Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League  -Sept 22nd

Porthmadog ...6   Guilsfield ...1

League newcomers Guilsfield, with one win in five games, were always going
to be up against it on their first ever visit to unbeaten Porthmadog. This
was exactly how it turned out. It took the home side only two mins to open
the scoring when Carl Owen, continuing his run of outstanding form,
controlled a ball over the top of the defence and ran on into the box before
coolly side footing the ball past Teague in the visitors goal.
    Guilsfield showed however that they were not to be under-estimated and
twice in the opening 10 mins, 18 year old, Mike Cockram outpaced the home
defence but shot narrowly wide on both occasions. Then another
counter-attack led by Dave Foster required a goal-line clearance from Steve
Pugh.
    This spurred Port into greater efforts and after 15 mins, when Randles
miscued in front of goal, Danny Hughes was on hand to drive low into the
net. Webber then threatened with a good run from half-way but his shot was
well saved by Teague. After 25 mins, came one of the best moves of the game,
when Dafydd Evans released Fisher with a fine cross-field pass for the
winger's cross to be met by an Owen header which beat the keeper from 10
yds. The first-half scoring was completed after 35 mins with a fine
individual goal by Steve Pugh who collected the ball just inside the
visitors half and raced on into the box before putting Port 4-0 up by
driving confidently past Teague.
    The home side continued to pile on the pressure in the second-half and
might well have scored three times in the opening three minutes of the half.
Then, after a Randles effort was adjudged off-side, the home team went off
the boil. Inevitably this brought the visitors more into the game and after
57 mins Jamie Bocking broke on the right of the box before unleashing a
powerful drive which debut keeper Dylan Pritchard, signed during the week
from Holyhead, could only partially save, leaving a simple tap-in to give
the visitors a consolation goal.
    Substitute Dave Farr, a former Port Vale trainee, made an immediate
impact on 66 mins when he laid on Danny Hughes' second goal and Port's fifth
with a perfectly weighted pass into the box, which Hughes forced past Teague
at the second attempt.The final goal came after 71 mins when a Martin Jones
free-kick found Fisher who controlled well before driving low into the net
from the edge of the area.
    A comfortable win by a side which is growing in confidence, and a
scoreline which will further boost the already healthy goal difference
column.

Port: Dylan Pritchard, Martin Jones, Patrick Johnson, Webber, Foster,
Pugh(Caughter), Dafydd Evans, Danny Hughes, Fisher(Neil Roberts),
andles( Farr), Carl Owen.

Guisfield : Teague, Watkins, Lee Williams, Pritchard, Bocking, Gamble, Marc
Evans, Gareth Lewis, Dave Foster, Mike Cockram
Subs Ray Jones, Sion Lewis, Andrew Turner.

Gareth Williams.

Floodlight League Tuesday September 18

Flint 1 - Porthmadog 2

Porthmadog embarked on their first away fixture in this season's Floodlight
League with a much changed team from the one which played the previous week
underlining the strength of the players at the club. Porthmadog opened the
scoring after 12 minutes when a precise pass from Mathew Hughes released
Neil Fisher, brother of Steve, who made no mistake from 15 yards past a
stranded keeper. Flint came back strongly and on 33 minutes Porthmadog were
thankful to Pat Johnson for a goal line clearance after young custodian
Gareth Jones had been beaten by a Russell Powell shot. The Porthmadog
defence was breached 2 minutes later and it was Powell who fired home after
racing onto a through ball, beating Jones from just inside the box. Honours
even after an entertaining opening 45 minutes. Porthmadog came out
purposefully in the second period and within six minutes a Neil Fisher free
kick from just inside the D had clipped the Flint bar. The impressive Fisher
was again the creator after 56 minutes, his run on the right flank
culminated with a pin-pioint cross to the back where a Mathew Hughes header
brought out a fine save from Flint keeper Johnny Wyatt. Fisher should have
scored on 70 minutes when his first shot from 18 yards squeezed under
Wyatt's body and as both players scrambled for the rebound the keeper did
just enough to put off the Port attacker as he put his shot wide with the
goal at his mercy from 6 yards. The Porthmadog winner eventually did arrive
on 76 minutes. A long relieving ball from defence was chased by Dave Farr
and two Flint defenders, Farr cleverly anticipated the bounce of the ball
and turned and shot in one movement into the back of the net from 18 yards,
a cracking strike. Porthmadog weathered some late Flint pressure with Pat
Johnson particularly effective at the back. Although the result was pleasing
it was the manner of the performance which was particularly heartening with
good performances coming from all over the park. A player that particularly
caught my eye was Meirion Pritchard in an unfamiliar central midfield role.
He tackled like a demon all night in tandem with Dave Evans. Excellent game
with plenty of skill on show from both sides

Gerallt.

