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| Fflint (a) |
Llangefni (h) |
Holywell (a) |
Cefn Druids (h) [FL] |
Conwy (h) |
Fflint (a) [FL] |
Guilsfield (a) | Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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. Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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 WilliamsLluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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. Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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.Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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.Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. 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.Lluniau o'r Gem \ Pictures of the game. |
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