Porthmadog..........3 Helygain / Halkyn..........1
Gyda'r tymheredd yn codi i 28 gradd, doedd yr amodau'n sicr ddim yn rhai
delfrydol ar gyfer gem o bêl-droed. Roedd y gem a gafwyd yn brawf o hynny,
wrth i ni gael gem ddistaw iawn ar ôl yr ugain munud cyntaf heb lawer o
gyffro. Doedd dim fawr o syndod felly i ddwy o'r bedair gol ddod yn ystod y
10 munud cyntaf. Cic gosb wych gan gyn chwaraewr Tranmere, Alun Morgan o
ochr y cwrt, agorodd y sgorio, heb roi unrhyw gyfle i golwr Helygain.
Parhaodd Port i reoli pethau'n llwyr am y deg munud cyntaf, gyda Carl Owen a
Gareth Caughter yn gwneud llawer o'r rhedeg i'r tîm cartref. Doedd hi'n fawr
o syndod felly, pan ychwanegodd Port at eu sgôr trwy Carl Owen ar ddeg munud
ar ôl iddo dderbyn pêl wych trwodd o ganol cae. Yn dilyn yr ail gol daeth
Helygain mewn i'r gem am ychydig a bu'n rhaid i Gerard McGuigan wneud un neu
ddau o arbediadau da. Ychydig iawn o gyffro fu yn ystod gweddill yr hanner
cyntaf ag eithrio cyfle yr un i Alun Morgan a Gareth Caughter, gyda'r gwres
yn gadael ei effaith ar y chwaraewyr.
Roedd yr ail hanner hefyd yn un distaw iawn a ni gymrodd unrhyw dim reolaeth
ar bethau, gyda un neu ddau o gyfleon yn dod ar y ddau ben o'r cae. Daeth yr
ymosodwr ifanc Dylan Jones ymlaen ar ddiwedd yr hanner, gan ddangos ychydig
o gyffyrddiadau da a dod yn agos i sgorio ar un achlysur. Bu ychydig gyffro
yn hwyr yn y gem wrth i Helygain haneru mantais Port funud cyn amser llawn
yn dilyn cic gosb a methiant Port i glirio. Funud yn ddiweddarach cafodd un
o'i chwaraewyr ei yrru ffwrdd ar ôl digwyddiad ar ymyl y cwrt. Ac yna, dwy
funud i mewn i amser anafiadau, cafodd Port gic gosb ar ymyl y cwrt, gyda
Alun Morgan unwaith eto yn ei chymryd. Roedd cyffyrddiad bychan oddi ar ben
Gerallt Jones yn ddigon i ganfod y rhwyd ac adennill mantais Port o ddwy gol
ar bnawn oedd yn llawer rhy boeth i bêl-droed.
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With the temperature rising to 28 degrees, the conditions were definitely
far from perfect for a game of football. The game we witnessed was testimony
to this, as we had a very quiet game after the first twenty minutes with
little excitement. Little wonder therefore that two of the four goals came
during the first 10 minutes. The scoring was opened with a brilliant free
kick by ex-Tranmere player, Alun Morgan, from the side of the box leaving
the Halkyn goalie with no chance. Port continued to control things for the
opening ten minutes, with Carl Owen and Gareth Caughter making much of the
running for the home side. It was little wonder therefore when Port added to
their score through Carl Owen on ten minutes after he received a superb
through ball from mid field. Following the second goal Halkyn came into the
game for a while and Gerard McGuigan had to make one or two good saves.
There was very little action during the reminder of the first half, apart
from chances to both Alun Morgan and Gareth Caughter, with the heat leaving
it's mark on the players.
The second half was also very quiet and neither side managed to take charge
of proceedings, with one or two chances coming at both sides of the pitch.
Young striker Dylan Jones came on late in the half, showing some good
touches and coming close to score on one occasion. There was some action
very late on in the game as Halkyn halved Port's advantage a minute before
full time following a free kick and Port's failure to clear. A minute later,
one of their players was sent off after an incident on the side of the box.
And then, two minutes onto injury time, Port were rewarded a free kick at
the side of the box, with Alun Morgan taking it once again. A slight touch
off Gerallt Jones' head was enough to find the back of the net and to regain
Port's two goal lead on an afternoon that was too hot for football.
Port: G McGuigan, M Foster (R Owen), L Webber, A Wagstaffe, J G Jones, E
Jones (T Williams), D Evans, A Morgan, G Caughter (Peris Jones), M Williams
(G Jones), C Owen (D Jones).
Iwan Gareth.