Welsh Cup Round 1

Porthmadog .. 2   Conwy Utd. .....1

Porthmadog, without leading scorer Carl Owen and keeper Ken Dixon and having
regular midfield powerhouse on the bench, took on the early leaders of the
Welsh Alliance. The home side were forced to use to use winger Steve Pugh as
emergency keeper.
 The home side with the strong wind  at their back were first out of the
blocks with Randles forcing a corner in the first minute and soon Caughter
went close following a fine cross field ball from Foster. Next it was
Randles, again, fastening on to a Neil Roberts low cross but saw his shot go
just wide.
    Then after 21 mins of Port pressure, which produced no goals, the
visitors seized their first opportunity with both hands following Lee
Webber's failure to clear in the centre of defence. Danny Mercer raced into
the Port box and finished the move beating emergency keeper Pugh.This led to
an increasing confidence in the visitors' play. But Port by the half-hour
mark were again applying the pressure and forced three corners in quick
succession but once more failed to capitalise on them. Then a good run by
Meirion Pritchard tested the visitors'defence and it took a diving save by
Martin Jones to keep him out.
    Then with the half-time whistle fast approaching the Conwy defence
failed to clear following a corner and Caughter burst into the box and
rounded the keeper before tapping in the equaliser.
     With the second-half only a minute old, Meirion Pritchard on one of his
mazy runs, was brought down just outside the area. Then following a well
worked free-kick Dafydd Evans shot low into the corner of the net to put the
home side ahead. Port now took the initiative with Randles, Caughter and
Pritchard prominent.
    Conwy, with experienced ex-Llandudno stalwart Alan Goodwin and the
abrasive Scott Jones to the fore, were in no mood to resign themselves to
defeat. They pumped high balls forward and after 65 mins they enjoyed a
spell of four corners in succession and Pugh needed to be alert to prevent
the equaliser coming. By the end however Port were back in charge and Fisher
was unlucky to see his fine header strike the bar before bounding to safety.
Then in injury time with the best move of the match Randles and Evans set-up
a clear chance for sub Emyr Jones only for the reserves prolific scorer to
slide his shot past the upright.
    The home side were relieved to hear the referee's final whistle and will
be glad to be in the draw for the second round after a less than convincing
performance.

Port: Pugh, Neil Roberts,  Johnson, Webber, Foster, Caughter( Danny Hughes),
Martin Jones, Dafydd Evans, Fisher, Randles, Pritchard(Emyr Jones).
Sub not used: Andrew Jones.

Conwy Utd.Martin Jones, Scott Jones, Emm, James Hughes, Bales, Kitts,
Coleville, Eryl Roberts, Mercer, Goodwin, Robshaw.
Subs: Hewitt, Jacklin, Jamie Roberts.

Gareth Williams

North Wales Floodlit League

Porthmadog ...1   Cefn Druids ...1

Port were robbed of a victory in this opening game of the competition by an
equaliser deep into injury time. For once the competent defence failed to
close down the visitors attack and a cross from the right was fired past
Dylan Parry who had previously not looked like being beaten.
    Port had taken the lead in the 48th minute with a well placed drive from
15 yds by Emyr Jones, following a right wing corner. It was a competitive
game where few chances were created and defences were generally in command.
Neil Roberts gave an outstanding defensive performance for the home side.
The league, this season, has been re-vamped as an under-21 competition with
each side allowed 3 over age players. On the evidence of this game it will
provide an excellent opportunity to develop young players.

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League - Saturday, Sept 8th.

