Caernarfon Town’s European adventure ended in disappointment on Thursday as they were hammered 5-0 by Estonian side Levadia Tallinn in the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round first leg at The Oval.

Over 1,200 fans turned out to see history made as Caernarfon played their first European game at their revamped home ground - but Levadia’s class shone through from the off. Richard Davies’ side booked their European spot by beating Flint Town United 3-0 in the Welsh Cup final in April, yet the Estonians exposed every flaw.

What happened on the night?

Levadia started brightly, but Caernarfon nearly opened the scoring through Zack Clarke after nine minutes - his effort flew just wide of the far post. The visitors struck first when captain Rasmus Peetson rose unmarked to head home from a tight angle after 15 minutes. The Estonians, who finished second in their league last season and have lost only once in 18 games, doubled their lead five minutes before half-time when Brazilian Joao Pedro rifled a low left-footed shot past Connor Roberts.

Mark Roosnupp then saw a long-range effort go just over the bar, but Caernarfon’s defence cracked again before the break when Roosnupp slotted home from inside the penalty area in stoppage time. The hosts, who sit 4th in the Cymru Premier with 45 points from 32 games, were already reeling when Mihkel Ainsalu made it 4-0 three minutes after the restart, exploiting a through ball.

Defender Ben Nash, making his Caernarfon debut, was sent off for a foul on Bubacarr Tambedou in the 63rd minute. Maksimilian Skvortsov blazed the resulting penalty over the bar, but substitute Enock Otoo made sure of the scoreline in the 78th minute with his first touch.

Why it matters for Caernarfon Town

This was a night of firsts for Caernarfon - their first European game at The Oval, their second European campaign in three seasons, and their first taste of top-flight continental football. Yet the 5-0 scoreline exposed gaps in organisation and composure that will need addressing before the second leg in Tallinn next Thursday.

Richard Davies admitted the defeat stung. “It very much hurts, especially to take away from what was a special occasion,” he told BBC Sport Wales. “We hadn’t planned for that but unfortunately that’s football. Every mistake we seemed to do tonight we got punished for.”

The result leaves Caernarfon with a daunting task: overturn a five-goal deficit against a side that has conceded just once in their last 18 league games. Their recent run of five straight wins before this match suggests resilience, but Levadia’s pedigree demands a near-flawless performance.

What comes next?

Caernarfon will travel to Tallinn next Thursday knowing they need a miracle. Levadia, who sit second in their domestic league, arrive in confident form and with a squad packed with experience. For Caernarfon, the focus now shifts to damage limitation and regrouping for the Cymru Premier run-in, where they remain 35 points behind leaders The New Saints with a +9 goal difference.

Their last outing was a 2-0 win over Penybont on 18 April 2026, a result that capped a five-game winning streak. Whether they can replicate that intensity in Estonia remains to be seen - but the Oval faithful will be hoping for a fightback.