Glantraeth ..... 2 Porthmadog ..... 2
Y tro diwethaf i'r ddau yma gyfarfod oedd yng Nghwpan Cymru llynedd gyda
Port yn colli am y tro cyntaf yn ystod tymor llwyddiannus. Y tro yma cafodd
yr ymwelwyr y cychwyn gorau posib wrth i'r dyfarnwr roi cic o'r smotyn yn y
munud cyntaf, ar ôl i'r bel gael ei llawio yn y blwch. Sgoriodd Dafydd Evans
gan yrru y gol geidwad i'r cyfeiriad anghywir. Ar ôl 13 munud aeth Port
ymhellach ar y blaen gyda Carl Owen yn canfod lle ar y chwith, yn dilyn
cornel Ritchie Owen, ac yn taro'r bel yn isel i'r rhwyd. Ar ôl 25 munud
saethodd Carl Owen ergyd wych i'r rhwyd yn dilyn symudiad gorau'r gem ond
synnwyd pawb gan y penderfyniad fod yna gamsefyll. Daeth yr egwyl gyda Port
ddwy gol ar y blaen.
Yn yr ail hanner siomedig fu perfformid yr ymwelwyr, ac yn raddol daeth
Glantraeth fwy i'r gem ac yn bygwth canol amddiffyn Port wrth dorri yn
sydyn. Bu rhaid i Gerard McGuigan, yn y gol i Port, wneud nifer o arbediadau
da a trawyd y trawst a'r postyn. Ar ôl 80 munud dyfarnwyd gic o'r smotyn
ddigon amheus i'r tîm cartref ac er fod McGuigan wedi arbed y gic wreiddiol
roedd Neil Roberts wrth law i rwydo'r bel. Yn ddwfn yn yr amser ychwanegol
tarodd Glantraeth eto gyda gol yn dod o gic olaf y gem.
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The last occasion these two met was in the Welsh Cup and Port suffered a
rare defeat in what was a remarkable season. This time the visitors enjoyed
the best possible start with a penalty being awarded in the first minute
following a handling offence. Dafydd Evans scored sending the keeper the
wrong way. After 13 mins the visitors went two up when Carl Owen found space
on the left, following Ritchie Owen's corner, and shot low into the net.
After 25 mins Carl Owen volleyed superbly into the net following the best
move of the match but inexplicably the goal was disallowed for offside. At
the interval Port held a two goal lead.
Port's second half performance was very disappointing and Glantraeth came
more and more into the game threatening the centre of the Port defence with
swift counter attacks. Gerard McGuigan, in the visitors pulled off several
excellent saves to keep the home side out. In addition the Port bar and
upright were rattled. A home goal was on the cards but eventually it came
thanks to a questionable penalty . McGuigan saved the initial kick but Neal
Roberts was on hand to score. Then deep into injury time Glantraeth salvaged
a draw with a goal from the last kick of the game.
Port: Gerard McGuigan, Emrys Williams, Andy Wagstaffe, Lee Webber, Ritchie
Owen, Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry, Gareth Caughter, Tony
Williams(Rob Williams), Mark Williams, Carl Owen(Dylan Jones)
Gareth Williams.
Bethesda Athletic .... 0 Porthmadog ..... 4
Gareth Caughter 12
Carl Owen 19, 60
Andy Wagstaffe 34
Cafwyd gem baratoi dda gyda'r ddau dim yn awyddus i chwarae pêl-droed
creadigol, a hyn ar gae Parc Meurig a oedd mewn cyflwr rhagorol i symud y
bel ar y llawr. Porthmadog wnaeth daro gyntaf a hynny ar ôl 12 munud pan
sgoriodd Gareth Caughter gol ardderchog gydag ergyd o ugain llath. Gyda Port
yn dal i reoli cymrodd ond saith munud arall cyn i Carl Owen fanteisio ar
beniad Emrys Williams dros yr amddiffyn i ychwanegu ail gol gyda ergyd
hyderus o bymtheg llath.
Ar ôl hanner awr cafwyd ergyd dda gan Dafydd Evans o 30 llath a gyffyrddwyd
dros y trawst gan y gol geidwad ac o'r gic cornel, a ddilynodd, trawodd
Emrys Williams y postyn. Yn dilyn hyn nid oedd rhaid aros yn hir cyn
manteisiodd Andrew Wagstaffe ar gic cornel Mike Foster, ar ôl 34 munud, i
sgorio gyda ergyd isel ar y postyn pellaf. Dyna ddiwedd y sgorio mewn hanner
cyntaf a ddominyddwyd gan Port, gyda Bethesda yn cael ei cyfyngu i wrth
ymosodiadau sydyn.
Ar ddechrau'r ail hanner cafodd y tîm cartref ei cyfnod gorau o'r gem gan,
ar un adeg ,orfodi Port i amddiffyn tair gic gornel mewn ychydig o funudau.
Yn y cyfnod yma hefyd gorfodwyd Gerard McGuigan i wneud dau arbediad da. Ar
ôl awr o chwarae torrodd Gerallt Jones ar y dde a chroesi'r bel i'r blwch.
