Cymru Premier Euro play-off final: Caernarfon Town 3-5 Newtown
- Published
Newtown celebrate while fans look on from outside the ground
James Davies struck twice in a Cymru Premier Euro play-off final thriller, as Newtown beat hosts Caernarfon Town to a Europa Conference League spot.
In a see-saw finale, Jack Kenny gave the hosts the lead before a Nicky Rushton penalty and Lifumpa Mwandwe's cool finish put Newtown in front.
Darren Thomas' fine brace, scoring with both feet, restored Caernarfon's lead.
Back came Newtown as Davies headed them level before adding a second on the break, with Jamie Breese then scoring.
Spectators had not been allowed into the game under Welsh Government coronavirus rules, but large numbers had gathered outside the ground, peaking over walls and through fences to cheer their sides on.
Rival managers Huw Griffiths and Chris Hughes had experienced success in previous play-off finals.
Hughes led Newtown to victory over Aberystwyth in the 2015 play-off final, while Griffiths was Cefn Druids boss when they beat Cardiff Met in 2018.
Newtown's most recent appearance in the play-offs had seen them lose at the semi-final stage in 2017, while Caernarfon's only previous experience was a last-four defeat in 2019.
James Davies scores one of his two goals for Newtown at Caernarfon.
Caernarfon took the lead when Kenny latched onto a long ball before lofting it over advancing goalkeeper Dave Jones, despite a despairing effort from Alex Fletcher to keep out the shot.
Newtown were soon level after keeper Lewis Brass flattened Mwandwe in the area and Rushton converted the penalty.
Mwandwe then gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time, half-volleying into the far corner after Brass failed to hold a cross.
Thomas brought the Cofis back when he seized on a looses ball to smash in a low right-foot shot then struck again for the lead, rounding off a sweeping counter with a crisp finish off his left.
The momentum swung again as Newtown equalised through Davies' powerful header, before again retaking the lead through the same player with a counter-attack every bit as incisive as their opponents had produced for Thomas' second goal.
Breese's late close-range strike, after Newtown had caught out the Caernarfon defence with a free-kick played down the side rather than swung into the box, made the game safe and secured European football for the visitors.