Holywell Town .... 1    Porthmadog ...... 5

Christian Evans 85      Graham Randles 6
                        Carl Owen 15, 17, 57

It was obvious from the start that the strong wind blowing from end to end
would have an important influence on the game. Port enjoyed the benefit of
the wind at their backs during the opening half and could well have taken
the lead as early as the first minute when Randles headed over the bar, from
close range, when it appeared that he must open the scoring. The same player
made amends after 6 mins when, aided by some slack marking, he got on the
end of, the industrious, Carl Owen's cross and put the ball past McHugh in
the home goal.

    Porthmadog continued to dominate the game and after a quarter of an hour
entered a purple patch. Carl Owen was put through by Fisher and finished off
the move with the cleanest of shots into the corner of the net. Two mins
later Carl Owen scored his second and Port's third with an excellent turn in
the box before firing home from 12 yds. It was now one way traffic and and
Owen came within inches of completing a 4 min hat-trick when he shot just
wide of McHugh's right-hand post. A minute later a Fisher cross rolled
agonisingly across the face of the goal, with no one on hand to apply the
finishing touch.

    Then after 20 mins of total domination Port went off the boil and though
they continued to enjoy most of  the possession they created fewer chances
and half-time was reached with the score still standing on 0 -3 to the
visitors.

    The home side with the wind at their backs showed more determination in
the second half and prompted in midfield by Geraint Rowlands started to put
more pressure on the Port defence. They were unable to turn this pressure
into real chances and after
57 mins it was Port who went further into the lead when Carl Owen completed
a, well earned, hat-trick. The goal, in fact, was the simplest of touch-ins,
after McHugh had failed to gather a Danny Hughes cross from the right.
Holywell continued to threaten on occasions and the visitors manager, with
memories of second-half capitulations against Llandudno and Llangefni all to
fresh in the memory, introduced an extra defender in Neil Roberts and a
midfielder, Caughter, to try an ensure that there was no repeat performance.
    In the 76 min Holywell came close to opening their account when a
powerful drive, from 25 yds by Halliwell flew just past the post.Eventually
after 85 mins the home side managed a consolation, when a Christian Evans
lob from the left beat Dixon. Though not performing anywhere near the
standard of the opening 20 mins, Port could still have added to their tally.
It needed a good save by McHugh to keep out Owen again, after he had been
supplied with an excellent Meirion Pritchard cross, following a break on the
left.
 Manager Viv Williams will be pleased with the enormous number of chances
his team are creating, while at the same time feel concern with the tendency
to go offf the boil during the latter stages of the game.

Holywell T: McHugh, Giddings, Fielding, Pollard, Hamilton, Morley, Geraint
Rowlands, Halliwell, Thompson, Christian Evans, Abdul Yasuff.
Subs: Murphy, Nkodia, Osahan.

Port: Dixon, Martin Jones, Webber, Johnson, Foster, Dafydd Evans, Pugh
(Caughter), Danny Hughes, Fisher (Neil Roberts), Randles (Meirion
Pritchard), Carl Owen.

Huws Grey Fitlock Cymru Alliance League  -Sept 5th

Porthmadog ..... 2     Llangefni Glantraeth ...2

Carl Owen 5            Jones  84
Randles 42             Roberts 90

Two goals in the last four mins salvaged a point for the visitors in a game
which Port should have well and truly sewn-up before half-time. The fact
that the game was played at all on an evening when Wales were involved in an
international shows the utter chaos of the fixture list in this league and
that Llangefni were not prepared to change the date must remain something of
a mystery.

Port opened brightly showing some neat approach work and it only took them 5
mins to open up the visitors defence when Webber fed Carl Owen who cut in
from the left and rounded the keeper before placing the ball in the net.
Port then dominated the half  and created numerous chances with Pugh and
Fisher opening up the defence with their dangerous wing play and excellent
crosses. The Llangefni goal lead a charmed life for most of the first half.
Owen could have added a second when he shot just over the bar following a
sweeping five man Port move and again the same player on the counterattack
brought a good save from McGuigan

The only time the visitors came close  to scoring found Martin Jones well
placed on the line to scramble it clear after 35 mins. At last after 42 mins
Port scored a second when Randles finished off a Fisher cross and Owen
flick-on. The total dominance of the opening half should have seen the home
side with a more convincing lead.

