A draw was considered by many as a fair result in this entertaining encounter, but most Canaries fans went away rueing some missed chances and thinking of what might have been. Wayne Phillips took charge of the squad for the first time and changed the team to include Dave Norman as centre half in place of Tim Brandreth who took his place on the bench with Ryan Harden also making a return to first team contention.

However, it was Norman's error that let in Welshpool for their first goal after only seven minutes, Christian Courtney latching onto a through ball and running clear after Norman's attempted short free kick and run from his own half resulted in him being dispossessed in midfield. Two minutes later Steve Watkin saw his header cleared off the line but he made no mistake in heading in the equaliser after 17 minutes, winning the ball against keeper Steve Goodwin at the far post from a long cross from the right by Paul Roberts. Caernarfon gained more confidence as the half went on but still looked vulnerable on the break from Welshpool's pacey attackers. Carl Rodgers hit a spectacular shot after 26 minutes which cannoned off the underside of the bar and Calvin Davies's follow-up was well saved.

However, from the throw in on the left Wayne Phillips worked a position on the goal-line and squared the ball to Calvin Davies who bundled the ball in from close range. Welshpool equalised with five minutes to go to the break. A cross-field pass from the right found Neil McCann in space on the left and he forced his way past Paul Roberts and pulled the ball back to Christian Courtney to power home the equaliser from the edge of the box.

The second half was largely a stalemate with both teams fighting for supremacy. Welshpool had their noses in front again on 66 minutes. A dubious foul on the edge of the area gave ex-Oswestry Town striker Steve Rogers a chance to curl a free kick towards goal, and he executed the chance perfectly, looping the ball over the wall and Willcock's outstreched hand. Mark Hobson was pushed up to the forward line soon after to add height to the Canaries' attack and it almost paid of after 81 minutes when he just failed to gain enough of a touch on a header from a Chalk cross. Caernarfon equalised on 83 minutes as Watkin pounced in the six yard box to convert a goalmouth scramble. Caernarfon sensed then that the points were there for the taking. Steve Goodwin pulled off the save of the match after 87 minutes - diving to his left to push away a Leigh Williams half-volley, and just before the final whistle Carl Rodgers found himself space in the box as Martin Chalk crossed from the right, but his header did not have the required power to beat Goodwin.

Caernarfon: Willcock, Roberts, P, Maloney, Phillips, Hobson, Norman, Chalk, Williams,L, Davies,C, Watkin, Rodgers
Subs: Owen, Brandreth, Harden

Report by: Geraint Jones