Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier	-Saturday, February 4th

Cardiff Grange Quins ... 0	CPD Porthmadog ... 2
			Gareth Parry 11
			Gareth Caughter 19

As most would have predicted Port completed a back to back double over
bottom side Grange Quins and the victory was achieved in a more comfortable
fashion than the score suggests. Port went two up in the first twenty
minutes but the anticipated goal avalanche did not materialise and in a
lacklustre second period they spurned numerous opportunities to give the
score line a fairer reflection of the play. The fact that the score remained
at two nil was also in no small measure due to Gareth Williams, in the home
goal, who turned in another excellent performance.

The opening minutes gave some indication of what would transpire when Rhys
Roberts missed a heading opportunity from Les Davies' corner and Carl Owen
shot into the side netting when Mike Foster's free kick to the far post
provided him with a good opportunity. Williams in the home goal was soon in
the action and made a fine one handed save to deny Gareth Parry. The
resulting Les Davies corner was met by Gareth Parry at the near post to put
the visitors ahead.

Port's second goal came after 19 minutes when Gareth Caughter was first to
react when Carl Owen's shot came bounding back from the cross bar and directed his
header over the keeper to score. Though they remained in charge Port failed
to add to their score during the remainder of the half though Carl Owen
chipped narrowly over the bar and keeper Williams pulled off another fine
save to keep out a Les Davies effort following a Mike Foster free-kick.
Towards the end of the first half the home side did manage a period of
pressure forcing a couple of dangerous corners by Tingley and Richard Harvey
was forced to make his only serious save of the half to keep out Lyon at the
near post.

The second half had few thrills to warm a tiny crowd on a cold day but on
the occasions when Port brought the ball down and built patiently from the
back they created opportunities for themselves but unfortunately failed to
take advantage of them. It was good to hear the lesisalegend crew in as good
voice on an away ground as they have been at the Traeth. But the chances
came and went Les Davies fired over when well placed following a Mike Foster
cross and Lee Webber fired wide from point blank range following a corner.
It continues the keeper again prevented Carl Owen taking advantage of a poor
back pass and repeated the performance to deny Carl Owen in another one on
one situation following a low Les Davies ball into the box and to complete a
hat trick of saves he blocked the striker again at the near post. 

The home side rarely troubled the Port defence in the second period and
Richard Harvey did not have a real save to make. Ahmed Noor showed some neat
touches for Grange when he came on as sub but they failed to create a
worthwhile shooting opportunity throughout the half. Though Port failed to
score a killer third goal they rarely looked like allowing Grange back into
the game.

This was not a candidate for match of the season but on the other hand
provided three useful points which lifts Port into tenth spot giving them
their second away win of the season and the third clean sheet in four games.


Quins: Gareth Williams, Karvouniaris, Tingley (capt), Perkins, Gareth
Morgan, Hopkins, Redwood, Stacey, Lyon, Lubuski, Tanetta.
Subs: Abdillawi, Ahmed Noor, Rhys Carr.

Port: Richard Harvey, Danny Hughes, Lee Webber (capt.) Rhys Roberts (Ryan
Davies 82'), Mike Foster: Gareth Caughter, Gareth Parry, Paul Friel, Richie
Owen: Carl Owen, Les Davies. 
Subs not used: Geraint Mitchell, Ywain Gwynedd.

Attendance 107

Gareth Williams 

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier	Saturday, January 28th

CPD Porthmadog ... 4	Cardiff Grange Quins ... 0
Gareth Parry 13
Carl Owen 28
Richie Owen 83
Les Davies 90

Two late goals by Port made the score line a fairer reflection of play
over the ninety minutes. Up to this time Port had failed to turn 
domination into goals and while the score remained at 2-0 there was 
always a danger that the lively Quins could snatch a goal and put the
home side under pressure. 

Though young and inexperienced the Quins started brightly and were 
first on the attack forcing a corner in the first minute. Port in their
first attack had a legitimate claim for a penalty but referee 
Kerry Morgan did not see it that way and in fact added insult to injury
by showing Carl Owen a yellow card, presumably ruling that he had taken
a dive! Owen's exemplary disciplinary record hardly deserves such a 
slight.