Methodd yr amddiffyn cartref a chlirio a manteisiwyd ar y blerwch gan Carl
Owen a saethodd i'r rhwyd o ddeuddeg llath. Ni ychwanegwyd at y sgôr yma a
collodd y gem llawer o'r awch a welwyd yn y cyfnod cyntaf.
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This turned out to be an useful run out for both sides in preparation for
the new season on an excellent Parc Meurig surface. Both sides contributed
to an enterprising opening half with some good creative football. Port
struck first after 12 mins when Gareth Caughter scored with an excellent
shot from 20 yds. Port controlled the game and only seven minutes later Carl
Owen took advantage of Emrys Williams' weighted header over the defence to
run on and score with a confident shot from 15 yds.
Half an hour had past when Dafydd Evans tested the home keeper with a
powerful 30yd shot. From the ensuing corner the post save Bethesda from an
Emrys Williams effort. The wait for the third goal was not a long one for
after 34 mins Andy Wagstaffe ran in on a Mike Foster corner to score at the
back post with a low shot. That completed the scoring in an opening half
which Port dominated, and where Bethesda relied on counter attacks to make
any impression.
At the beginning of the second-half the home side enjoyed their best period
of the match forcing Port to defend three corners within minutes and also
forced Gerard McGuigan to make a couple of good saves. On the hour Gerallt
Jones broke clear on the right before crossing into the box. The home
defence failed to clear and Carl Owen was on hand to score from 12 yds.
There were no additions to the score and, by now, the game had lost much of
its early spark.
Port: Gerard McGuigan, John Gwynfor( Campbell Harrison), Andy Wagstaffe, Lee
Webber, Mike Foster, Danny Hughes, Dafydd Evans, Emrys Williams, Gareth
Caughter, Carl Owen, Gerallt Jones.
Gareth Williams.
Porthmadog..............2 Chester City..............0
D. Evans, 20.
C. Owen, 63.
Port played host to a young Chester side, and despite only winning by a two
goal margin dominated most of the proceedings. Gareth Caughter created
several chances for Port during the opening period and himself came close on
more than one occasion - the most notable coming when he chipped over the
crossbar after being put through by Richie Owen. Further pressure was
created as Port had a number of free kick's on the edge of the box, allowing
Mike Foster to put pressure on the Chester defence. Lee Webber's header from
a Foster free kick came very close, and had to be cleared off the line.
Port's opener came from the spot on 20 minutes after the ball had been
handled in the box and Dafydd Evans was as cool and calm as ever as he hit
home. Carl Owen thought he had extended Port's lead on 36 minutes, only for
the goal to be disallowed after Mark Williams was adjudged to have fouled.
Chester's first real attempt on goal had come on the half hour with a free
kick on the side of the box that went well over. Gerard McGuigan was called
into action twice late on in the first half, but Port went in at the
interval with a deserved one goal lead.
Port continued to dominate in a very uneventful second period. Steven Pugh
created a few openings down the right after coming on at half time, but
there were few goal opportunities at either end. Carl Owen then saw a second
goal disallowed, before he finally got his name on the score sheet on 63
minutes, after being put through by Gareth Parry. His first shot was
deflected back in his direction by Chester's keeper, leaving Owen to net
with a cool back-heel. There was only one real scare at the opposite end,
when Port struggled to clear on 68 minutes. Port had a few other chances,
most notably Steve Pugh and Dylan Jones, but there was no addition to the
score. Viv and Osian will be reasonably happy with the way the team shaped
up, although they could have added a few more goals to their total.
Port: G McGuigan, M Foster, D Hughes, L Webber, E Williams, D Evans, G
Parry, G Caughter, R Owen, M Williams, C Owen.
Subs used: S Pugh, J G Jones, R Williams, C Harrison, D Jones, B Evans, C
Roberts.
Iwan Gareth.
Bae Colwyn /Bay ..... 2 Porthmadog ...... 3
James Mckenzie 5, 35 Carl Owen 57
Gareth Parry 83
Gerallt Jones 89
Y tro diwethaf i'r ddau dim yma gyfarfod cafodd Port fuddugoliaeth glir o
4-1 yng Nghwpan Her Gogledd Cymru. Y tro yma yn ei hail gem baratoi ar gyfer
y tymor newydd roedd y canlyniad yr un fath ond mewn gem llawer iawn agosach
o ran sgor a pherfformaid.
Y Bae a gychwynnodd orau, ac ar ol dim ond pum munud aethant ar y blaen yn
dilyn cic rhydd o'r dde a pheniwyd i'r rhwyd gan James McKenzie. Fel aeth yr
hanner yn ei blaen daeth yr ymwelwyr fwy i'r gem a daeth Carl Owen yn agos
gyda pheniad yn dilyn rhediad a chroesiad da o'r dde gan Gareth Caughter.
