Two superb Danny Brookwell goals were not enough for Caernarfon Town as they were forced to share the points against a spirited Bala Town side.
Caernarfon twice took the lead at the Oval but were pegged back each time by the Lakesiders, who refused to give in.
Brookwell opened the scoring in fine fashion when he darted into the Bala area to wrong foot two defenders, before firing a low angled finish into the far corner.
https://twitter.com/sgorio/status/1048287167431266305
The woodwork twice denied Caernarfon of a second shortly after when Nathan Craig’s free-kick resulted in havoc in the Bala goalmouth, with Jamie Breese striking against the post and crossbar in close succession.
Bala managed to reply in first-half added time when Chris Venables got his head to an in-swinging Henry Jones free-kick to restore parity.
⚽ CHRIS VENABLES!
Caernarfon 1-1 @BalaTownFC pic.twitter.com/4lkqqUbbvG— Sgorio ⚽️ (@sgorio) October 5, 2018
Three minutes after the restart, classy Brookwell would again light up the game with his fourth goal in three WPL games.
Brookwell restored Caernarfon’s lead with a fine solo goal, starting from deep inside his own half. The winger charged upfield leaving two Bala players in his wake, despatching another fine low finish past Ashley Morris.
https://twitter.com/sgorio/status/1048300385184755712
Frustratingly for Sean Eardley’s men, Bala didn’t have to wait too long to find a way back into the game.
Five minutes after going behind, Bala were able to capitalise from another similarly positioned Henry Jones free-kick. This time the Caernarfon defence failed to clear probably and Steven Tames picked up the ball and fired in his sixth WPL goal of the season.
2-2!
Steven Tames yn unioni’r sgôr i'r @BalaTownFC.Dechrau bywiog i'r ail hanner! https://t.co/ORsH73AXJs pic.twitter.com/vroTmzt1cv
— Sgorio ⚽️ (@sgorio) October 5, 2018
Bala pressed for a third in the closing stages and were denied by twice by Cofi’s goalkeeper Alex Ramsey and Ryan Williams, who cleared off the line to ensure the hosts took a point.
Speaking after the game, Carernarfon boss Sean Eardley felt the draw was the right result.
“I’m immensely proud of the players who’re turning out these performances where they’re leaving everything out on the pitch,” he said.
“I’m sure it was a good game for the neutral but on the flip side, I don’t think Bala have had to work hard for their goals. But looking back overall a point was probably a fair result.”
In Friday night’s other game, James Davies came off the bench to snatch a precious three points for Cefn Druids against Aberystwyth.
Davies returned to the side following injury in the second-half and struck the only goal of the game from outside of the box, four minutes from time, to give the Huw Griffiths’ Ancients their first win in three.
Friday: Caernarfon 2-2 Bala Town, Cefn Druids 1-0 Aberystwyth. Saturday: Carmarthen v The New Saints, Llandudno v Llanelli, Newtown v Barry Town. Sunday: Cardiff Met v Connah’s Quay.