Port went ahead following good work by Les Davies down the right and 
his low cross was touched on by Carl Owen for Gareth Parry to test 
visitors' keeper Gareth Williams who beat out the first effort but 
Parry followed up to score with a low shot from 12 yards. But the Quins
remained a threat and both Oppong and Karvouniaris had good shooting 
opportunities. Soon after Webber had headed over for Port the home side,
with 28 minutes gone, went two up. Mike Foster crossed to the far post 
and Carl Owen did well to keep his shot under control and fire over 
Williams to score. 

Port were now in control and Les Davies came close with a couple of 
headers and then the same player created an opening for Gareth Caughter 
with a good cross from the right but Williams saved well to deny 
Caughter.

In the second period Port controlled but failed to beat Grange keeper 
Gareth Williams who did well to keep out a Gareth Parry shot and Lee 
Webber just failed to keep his header down when well placed. There 
were more scoring opportunities for Port as sub Tony Williams was 
unlucky to see his shot curl wide of the upright following an excellent
build up and Gareth Williams again saved well  from Gareth Caughter.

The goals came late for Port. The third was the result of a good build
up involving Danny Hughes and Carl Owen for Richie Owen to score with a
fine left foot shot from 18 yards and this time even Gareth Williams 
could not deny the home side. The final goal came during injury time 
when Gareth Parry chased to the bye line crossing accurately for Les 
Davies to head Port's fourth.

Amazingly referee Kerry Morgan, in a game with no needle and few heavy
tackles, showed five yellow cards to Port players and one red and three 
yellows to the visitors. Bearing in mind Port's excellent disciplinary
record this to say the least is mystifying. There was one more serious
skirmish, however, which led to Frank Oppong receiving his marching 
orders for kicking four minutes from time.

These two sides meet again next Saturday and Port will need to approach
the game with the correct attitude if they are to achieve the double
over their opponents from the capital city.

Port: Richard Harvey: Geraint Mitchell (Tony Williams 61')
(Richie Owen 73') Lee Webber (capt.) Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster, 
Danny Hughes, Gareth Parry, Paul Friel, Gareth Caughter 
(Ywain Gwynedd 81'): Carl Owen, Les Davies. 

Yellow: Carl Owen 3' Mike Foster 30' Les Davies 59' Rhys Roberts 77' 
Lee Webber 86'.

Quins: Gareth Williams, Tingley, Hopkins (Nash 83'), Perkins, Essa, 
Stacey, Lyon (Lubuski 63'), Oppong, Karvouniaris, Tanetta, Fish 
(Noor 51').

Red: Oppong 86', Yellow: Karvonouris 14', Hopkins 24'. Essa 54'.

Attendance 159.

North Wales Coast Challenge Cup - Tuesday, January 24th

Porthmadog ...5                 Connah's Quay Nomads ... 0
Tony Williams (2)
Iwan Tomos
Thomas Hughes (2)

The fourth round tie between Porthmadog and Connah’s Quay Nomads was 
played at Y Traeth on Tuesday night. An youthful Nomads side faced a 
Porthmadog side fielding a mixture of first team and Reserves team 
players with Porthmadog winning 5-0. The only goal of the opening 
period came from Iwan Thomas with a thunderous 30 yard drive. Both Tom 
Hughes and Tony Williams went close during the opening period ( a taste 
of things to come). A James Gambino effort 5 minutes from half time 
which forced Richard Harvey into a fine save was the closest the Nomads 
came to finding an equaliser. Two minutes into the second period they 
went even closer when Matty Phillips hit an upright with a shot from a 
tight angle. The game was sealed with a three goal burst in four 
minutes either side of the hour mark. Sub Iestyn Woolway broke on the 
right and his excellent cross was missed at the near post by Tom Hughes 
but Tony Williams had a tap in to score at the back post. The third 
goal on 62 minutes was almost a carbon copy with Woolway again the 
provider and Williams applying the all important touch to score. A 
minute later and an error at the back for the Nomads gifted the ball to 
Tony Williams and he set up Tom Hughes to fire home from 15 yards in 
emphatic fashion. The fifth and final goal did not arrive until the 
86th minute when Woolway again scampered down the right flank produced 
an inch perfect cross for Tom Hughes to head home from 6 yards. A good 
all round performance with a number of the younger players taking the 
limelight. Porthmadog will be at home against either Bontnewydd or 
Llangefni in the next round.

