Welsh Premier (JT Hughes, Mitsubishi) -Saturday,April 10th
Porthmadog ... 2 Barry Town .... 2
Lee Webber 71 Richard Kennedy(pen.) 45
Carl Owen 82 Gavin Allen 80
A poor game and a very disappointing Port performance. This game had the
atmosphere of an end of the season affair though Barry needed a victory to
keep alive their slim chance of Welsh Premier survival while Port could have
improved their league position in a tightly packed mid-table with a victory.
Barry with only two victories during the season started tentatively and the
home side enjoyed the better of the early stages. Indeed Port should have
gone ahead after 12 mins when Lee Webber rose unchallenged to head a Dafydd
Evans corner over the bar. Shortly after, a good Port build-up saw Gareth
Caughter find Carl Owen on the right of the box but Lee Rudall was quickly
off his line to save at Owen's feet. A minute later and this time a Rudall
error gave Gareth Parry a golden opportunity from 15yds, with the keeper
stranded, but his shot was cleared off the line by Dean Philpott. Port
continued to enjoy the best of the play and Carl Owen and Gareth Caughter
were only narrowly wide of the target.
Despite enjoying the greater share of possession the Port performance lacked
conviction relying far too much on long balls to the front men and with no
wide player most of their crosses were delivered from far too deep. This
generally made life easy for Dean Philpott at the back for the visitors.
Gradually Barry gained in confidence and set up several attacks of their
own. The experienced Mattie Davies threatened after dispossessing John
Gwynfor and then a speculative effort by Picknall had to be touched round
the post by McGuigan. With half-time beckoning a neat exchange of passes
around the edge of the box saw Gavin Allen set up Mattie Davies. The Barry
striker was about to shoot when he was pulled down from behind by John
Gwynfor. Referee Lawlor pointed to the spot and Richard Kennedy drove low
past McGuigan.
Barry could have gone further ahead five minutes into the second-half when
Lee Webber was forced to clear a Gavin Allen header off his line. Port
should have drawn level just after the hour when Lee Webber again saw his
header, from a Dafydd Evans corner, fly off target. This was almost punished
immediately when McGuigan had to tip a Sherman header over the bar. Port
continued to create and reject chances as both Carl Owen and Lee Webber
again were off target with headers. Webber made amends however when he
scored from close range after Ryan Davies headed back a Mike Foster
free-kick across the goal. Port did not remain on level terms for very long
as the defence failed to clear after 80 mins and the ball was whipped out to
Jamie Michael wide on the left. The winger delivered a good low ball across
the face of the goal for Gavin Allen to touch in. Barry were back in the
lead but only for two minutes as Lee Webber won the ball in mid-field and
sent low ball into the box. This was the kind of ball to feet which Carl
Owen loves but has rarely received this season. The striker turned well in
the box and drove past Rudall to level the score again.
The game ended in a draw which was just about a fair result, for though Port
had the better chances their overall play did not merit the three points.
Port: Gerard McGuigan, John G. Jones, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster,
Gareth Caughter, Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry (Danny Hughes), Ritchie Owen,
Mark Williams, Carl Owen.
Subs not used: Tony Williams, Graham Austin.
Barry:Lee Rudall, G Picknell, M Duckett, D Philpott, A Shakespeare, R
Kennedy, D Sherman, L Sherbon( A Hughes), Mattie Davies, Gavin Allen( G
Elliott) J Michael.
Gareth Williams.
Welsh Premier ( J T Hughes, Mitsubishi) -Saturday, March 20th.
Porthmadog ... 1 Port Talbot ... 2
Mark Williams 50 Craig Lima 5
Nathan Cotterell 61
A goal in each half proved enough for Port Talbot to win the battle of the
'Ports' and gain a season's double over Porthmadog. The game was almost
totally dominated by a gale force wind which blew from the town end. The
strength of the wind can be guaged by the fact that one Ged McGuigan goal
kick blew back with such force that it blew over the goal line giving Port
Talbot a corner! The visitors had the advantage of the wind at their backs
and indeed this proved to be decisive when they took the lead after only
five minutes. A Nathan Cotterell corner from the right, with the defence
only partially clearing, for Clark to play the ball back into the box and
Lima was on hand to score from 8 yards. At this early stage the home side
were finding it almost impossible to get the ball out of their own half.
