalised for Caernarfon on the half-hour, with another spectacular strike – he had his back to goal when taking possession – it was all Porthmadog again but they wasted an array of chances.
Owen restored the visitors’ lead at 2-1 on 40 minutes, by means of another clinical finish from 12 yards, but Town lived dangerously, kept within distance somehow and snapped up the equaliser thanks to the nerve of Maxwell.