Gerallt Owen

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier	-Saturday, January 21st

Port Talbot ...2		CPD Porthmadog ... 1
Rhys Griffiths 64,87                            Carl Owen 72

It is always hard for players, management and supporters to take defeat when
it comes courtesy of such a late goal. The sense of injustice is even
greater when the performance on the day was deserving of a share of the
spoils. But Rhys Griffiths showed once more that if you take your eye off
him for a second he is liable to punish you. Having defended well for 87
minutes one defensive slip and a partial clearance gave Luke Bowen the
opportunity to play the ball into the box and Rhys Griffiths' header at the
far post was good enough to beat Richard Harvey in the Port goal. It was the
killer blow with little or no time for Port to get themselves back on level
terms. 

All three goals came in the second period after a rather dour opening half
with both defences on top. Port started well after their long journey but
neither side were able to create a clear cut chance. One of the few
opportunities for a strike on goal fell to Port Talbot defender Matthew Rees
but though well placed following De Vulgt's corner he managed to lift his
shot over the bar. Les Davies threatened down the left but his cross was
well cleared by Rees and Gareth Caughter tried a long range effort but he
couldn't hit the target. Port Talbot forced numerous corners and won several
free kicks in useful positions but could not open their account. Half-time
arrived with neither keeper having to make a serious save.

Both sides looked sharper after the interval and two minutes into the second
period Carl Owen forced home keeper Neil Thomas into a good save at his near
post. Five minutes later and Port Talbot should have opened the scoring when
Rhys Griffiths chased a long bouncing ball into the Port box but his lob
went not only over keeper Richard Harvey but over the cross bar as well. As
the home side continued to threaten Richard Harvey was forced to punch away
Johnson's dangerous cross. In the 64th minute Rhys Griffiths took advantage
of another long ball to open the scoring. This time he controlled well
before turning his marker and finished with a fine low shot which gave
Harvey little chance. 

Port did not capitulate and indeed after a further 6 minutes they were back
on level terms and this too was a quality goal. Les Davies chased an
apparent lost cause down the left and then with a mixture of grit and skill
broke to the bye line rounding Rees in the process before finding Carl Owen
bursting in at the near post and the striker's low shot found the net and it
was all to play for again. Geraint Mitchell came on for injured Danny Hughes
and performed confidently again and for a time Port with debutant Paul Friel
and Gareth Parry forging a more than useful looking partnership in midfield
had one eye on all three points. They, however, received a timely warning
after 85 minutes when Richard Harvey had to pull off an excellent diving
save to turn Rhys Griffiths' header round the post. Then with only three
minutes left the cruel blow was struck. 

The table shows that both sides had drawn six games this season and for most
of the match it looked like a seventh was on the way. The Port squad will be
disappointed by the result after all their hard work but they will not be
disheartened for they have played and matched a top six side. The back to
back games against Grange Quins now assume even greater importance if Port
are to achieve their aim of securing a Premier Cup place for next season.

Port Talbot: Neil Thomas, Cockings, DE Vulgt (Nicky Jones 27'), Pridham,
Matthew Rees, Hanford, Bowen, Gareth Phillips (Dean Johnston 35'), Rhys
Griffiths, Kristian Diamond, Jonathan Coates (Andrew Pearson 80')

Port: Richard Harvey: Danny Hughes (Geraint Mitchell 73'), Lee Webber, Rhys
Roberts, Mike Foster: Gareth Caughter (Ywain Gwynedd 87', Gareth Parry, Paul
Friel, Richie Owen (Tony Williams 87'), Carl Owen, Les Davies.

Gareth Williams