Gradually, however, Port got back into the game and after 15 mins Ritchie
Owen tested Raynor at his near post. Carl Owen was performing well holding
the ball up and bringing others into the game and in one move down the left
he combined well with Gareth Caughter whose cross was dropped by Raynor but
just out of Graham Austin's reach. Despite having the elements in their
favour Port Talbot failed to create any more openings and the home defence
coped well with, teenager, Jon Peris Jones excelling in a difficult debut.
Things started brightly for the home side in the second period. With the
wind at their backs it took them only five minutes to draw level. Gareth
Caughter sent Austin away on the left and the winger played a good ball in
for Mark Williams to flick the ball past Raynor at the near post. The home
supporters now sat back expecting their team to forge ahead but as often
happens the wind proved to be less of an advantge than expected. Carl Owen,
who had been a thorn in the side of the visitors defence throughout, had to
be withdrawn after the goal and thereafter there was no one to hold the ball
and open the Port Talbot defence. Indeed just after the hour mark Port
Talbot were back in the lead when Nathan Cotterell broke well on the left
and beat keeper McGuigan to the ball as the keeper came rushing out of his
area. The winger despite being forced wide kept his head and, from a narrow
angle, squeezed the ball into the unguarded goal.
For the rest of the second period Port huffed and puffed without really
creating a clear opening. Without Dafydd Evans and Gareth Parry, and with
Carl Owen having to be withdrawn, they seemed to lack the guile to open up
the visitors defence and make best use of the gale at their backs. They had
their moments with Gareth Caughter just failing to convert a Webber header
across the face of the goal and Mark Williams brought a fine finger tip save
from Raynor. The visitors also threatened to increase their advantage but
McGuigan pulled off a fine save to deny Lima.
All in all this was a disappointing home performance in atrocious
conditions.
Port: Gerard McGuigan, John G Jones, Jon P Jones (Bari Evans), Lee Webber,
Mike Foster, Danny Hughes, Gareth Caughter, Ritchie Owen, Graham Austin,
Mark Williams(Campbell Harrison), Carl Owen(Tony Williams).
Port Talbot: Simon Raynor, Rob Cockings, Allan Clark, Rich Carter, Neil
Smothers, Haydn Fleming(Nathan Wigg), Sean Mainwaring, Nathan Cotterell,
Craig Lima, Chris Watkins(Ryan Franckom), Russel Wigley.
Sub not used: Lee Skyrme.
Gareth Williams
Welsh Premier (J T Hughes, Mitsubishi) -Saturday, March 13th
Cwmbran Town .... 1 Porthmadog .... 0
Adam James 74
Port slipped to their sixth single goal defeat of the season five of these
being on their travels. This enabled Cwmbran to extend their impressive run
of victories to seven and thereby complete the double over the visitors,
having previously won by 2-0 at the Traeth. Port will once more feel that
they should have gained at least a point from the game and indeed most would
agree that a draw would have been a fair result. The visitors suffered, as
so often this season, from a lack of goal power for they created enough
chances but lacked conviction in front of goal. At least one remarkable
record came to an end today when, after scoring in ten consecutive league
games, at last Chris Summers failed to put his name on the scoresheet. This
was in no small measure due to the excellent performance of the central
defensive pairing of Lee Webber and skipper Mike Foster -who had to switch
from his usual left back to centre back- with Ritchie Owen dropping back to
the back four. All three together with John Gwynfor performed sterling work
at the back and also contributed much going forward.
Port could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Carl Owen
after breaking on the left crossed into the box but Mark Williams failed to
execute a final touch. This was followed by a strong period of home pressure
when a series of corners by Richard Hurlin from both flanks put the Port
defence under severe pressure. The best chance during this period fell to
ace marksman Chris Summers who failed to convert Hurlin's long cross to the
far post. Further chances for the home side were spurned first when McGuigan
failed to hold a well struck free-kick but Adam James shot over when well
placed and a Hurlin free-kick went narrowly past the upright. Towards the
end of the half Port again threatened and came close to scoring when keeper
Gareth Wesson misjudged a Dafydd Evans lob, but the retreating goalie just
managed to palm away one handed for it to be eventually scrambled clear.