By the end of the game Port were to regret this for Llangefni came out in
the second half showing far more determination and though they rarely looked
like scoring they were now dominating the possession for long periods.
Port's
chances were now fewer though Owen again came close with an angled shot
after 74 mins. With Port semingly coasting to victory Llangefni started to
throw more players forward and the centre of the home defence was suddenly
less convincing. With just 4 mins to go Llangefni took advantage of the poor
marking for Jones to beat Dixon from 12 yds. Then in the 90th min of
ordinary time John Roberts scrambled the equaliser in a packed penalty area
following a free-kick. Llangefni will be pleased with the point they saved
while Port will rue those missed chances and the failure to turn pressure
into goals.

For the home team there were excellent performances again for Martin Jones
and Carl Owen and also midfield duo Dafydd Evans and Danny Hughes.The game
was also noteworthy for some very strange decisions from the officials
especially the goal kick given to Llangefni following a fine Mcguigan touch
round the post from Randles' shot! Also 4 bookings ( 3 for Port and 1 for
Llangefni) awarded in a relatively clean game.

Port: Dixon, Martin Jones, Webber, Johnson, Foster, Pugh( Caughter), Evans,
Danny Hughes, Fisher, Randles Carl Owen( M. Pritchard)

Sub not used: Richard Hughes.

Llangefni/Glantraeth: G. McGuigan, R. Rowlands, J. Thomas, A. Wagstaffe, J.
Roberts, A. Owen, G. Jones, T. Jones, G. Jones, R. Evans, G. Austin.

Subs: J. Parry, C. Sinnott, G. Jones.

Gareth Williams.

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance - Sat. August 25th

Flint Town Utd. .....0    Porthmadog .....6

If the score on Wednesday was somewhat flattering to Port there was no
doubting the clearcut nature of today's victory. Though Flint started well
enough they found themselves behind after 11 mins when Carl Owen chased what
looked like a lost cause but got to the ball just ahead of home keeper Alan
Jones and lobbed the ball into the empty goal. Port were in control for most
of the remainder of the half with Pugh, Danny Hughes and Carl Owen a
constant threat to the home defence. Though a few chances were created the
visitors failed to add to their one goal advantage by the interval.
    The second-half was, however, all one way traffic with Hughes and Foster
prominent with runs from midfield and Webber and Randles testing keeper
Jones. On the hour Pugh, on one of his many dangerous runs, burst into the
box and was brought down. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and
Dafydd Evans made no mistake -to put Port two goals up. Carl Owen in
outstanding form  headed against the post after 64 mins and four mins later
combined with Randles to create an opening for Fisher who headed the
visitors third goal.
    Then after 74 mins. came the  fourth, and what was arguably the best
goal of the match, when Pugh beat the offside trap and raced almost half the
length of the field  cutting into the box before driving low into the net.
This was the signal for three subs to be introduced and one of them, Meirion
Pritchard, repeated his goal-scoring substitution of Wednesday night  with
another well taken goal after 80 mins when he was put through by a slick
Owen/Randles move. This was not the end of the scoring for second sub Gareth
Caughter was to get in on the act when he coolly tucked away Meirion
Pritchard's accurate cross for the sixth goal.
    An excellent second-half performance suggests that gradually a good
understanding is developing and chances galore are being created. The use of
two wingers is the key to this but mention should be made of the heavy
workload being carried successfully by central midfielders Danny Hughes and
Dafydd Evans. Kenny Dixon will rarely gain an easier clean sheet, for in the
second-half he was a virtual spectator.

Flint: Alan Jones, Scott Beck, Sean Beck,  Richie Shone, R. Whittaker, Paul
Rogan, Andy Noble, Stuart Hughes, Lawrence Horne, Lee Taylor, Alan Williams.
Subs: Alan Murphy, Darren Peters, Tony Wheeler,

Port: Dixon, Martin Jones, Johnson, Webber, Foster, Pugh (Meiron Pritchard),
Dafydd Evans, Danny Hughes (Coady), Fisher(Caughter), Randles Carl Owen.