(Report: CTFC)

CAERNARFON began their latest Welsh Cup campaign with a tough looking trip to Latham Park today to face an in-form Newtown side.

The Robins are currently at the top end of the Cymru North League whilst the Cofis are on a disappointing run of results of late and so it promised to be a tricky afternoon for Richard Davies’ side.

However, despite a spirited opening twenty minutes from the hosts, Caernarfon came out on top as the result of a professional performance that saw them control long passages of play throughout the afternoon.

Newtown started well and were on the front foot from the off, although it must be said that they created very little at the top end of the pitch and never really looked like imposing too much pressure on Town keeper Connor Roberts.

Caernarfon’s first real effort on goal resulted in their opening goal. Twenty one minutes showed on the clock when Sion Bradley nicked the ball off Tomas Jones in the Newtown half and he found Connor Evans in the box. The young striker’s bullet was saved smarty by Dave Jones but the ball fell kindly to Josh Lock, who headed into an empty net from four yards.

The hosts went close to levelling just five minutes later when Steffan Jones met a corner but he headed wide when unmarked.

Caernarfon doubled their lead in the 35th minute with a superbly directed header from captain Phil Mooney, who met Lock’s whipped cross on the edge of the six yard box to leave Jones grasping at air in his efforts to reach the ball on the way into his net.

The opening of the second half was a much more disjointed affair and Tomas Jones went close to pulling a goal back for the hosts in the fiftieth minute but his effort flashed wide of the upright.

Caernarfon soon regained control of the match and there were near misses for Adam Davies, Dominic Smith and Morgan Owen before they all but clinched the tie in the 74th minute.

Substitute Osebi Abadaki was in menacing mood on the right flank after joining the action and it was the flying winger who set up his side’s third goal when he found Evans in the penalty area and the striker cut inside before placing his shot beyond the diving Jones and into the bottom corner of his net.

An excellent finish by the youngster who is looking sharper with each match after his summer move to the Cofis.

Lock nearly added a fourth just a minute later but the ball cannoned off the upright from his strike and whilst the Robins continued to work hard they did not really look like getting back into the match and the Cofis comfortably finished the job off to put themselves into the hat for the next round.

Tyn Lon Volvo Garage Man of the Match: Phil Mooney.

Team: Connor Roberts, Morgan Owen, Phil Mooney, Dominic Smith, Kyle Harrison, Sam Downey, Iwan Lewis, Josh Lock, Sion Bradley, Adam Davies, Connor Evans.

Subs (used): Osebi Abadaki, Darren Thomas, Osian Ellis. Not used: Hari Thomas, Ryan Sears, Matty Jones.