Then just before the end of the opening half Ritchie Owen crossed from the
left to find Carl Owen with probably more space than he realised, but his
finish screwed tamely past Wesson's left hand post.
The second period continued much as in the first with both sides creating
and spurning opportunities. At the visitors end McGuigan had to pull off a
spectacular save to keep out a powerful shot by Kristian Dimond from 20 yds
while after 55 mins, following good work down the right by Carl Owen and
John Gwynfor, the former found Graham Austin in space in the box the former
Llangefni forward controlled well with his chest but his shot went straight
at the keeper when it appeared that he must score. McGuigan was in action
again to keep out Jason Welsh, the scorer of both Crows goals at the Traeth,
but this time venturing up from a defensive role where he proved a key
figure in keeping Port at bay. Steve Jones (Pugh) sent in a dipping shot
which went narrowly over the bar. Then after 74 mins came the shot which
decided the game. Following another Hurlin corner the Port defence for once
were only able to partially clear and the ball ran to Adam James on the
right of the box and he lashed a power shot which gave McGuigan no chance.
Though it was a game that had seemed likely to be decided by a single goal
Port still had good opportunities to draw level. The best of these fell to
sub Campbell Harrison when Steve Jones cut a low ball into the box but
Harrison's shot lacked power and was cleared off the line. Further chances
fell to Lee Webber and Tony Williams but it was not to be. At the other end
a clever flick by Summers was sent over the bar from close in by Perry.
Port will be satisfied with their general performance but appear to lack
confidence in front of goal. When you lose at Cwmbran it's a long journey
home.
Port; Gerard McGuigan, John G Jones, Lee Webber, Mike Foster, Ritchie Owen,
Tony Williams (Bari Evans), Dafydd Evans, Gareth Caughter, Graham Austin
(Campbell Harrison), Mark Williams (Steve Jones), Carl Owen.
Cwmbran: Gareth Wesson, terry Green, Kristian James, Jason Perry, Jason
Welsh, Mike Fowler, Chris Summers, Rhodri Jones, Kristian Dimond, Adam
James, Richard Hurlin.
Subs: Kevin Wallace, Kaid Mohammed, Luke Fernquest
Gareth Williams
Welsh Premier (JT Hughes, Mitsubishi) -Saturday, February 28th
Porthmadog ... 3 Newi Cefn Druids ... 1
Lee Webber 67 Brett Jeffries 63
Ryan Davies 82
Carl Owen 90
The scoreline suggests a clear and comfortable victory for Port but the real
story of this game hides behind this result. Indeed Port should have won
comfortably as the opposition played for the last half-hour with only 9
players. This came as a result of two defenders, Alec Stacy and Alan Morgan,
being given straight red cards by referee Steve Hamer (Aberdare). Three
minutes into the second-half Stacy pulled down Carl Owen as the speedy
striker made a clear break on goal and on the hour Morgan received his
marching orders for elbowing Gareth Caughter in the face as the two clashed
on the left touchline.
The home side, despite their numerical advantage, soon found themselves a
goal down when, not for the first time in recent weeks, a high ball into the
box caught out the defence. This time it came from a free-kick by Joe Main
with Cefn defender Brett Jeffries rising, virtually unchallenged, to head
past Gerard McGuigan only three minutes after they had been reduced to 9
men. Porthmadog struck back four minutes later when following a Ritchie Owen
corner on the right a John Gwynfor drive was cleared off the line before
squirting into the path of Lee Webber who reacted well to score from close
range.Despite this quick riposte the home side failed to take advantage of
two extra players and indeed for much of the time Cefn were the more
threatening and kept possession well.
It took until the 82 min for the home side to get their noses in front and
again it was a central defender who came to the rescue. Mike Foster found
Graham Austin on the left and the sub worked the ball into the box for Ryan
Davies to unleash a powerful 15 yd shot into the corner of the net. In the
last ten minutes Port managed to get the ball into the net on two occasions
but were both ruled offside. In injury time the home side manged a third
goal when Tony Williams outwitted the defence to lay on a pass for Carl
Owen to break to the edge of the box and drive firmly past Price into the
net.
Port made heavy waether of a game which they should have sewn up in the
first half-hour and well before the red cards were bandied about. In this
period they totally dominated the game. As early as the third minute Carl
Owen took advantage of a poor defensive header and squared the ball across
the face of the goal but there was no one on hand to put the final touch.
