Pre-Season Friendly- Saturday,August 11th
Blackburn Rovers XI ...4 CPD Porthmadog ...0
Porthmadog ended their pre-season on a down beat note after this
comprehensive defeat against an excellent Blackburn Reserve side.
Sporting players from the Faroe Islands, Italy, Australia, Ireland and
England Blackburn played with purpose from the off and scored after
only 7 minutes when a trialist, whose name Blackburn would not release,
scored after a good run into the box. The same player hit the post
after 21 minutes as the Blackburn attacks came in waves over the
Porthmadog defence. Inevitably Porthmadog conceded another after 21
minutes when full back Taylor headed home from close range. The over
worked Richard Harvey pulled off a stunning penalty save from Nolan on
38 minutes after he was adjudged to have fouled an attacker in the box.
Porthmadog failed to trouble the Blackburn keeper in the first half but
a Clayton Blackmore free-kick on 55 minutes was only inches over the
bar. Iwan Thomas also went close with a long range effort on 62
minutes. The Blackburn trialist headed against the post on 67 minutes
and he was also the creator for Blackburn’s third on 74 minutes which
was scored by substitute O'Connor. The scoring was completed on 78
minutes when De Vita scored with an excellent low drive from 20 yards.
This was a tough end to the Porthmadog preparations for the new season
and would certainly provided Clayton with plenty to think about as all
thoughts now turn to Neath on Saturday.
Gerallt Owen
Pre-Season Friendly Tuesday, August 7th
CPD Porthmadog ...3 Glantraeth ...0
Mike Foster 34'
Marcus Orlik 63', 85'
Port can be well satisfied with this performance which showed some slick
passing and good movement throughout the whole of the 90 minutes. Carl Jones
showed up well in the opening period and together with Paul Lewis on the
other flank posed a real threat to the visitors. The final pass into the
box, however, was often not sufficiently accurate to turn pressure into goal
opportunities. It took a penalty after 34' for Port to opening the scoring.
Mike Foster coolly slotting the ball into the net after Carl Jones had been
brought down. A rare Glantraeth attack could have resulted in an almost
instant response but Richard Harvey dived low at the far post to make a good
save. There were also a couple of good efforts by Paul Roberts and a couple
of long range shots from Richard Smart, who together with an impressive Aled
Rowlands formed a good looking central midfield partnership.
Marcus Orlik was introduced after the interval and his good early cross
almost provided Paul Roberts with a scoring opportunity. The substitutions
came thick and fast during the second half but the changes did not disrupt
Port's pattern of play. Smart who moved back into central defence did well
under pressure from former Port player Kevin Roberts. At the other end
Ritchie Owen for the visitors stopped a dangerous Carl Owen run with a big
tackle. Pressure mounted on the Glantraeth goal and a quickly taken Mike
Foster free kick created the opportunity for Orlik to cut in from the right
and beat the keeper at the near post. The keeper did well a few minutes
later to keep out a Blackmore chip. The third goal came five minutes from
the end when it was Marcus Orlik again finding the net after a series of
desperate defensive blocks had managed to keep Port out.
Porthmadog: Richard Harvey: John G. Jones,( Iwan Williams), Ryan Davies,
Rhys Roberts (Clayton Blackmore), Mike Foster ( Bari Evans): Paul Lewis
(Marcus Orlik), Richard Smart, Aled Rowlands (Kevin Roberts), Carl Jones
(Iwan Thomas): Paul Roberts (Dylan Jones), Jason Sadler (Carl Owen).
Gareth Williams.
Pre-Season Friendly -Saturday, August 4th
Ashton Town 2-3 Porthmadog
Paul Crewe 38 Jason Sadler 52
Phil Howard 65 Iwan Thomas 73
Dylan Jones 82
A warm, dry, slightly breezy Ashton in Makerfield was the setting for this
entertaining match between Porthmadog and their hosts of the Vodkat North
West Counties League. The early kick off meant that Porthmadog were without
one or two first choice names but there was still a familiar look to the
squad with a good mix of well-established and up-and-coming players.
After a minutes silence for one of Ashton Town's long standing supporters
who sadly passed away over the summer the game got off to a fast start. The
home team were immediately on the attack forcing a corner within the first
couple of minutes but as usual the ever-reliable Richard Harvey was on hand
to gather it up. Porthmadog absorbed the early pressure and the first 20 or
so minutes saw both teams pushing hard to try and get an early goal under
their belts. During this period Porthmadog had a corner float tantalisingly
across the penalty area but unfortunately no one was able to turn it in;
Bari Evans also came close to scoring his second of the season as he just
failed to connect with a ball which flew across from the left of the area.
In between there was a heart-stopping moment as the home side put a shot
inches wide of Harvey's left hand post.
