Caernarfon Town 2 Cardiff Met 3
Caernarfon Town’s hopes of European football this summer were dashed as Cardiff Met overturned an early deficit to run out 3-2 winners in the play-off semi-final at The Oval.
Despite taking the lead through Darren Thomas’ headed goal on 19 minutes, the Cofis were undone by goals from Chris Baker, Adam Roscrow and Kyle McCarthy before Nathan Craig netted a late reply from the penalty spot.
The night started well enough for Caernarfon who could have been ahead in the first minute as Thomas’ angled strike was blocked by the foot of keeper Will Fuller.
They continued to create the better of the early chances and were in front on 19 minutes when Craig swung a free kick to the far post where Thomas worked space to head over Fuller.
The goal saw the game delayed for several minutes after the perimeter boarding behind the goal collapsed as the home fans celebrated. No-one appeared injured in the incident.
After going behind, the Met came back strongly with Elliot Evans and Guto Williams narrowly off target before levelling on 36 minutes as Baker pounced on a loose ball from a right wing corner before driving his deflected shot into the net.
They could have been ahead moments later as a cross into the home box found the unmarked Evans whose header struck the post before rebounding off Emlyn Lewis and bouncing wide.
But the students did got their noses in front on 68 minutes courtesy of a surging run from Roscrow who burst down the left before cutting in and smashing his shot past Alex Ramsay.
The Cofis battled to salvage their Europa League dreams, with Smith heading against the bar, Craig bringing a save from Fuller with a free-kick and Evans shooting just over in the space of a few minutes.
However, their hopes faded eight minutes from time when McCarthy latched onto Baker’s neat through pass on the left of the box before shooting low across Ramsay and into the far corner.
Craig pulled one back with a penalty two minutes into injury time, but it was all too late for Sean Eardley’s men as the Archers reached the play-off final for a third successive season.
Watch: Tony Bellew's message to Caernarfon Town supporters ahead of meet-and-greet
Newtown 1 Bala Town 2
Bala Town boss Colin Caton praised his side for “stifling” Newtown to reach next Sunday’s play-off final with a 2-1 victory at Latham Park.
Headed goals in each half from Kieran Smith and Henry Jones took the Lakesiders through in Mid Wales despite a late reply from Joe Kenton setting up a tense finish.
Caron’s men will now host Cardiff Met in Sunday’s final as they chase a place in the Europa League for the sixth time in seven years.
Newtown had a couple of Nick Rushton efforts cancelled for offside in an often controversial encounter, but Caton felt his side merited their victory following a successful gameplan.
Caton said: “Newtown is a difficult place to go, but the lads did really well, showed a lot of spirit, and fully deserve to be through.
“We stifled them, they couldn’t do what they wanted and got frustrated as they didn’t have a plan B.
“They moaned about the goals they had disallowed, but I think they are clutching at straws, and the goal they scored was a blatant handball.
“We should have put the game to bed earlier as Henry Jones and Mike Hayes had chances to slip each other in, and when they got a scrappy goal back it made for a hectic finish. But we dominated the first half, and it was an outstanding team performance.”
Newtown boss Chris Hughes said it was a frustrating night for his side, adding: “There was not much in it, and in a tight game you need to take your chances. Credit to them, they took their chances.”
Although Bala made a bright start, Rushton found the net for the Robins on 15 minutes only to see his effort ruled out by the offside flag.
With Danny Gosset impressing in the heart of midfield on his return from a loan spell at Cefn Druids, the Lakesiders were looking a threat with Mike Hayes denied by keeper Dave Jones, while Smith and Jones were narrowly off target
Keighan Jones pulled off a terrific save to foil Rushton, but the visitors were ahead five minutes before half time when Smith nodded home after Chris Venables had headed on Andy Burns pass.
After the break, Hayes and Venables went close to increasing the lead before a second goal arrived on 53 minutes as Jones met a left wing cross from Sean Smith to head inside the left post.
It could have been three as Jones’ powerful effort was kept out by keeper Jones after a swift break, while Venables saw him 20-yard volley pushed around the post.
Despite making changes as they upped the ante, Newtown struggled to find a way through against their well-drilled visitors, although Rushton was again denied by an offside call after his strike was ruled to have taken a deflection off sub Porya Ahmadi on its way into the net.
The Robins did eventually pull one back two minutes from time when Kenton drilled home a low shot from 16 yards despite claims for handball, but Bala held firm as they soaked up some late pressure in a tense finish.
Midfielder Chris Seargeant has returned to TNS after his loan spell, but Anthony Stephens will be back available for the play-off final.