Mark Williams then put Carl Owen through but the his finish was blocked by
the keeper. Soon after Gareth Caughter on the back post was off target with
his header. Then the best chance of all when Mark Williams did well to rob
keeper Price but his tap in rolled tantalisingly wide of the empty goal. Lee
Webber also struck the upright from a Caughter cross. With all these
failures the visitors, who had been under the cosh, started to grow in
confidence and despite the scoreline the home side were never able to exert
the same control on the game again.
Nevertheless over the last few weeks Port have found themselves pointless
after producing some excellent performances so they will feel that there is
some poetic justice in the fact that they have collected three valuable
points when they have performed well below their best.
Porthmadog: Gerard McGuigan, John G. Jones, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike
Foster, Danny Hughes( Steve Pugh), Dafydd Evans, Ritchie Owen( Graham
Austin), Gareth Caughter, Mark Williams (Tony Williams), Carl Owen.
Cefn: Mike Price, Nick Parry, Alec Stacy, Aled Rowlands, Brett Jeffries,
Alan Morgan, Joe Main, Dan Desormeaux, Anthony Williams (Matty Dabbs), Joe
Desormeaux (Mike Reece), Roy Cardus (Gareth Evans).
Gareth Williams
Welsh Premier (J T Hughes,Mitsubishi). Tuesday, February 24th.
Porthmadog .... 3 Newtown ....2
Danny Hughes 25 Danny Barton 61
Carl Owen 55 Peter Smith 66
Ritchie Owen 65
After a run of three games without scoring -all bringing single goal
defeats- it was a mighty relief to see Danny Hughes on hand,after 25 mins,
to take advantage of a Mark Williams header to drive the ball into the net
from 12 yds. The goal came five minutes after Hughes had taken the field as
substitute for the injured Gareth Parry. Prior to this Port's best
opportunity had come after 10 mins when mark Williams had played in Carl
Owen only for keeper Edwards to rush off his line to scramble the ball
clear. While at the other end hesitation in the home defence allowed Barton
to find Justin Wickham in the box but McGuigan was on hand to pull off a
smart save.
The home side went on to dominate the remainder of the opening half and
created several good openings with Graham Austin, making his first start for
the club, breaking well on the left before supplying Mark Williams who
played the ball in for Carl Owen whose shot screwed narrowly past the post.
Carl Owen then robbed Moody and broke into the box but lacked support for
the finishing touch. Shortly before the interval Mark Williams combined with
Carl Owen, who was now a constant threat, but the striker's shot from the
right ran across the face of the goal.
In the second period Port continued to threaten with Carl Owen again
volleying a Ritchie Owen cross narrowly over the angle. Edwards, in the
visitors goal, then rushed out to thwart Carl Owen again as he raced on to
another through ball. It seemed inevitable that Carl Owen would break a
personal goal drought that had lasted since August 28th and the home game
against Carmarthen, and after 55 mins it came. Dafydd Evans unleashed a
superb through ball for the pacy Carl Owen who was on it in flash and broke
into the box and though Edwards got a hand to it he could not prevent it
entering the net.
The visitors responded immediately with a Moody heading just over the bar
from a right wing corner. The two goal advantage lasted only six minutes as
Danny Barton superbly controlled a free-kick on his chest before turning in
the box and scoring from close range. Another good break by the visitors
along the right resulted in a long cross which found Webb in space on the
left but his shot took a deflection for a corner. The home team's two goal
advantage was restored after 65 mins with the best move of the match. Danny
Hughes found Carl Owen inside the Newtown half for the forward to make
ground and then send a square ball to Ritchie Owen in space twenty yards out
and the midfielder cracked a fine shot into the corner of the net.
The two goal lead this time survived for only a minute before Andrew Webb
broke along the bye-line, on the left, deceiving two defenders and slipping
a low ball for Smith to shoot past McGuigan from close range.The game
remained a very open end to end game. The home goal survived a Barton header
while at the visitors end Carl Owen broke from halfway before cutting into
the box and unleashing a powerful shot which Edwards did well to touch on to
the upright. As the game entered its closing stages Newtown threw everything
into attack and after 75 mins McGuigan pulled off a good save low at the far
post to keep out a Richard Harris free-kick. In the dying minutes Smith
struck the post and McGuigan pulled off another good save as Wickham tried
to take advantage of the rebound. Just as Newtown had been relieved to hear
the final whistle a week ago, it was Port's turn to heave a sigh of relief
when referee Mike Jones brought this game to a close.