Porthmadog were forced into an early substitution on 26 minutes when Iwan
Thomas replaced Bari Evans who had to be helped from the field after
suffering an injury to his left ankle. Once again there was a flurry of
chances for both sides - an Ashton shot went just over the bar, Aled
Rowlands was unlucky not to open his account for the season, Harvey pulled
off another fine save from a well placed shot from out near the corner flag
and Dylan Jones came close before a goal kick set Port off on a well-worked
move upfield ending in Jason Sadler's powerful shot riccocheting off the
post.
It was only a matter of time before the opening goal went in, but
unfortunately for Port, first blood went to the home team as Paul Crewe
scored on 38 minutes. Undaunted, the visitors pressed forward from the
restart and were unlucky not to have an immediate reply. An excellent first
half came to a close with a period of good solid defensive work culminating
in Rhys Roberts closing down a dangerous looking Ashton attack to ensure
there was still only one goal in it at the break.
Porthmadog started the second half brightly and their early pressure was
rewarded by Jason Sadler's well taken equaliser on 52 minutes. A couple of
minutes later saw Port's second and final substitution of the afternoon as
Clayton Blackmore replaced John Gwynfor Jones. There was no let up in the
action as Porthmadog almost took the lead when the ever-green Mike Foster
saw his screamer of a shot curl fractionally over the bar but little more
than 5 minutes later Ashton were again ahead as Phil Howard scored following
a free kick just outside the area.
Again Porthmadog refused to let their heads drop and could easily have been
level again following Blackmore's shot from distance. After more end to end
action and half chances from both sides the equaliser came from Iwan Thomas
on 73 minutes. This left the game finely poised and both teams pushing hard
for the winner. Sadler was unlucky to hit the woodwork once again, as 3
minutes later his shot glanced off the bar and over for the goal kick Some
fine work from the Ashton attack led to a few nervous minutes for the
visitors so it came as somewhat of a relief when Dylan Jones put them ahead
for the first time in the afternoon netting what would turn out to be the
winner on 82 minutes.
Both teams battled on right up to the final whistle and either could have
added to their goal tally but in a match packed with action and excitement
from start to finish Sadler's speculative shot from well out was easily
caught by the Ashton keeper and Harvey's fine save ensured that Porthmadog
returned home victorious.
This match provided an excellent workout for both sides and all concerned
must surely go home happy in the knowledge that the two teams are a credit
to their respective leagues.
Porthmadog: Richard Harvey, John G. Jones (Clayton Blackmore), Mike Foster,
Rhys Roberts, Ryan Davies, Danny Hughes, Aled Rowlands, Iwan Williams, Jason
Sadler, Dylan Jones, Bari Evans (Iwan Thomas).
Maria Rookyard
Pre-Season Friendly -Tuesday, July 31st
CPD Porthmadog ... 1 Bala Town ...0
Dylan Jones 84'
Porthmadog have found goals in short supply during their pre-season games.
They needed a last minute goal to level the score against Llandudno on
Saturday and tonight they left it until six minutes from time before scoring
the only goal of the game against Bala. Bala last season were for long
period front runners in the Cymru Alliance and are now favourites to gain
promotion to the WPL this time round.
This was a game with plenty of neat passing and good general build up play
but neither side looked like scoring and neither goalkeeper was called into
action on more than a few occasions. Paul Roberts came close after five
minutes having been set up by Carl Owen. The home side then enjoyed the
lion's share of the possession but shots from distance by Marcus Orlik and
Aled Rowlands were the main threat.
Early in the second period Orlik cut diagonally across the edge of the box
but his eventual shot was off target. The game opened up midway through the
second half and there were some good moves involving Carl Jones, Paul
Roberts and Aled Rowlands but again there was no final product. Though there
were many changes as the half wore on Port continued to look the more likely
to score. A fine sweeping move involving Kevin Roberts, initially, and then
Dylan Jones created a good opening for Jason Sadler but the striker, who had
looked very lively since being introduced, failed to hit the target. Sadler
however made up for this lapse as he was involved in an excellent move which
produced the winner. Barry Evans opened up the Bala defence finding Sadler
with a through ball on the left and Sadler squared the ball into the path of
the advancing Dylan Jones who coolly slotted the ball into the Bala net for
the winner.
Port: Richard Harvey: John G Jones (Iwan Williams), Ryan Davies, Rhys
Roberts (Danny Hughes), Mike Foster (Barry Evans): Marcus Orlik (Paul
Lewis), Aled Rowlands, Richard Smart, Carl Jones (Kevin Roberts), Paul
Roberts (Dylan Jones), Carl Owen, (Jason Sadler).