Munudau yn ddiweddarach a daeth Carl Owen yn agos eto, yn dilyn peniad ar
draws y gol gan, un o'r newydd ddyfodiaid, Marc Williams gynt o'r Drenewydd.
Erbyn hyn roedd Carl Owen yn ddraenen gyson yn ysylys amddiffyn y Bae ac
roedd gofyn i'r golgeidwad cartref, Matty Boswell, fod ar ei orau i'w gadw
allan yn dilyn rhediad da ar draws y blwch cyn saethu yn isel.
At ddiwedd yr hanner daeth y tim cartref yn ol i'r gem a trawodd McKenzie y
postyn o ddeuddeg llath. Ar ol 35 munud, yn dilyn symudiad sydyn, daliwyd
amddiffyn Port yn fflat ac yn apelio am gam-sefyll. Torrodd McKenzie yn
rhydd eto gan sgorio ei ail gol. Dwy ar y blaen i'r Bae ar yr hanner ond nid
oedd hyn yn adlewyrchiad teg o'r chwarae chwaith.
Deuddeg munud i fewn i'r ail gyfnod a daeth Port yn ol i'r gem pan
fanteisiodd Carl Owen ar beniad Marc Williams i rhedeg yn glir o'r amddiffyn
cyn mynd a'r bel heibio i Boswell, yn y gol cartref, a sgorio o 10 llath.
Roedd Port wedi codi ei gem a neb yn fwy amlwg na Danny Hughes, a ddaeth i'r
maes ar ol yr egwyl. Cafodd y Bae gyfle da i ychwanegu at ei mantais ond
gyda thri o'i chwraewyr o flaen o gol a dim ond Tony Roberts i guro
llwyddodd y golgeidwad i'w cadw allan.
Erbyn hyn roedd Port yn pwyso'n drwm a daeth Alun Morgan, gynt o Tranmere
ac yn chwarae i Morecambe y tymor diwethaf, yn agos yn dilyn gwaith da gan
Carl Owen ar y dde. Bu rhaid i'r Bae amddiffyn yn galed gyda Port yn ennill
tair cic gornel cyn llwyddwyd i godi'r gwarchae. Dim ond yn y saith munud
olaf y llwyddodd Port i greu'r goliau yr oedd ei chwarae yn haeddu. Ar ol 83
munud yn dilyn cic rhydd Mike Foster sgoriodd Gareth Parry gyda ergyd isel
wrth y postyn pellaf. Croesiad arall gan Mike Foster a greodd y gol olaf,
hefyd, gyda Gerallt Jones yn penio i'r rhwyd o 5 llath.
Perfformiad addawol arall gan Port ac er fod y goliau wedi bod yn hir yn dod
roedd yn fuddugolieth haeddianol.
The last time these two teams met was in the North Wales Challenge Cup when
Port ran out decisive winners by 4-1. This time the result was the same but
in a closer game both in score and performance.
The Bay had the better of the opening exchanges and after only 5 mins went
ahead when James McKenzie's flicked header found the net following a
free-kick on the right. After a slow start the visitors got more into the
game and Carl Owen came close with a header following a good right wing
break and cross by Gareth Caughter. Minutes later and Carl Owen threatened
again following newcomer -formerly with Newtown- Marc Williams whose
header into the box put the home defence under pressure. Carl Owen was, by
now, a constant threat to the Bay defence and an excellent run on the right
before cutting across the box brought an excellent save from home keeper
Matt Boswell.
Towards the end of the half the Bay came back into the game with McKenzie
striking the upright and then, after 35 mins, the Port defence was caught
flat-footed and hoping for an offside decision, but were outpaced by the
dangerous McKenzie who ran on to score with a coolly placed shot.
This gave the home side a two goal advantage at the interval but this was
not a fair reflection of the play.
Twelve mins into the second-half and Port were back in contention when Carl
Owen took advantage of a Marc Williams header to race through the home
defence before rounding keeper Boswell and sliding the ball into the net
from 10 yds.Port raised their game now with Danny Hughes, who had come on at
half-time, playing a prominent roll. The Bay should, however, have restored
their two goal advantage when on a counter-attack three players found
themselves in front of goal with only the keeper to beat but failed to
capitalise.
By now Port were piling on the pressure and Alun Morgan, ex-Tranmere who
appeared last season for Morecambe, came close following excellent work by
Carl Owen on the right. There followed a period of intense pressure with
three consecutive corners eventually being scrambled clear. It was only in
the last seven mins that Port secured the victory. After 83 mins a Mike
Foster free-kick was turned into the net at the far post by Gareth Parry and
in the 89 min Mike Foster, again, raced to the bye-line before crossing for
Gerallt Jones to head the winner from close-range.
Another good performance by Port in their build-up for the Welsh Premier
opener against Connah's Quay on August 16th.
Gareth Williams