Each side have taken a share of the spoils and over the 180 mins of football
that is just about right. It was pleasing to see two sides who were
throughout both games intent on playing passing football. The win lifts Port
to 11th place in the table.
Port: McGuigan, John G Jones, Ryan Davies, Webber, Foster, Graham Austin
(Gareth Caughter), Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry (Danny hughes), Ritchie Owen,
Mark Williams (Tony Williams), Carl Owen.
Newtown; Edwards, Nick Evans, Giles, Tom Reynolds, Moody, Sudlow, Justin
Wickham, richard Harris, Danny Barton, Pete Smith, Andrew Webb.
Subs: Daniel Field, Martin Morgan, Lee Powell
Gareth Williams
Welsh Premier (J.T. Hughes, Mitsubishi) - Saturday, February 21st.
Haverfordwest County ... 1 Porthmadog .... 0
Adie Harris 5
Haverfordwest completed the double over Porthmadog and in so doing also
inflicted the third of three consecutive solitary goal league defeats on the
unfortunate visitors. Port opened tentatively and it took the high flying
Bluebirds only five minutes to get themselves ahead. When a high ball was
pumped into the visitors half the defence appeared to hesitate allowing Adie
Harris to chase and control the ball just short of the Port bye-line. Harris
then drove low from a narrow angle and beat McGuigan at his near post. The
home side went on to dominate the early part of the match with Rhys
Griffiths, Adie Harris and Simon Heal a constant threat to the home defence.
Following a Colin Loss corner on the right the ball was scrambled off the
line and twice in quick succession McGuigan had to be alert to keep out,
first a misdirected back header and then a subsequent shot from Wayne Jones.
McGuigan was soon in action again rushing out to block a Rhys Griffiths
effort after a good County build-up. Colin Loss then unleashed a good effort
from 25yds which flew just wide.
Port took 16 mins before they managed to force their first corner but as the
half wore on they started to exert more control and gradually dragged
themselves back into the game. As Haverfordwest were made to work for every
ball so there started an incessant barrage of appeals for fouls and
off-sides which, though not unusual in themselves, unfortunately began to
influence the decisions of the three officials. In fact after 38 mins Gareth
Parry put the ball in the County net only to to have it disallowed by a late
and extremely doubtful offside decision. The home side were then awarded a
constant stream of free-kicks against a side which heads the fair-play
table. This culminated in the award of a yellow card to Tony Williams a
decision which was rescinded after the game following discussions with the
linesman. Unfortunately it was not possible in retrospect to rescind some
other equally questionable decisions.
The second period was largely dominated by the visitors but they were still
unable to break their goal famine. There was little of the attractive
passing game produced at Newtown but a gritty effort which deserved at least
a share of the points. After 52 mins Lee Webber let fly from 30yds but his
shot flew just over the target. The best opportunity came when Steve Pugh,
on as sub after 67 mins, combined well with Mark Williams and set up Dafydd
Evans with a clear opening on the right of the box but his shot was off
target. Several times the ball was scrambled away under extreme pressure by
the home defence. With time running out Port were now camped in the home
half of the field as they forced a succession of corners and their best
effort was a dipping 20 yarder by Gareth Parry following a Mike Foster
free-kick.
At the moment Port are certainly not getting the rub of the green that their
efforts, and the quality of their football, deserves. Today also the
decisions of the match officials left much to be desired.
Haverfordwest: Lee Kendall, Deryn Brace, Wayne Jones, Adie Harris, Wyn
Thomas, Dylan Blain, Simon Heal, Ritchie Adams, Rhys Griffiths, Colin Loss,
Darren Ryan(Nicky Palmer).
Subs: Chris Miller, Eston Chiverton
Port: Gerard McGuigan, John G Jones, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster,
Gareth Parry, Dafydd Evans, Ritchie Owen( Graham Austin), Gareth Caughter,
Mark Williams(Campbell Harrison), Tony Williams(Steve Pugh).
Referee Brian Bevan (Wrexham)
Gareth Williams.