Pre-Season Friendly -Saturday, July 28th
Llandudno Town ...1 CPD Porthmadog ...1
Goal 72' Jason Sadler 90'
A goal by Jason Sadler in the 90th minute gave Port the equaliser against
the lively Cymru Alliance side. The blustery wind at the Maesdu ground
exerted a strong influence on proceedings with Port, who had the wind on
their backs in the opening half, regularly over hitting passes intended for
the strike pair of Carl Owen and Paul Roberts. Port enjoyed a larger share
of possession in the opening half and should have gone ahead just after the
quarter hour mark when Jason Sadler put a simple tap in over the bar. This
opportunity followed good work by Paul Roberts and Paul Lewis -who again
caught the eye with runs down both flanks. Apart from this all Port had to
show in attack in the opening half were a couple of long range efforts by
Marcus Orlik and one from Carl Jones. Richard Harvey had to make one good
save at his near post.
In the second period the home side looked the livelier taking the game to
Port and setting up some good passing moves. After only two minutes of the
second period they struck the bar and it was Llandudno who went ahead after
72 minutes when a cross from the left opened up the defence and the ball was
scrambled into the net at the far post. Paul Lewis and Carl Jones continued
to look dangerous getting to the bye-line on several occasions but the game
lacked the telling the final pass. The equaliser eventually came from a set
piece with Mike Foster lifting the ball to the far post and Dylan Jones's
downward header was curled into the corner of the net by Jason Sadler from
10 yards.
Porthmadog: Richard Harvey, John G Jones (Iwan Williams), Ryan Davies,
Richard Smart, Barry Evans (Mike Foster): Paul Lewis (Kevin Roberts), Jason
Sadler, Marcus Orlik, Carl Jones: Paul Roberts, Carl Owen (Dylan Jones).
Caergybi / Holyhead Hotspurs ..... 0 Porthmadog ..... 1
C. Owen.
This wasn’t the most inspiring of matches, but pre-season friendlies hardly
ever are! Port’s line-up for the first half had a very familiar look, with
Dylan Jones from the reserves and new arrival Richard Smart the only new
faces who didn’t feature for Port last season.
With the strong wind blowing in their general direction, Port dominated play
in the first half and should have gone in one-up at the interval, when
Dylan Jones had an excellent opportunity to score. Some of the Port players
who stood out during the opening half were Carl Jones and Carl Owen.
The real winner on the night was the strong wind that made it difficult for
Holyhead before the interval and Port in the second half.
The hosts were on top in the second half and had a few chances to score, but
at least this gave the Port defence and Richard Harvey a chance to perform and
they responded well to the challenge. When Carl Owen scored Port’s winner, it
was definitely against the run of play. It was however a good strike and will
give Owen confidence in these early stages of pre-season.
A number of changes were made by Clayton in the second half, with new signings
Paul Roberts and Bari Evans coming on at the interval. The other substitutes
were Marcus Orlik and Iwan Williams.
It’s pointless trying to come to some big conclusion to a friendly match like
this, especially a match so affected by strong winds. Considering that this was
only Port’s second friendly, Clayton will be relatively pleased with the outcome.
Port: Harvey, J. G. Jones (I. Williams), R. Roberts, R. Davies, Foster (B. Evans),
C. Jones (M. Orlik), Smart, D. Hughes, A. Rowlands, C. Owen, D. Jones (P. Roerts)
Pre-Season Friendly Saturday, July 14th
CPD Porthmadog ...2 Nefyn United ...1
Bari Evans Chris Griffiths
Dylan Jones
A mixture of first team squad players, reserves and trialists turned out for
Porthmadog in the opening pre season fixture of the season. The first
teamers who appeared were Richard Harvey, John Gwynfor, Aled Rowlands, Carl
Jones and Marcus Orlik. Though both sides tired towards the end the game
proved a good work out for players on a Traeth surface that was looking its
best after the considerable work done over the summer. Bari Evans, who has
re-joined Port after appearing for Penrhyncoch last season whilst at college
in Aberystwyth, opened the scoring shortly before half time. Surging forward
on the left he caught out the visitors' keeper with a low cross cum shot
which ended with the keeper only able to help the ball on its way into the
net.
The home side doubled their advantage three minutes into the second half
when Paul Lewis (a trialist from Barmouth) combined well with Marcus Orlik
to set up Dylan Jones who finished the move with a shot from close range.
The same player could have further increased the lead following a Carl Jones
run but the keeper did well to save at point blank range. There were a
couple of good efforts from a lively Marcus Orlik one of which struck the
bar with the keeper beaten. Though Port continued to dominate, with Richard
Harvey rarely in action, it was Nefyn who were next on the score sheet.
Chris Griffiths broke well from midfield and finished in style with a well
placed shot from the edge of the box. As the number of substitutions
increased and tiredness crept in, the game lost its pattern but there were
no additions to the score.
Gareth Williams
