Friendly August 9th
Bodedern 0 - Porthmadog 2
 
Porthmadog completed their pre-season fixtures with their third consecutive
victory over Anglesey Cymru Alliance opposition. Following wins at Holyhead
and Glantraeth during pre-season Porthmadog ran out comfortable winners at
Bodedern on Tuesday night with a number of first team regulars missing. The
starting lineup for Port was as follows: Harvey, James Parry, Jonathan Peris
Jones, Ryan Davies, Rhys Roberts, Mathew Webber, Gareth Parry, Tony
Williams, Ywain Gwynedd, Carl Owen, Les Davies. With only Richard Hughes and
a far from 100% Richie Owen on the bench this was a threadbare squad for the
final run out before the serious business starts a week on Saturday. However
it was Porthmadog who opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Rhys Roberts
powered home a Gareth Parry corner with a powerful header. Despite some
heavy tackling from the home side Porthmadog carved out some decent chances
with Owain Gwynedd twice going close coming in at the far post and Gareth
Parry narrowly wide with a spectacular effort from 20 yards. Early in the
second period Les Davies sealed the win with a fine low shot from 20 yards
which went in off the right hand post following good work by Carl Owen and
Gareth Parry. The game peatered out in the second half although Bodedern did
creat one or two late half chances. A note of concern was seeing Carl Owen
limp off 10 minutes from time. Porthmadog almost added a third late on as
Ywain Gwynedd burst through but put his lob just over the bar.

Gerallt Owen 

Friendly
Preston North End XI ... 1	Porthmadog ... 3

This match was played on the Preston training ground against a young Preston
side. Once again it provided a valuable workout against skilful but
inexperienced opposition. Carl Owen was again on the score sheet scoring two
of the Port goals with Gareth Parry adding the third. Port will meet
Bodedern in what is likely to be the final friendly game Tuesday night
(August9th.) at Bodedern k.o 6.45.

Friendly August 2 2005
Glantraeth 2 - Porthmadog 4

Porthmadog continued their preperations for the new Welsh Premier season
with this pre-season win against last season's Cymru Alliance runners-up.
With a much changed starting XI Porthmadog took the lead on 12 minutes when
a fine Tony Williams pass released Gareth Caughter into the right side of
the box. He managed to avoid a reckless two footed lunge from the home
keeper and find the net off the left hand post. Glantraeth were back on
level terms within three minutes when James Parry was adjudged to have
fouled a Glantraeth forward in the box despite seeming to get good contact
on the ball. Craig Roberts converted the penalty. Porthmadog regained the
lead on 31 minutes when Caughter again raced beyond the home defence and
again rounded the keeper to score from 12 yards. Porthmadog made 5 changes
at half-time and this had an imediate impact as Caughter hit the left hand
post with an effort from 15 yards after 53 minutes. However it was
Glantraeth who equalised on 75 minutes a corner was poorly cleared by the
Porthmadog defence and a second cross came in which Kevin Roberts got his
head to and found the net from close range. This spurred Porthmadog to
re-double their efforts. On 80 minutes Porthmadog reclaimed the lead when a
Gareth Parry 30 yard drive was only parried by the home keeper and Carl Owen
nipped in to score. Glantraeth worked hard for the equaliser but in the
dying moments it was Owen again who sealed the victory with an audacious
over head kick from 20 yards which looped over the keeper and just under the
bar. This was a rather scrappy match with both sides giving the ball away
far too easily, but joint manager Osian Roberts is sure to have felt that it
was a good workout for the squad.

Porthmadog: Harvey, Harrison (J.P. Jones 46), Foster, James Parry (Ryan
Davies 46), R. Roberts, Danny Hughes, Tony Williams (Gareth Parry 46),
Richie Owen, Caughter, Lloyd Edwards (Carl Owen 46), Richard Hughes (Les
Davies 46).

Ref Arwel Jones (Anglesey)

Gerallt Owen

Friendly

Colwyn Bay ... 3		Porthmadog ... 2
Darren Wright 3,55.	Les Davies 19
Chris Holt 42		Gareth Caughter 67.

Colwyn Bay edged out the visitors Porthmadog by the odd goal in a game where
Port enjoyed more of the possession and held territorial advantage but the
coast team proved more adept at taking their more limited chances -mainly on
the counter attack. 

The Bay match winner proved to be Darren Wright with a goal in each half. As
early as the 3rd minute he caught out the Port defence with a well judged
angled run to the right fastening on to a lob over the defence and took
advantage of Harvey's over eager rush from goal firing into the net from an
acute angle. 

Port enjoyed much of the possession after this building up slowly from the
back but last Thursday's match winner Carl Owen appeared less comfortable in
his role out on the right with Mark Williams as central striker. There were
no clear openings and the nearest Port came to scoring was a powerful 30 yd
drive by Les Davies just past the post. It was the same player who after 19
minutes brought the scores level when he took advantage of a Mike Foster
cross to score at the far post. 

The Bay were a threat, on the break especially, and Harvey was forced to
make a couple of useful saves one a low dive at the foot of his right hand
post. Wright then threatened with a carbon copy of his opening goal but this
time his shot ran across the face of the goal. At the other end Ritchie Owen
shot wide after a Mark Williams flick on and Les Davies was close with a
header from Jon Peris' cross.

It was the home side, however, that went ahead again -just before the
interval- when Chris Holt took advantage of Rhys Roberts's hesitation and
forced the ball passed Richard Harvey in the Port goal.

With Danny Hughes and Gareth Caughter added to the midfield in the
second-half Port started purposefully. Caughter in the first few minutes of
the second period twice got himself into goal scoring positions but needed
that one touch too many and the chances were gone. In fact after 55 minutes
it was the Bay who burst out of defence and forced a corner on the left and
Wright once more caught out the Port defence with a near post run to head
high into the net.

Port got themselves back into the game after 67 minutes when a neat lob by
Les Davies found Caughter clear in the box and this time he made no mistake
with a neat header over the advancing keeper. Port could have gone on to win
the game for even in the last two minutes first Caughter was given a clear
chance from a quickly taken free-kick and Barry Evans only needed the
slightest of touches to turn in a dangerous header across goal -once again
from Les Davies. Davies who turned in another excellent performance was the
pick of the Port team.

These are still early days in the build up for the new season but Port will
have gained from this test pitting their skills against good quality players
like Mottram and especially Darren Wright.

Port: Harvey, Jon P Jones, Ryan Davies, Rhys Roberts (James Parry), Foster:
Tony Williams (Danny Hughes), Gareth Parry (Ywain Gwynedd), Ritchie Owen
(Lloyd Edwards), Les Davies: Mark Williams (Gareth Caughter), Carl Owen
(Barry Evans).

Gareth Williams

Friendly

Porthmadog ... 4	Chester City ... 0
Carl Owen 8, 26
Kevin Roberts 29 (og)
Mike Foster 58

Having defeated TNS by 3-1 with their first team Chester probably considered
it appropriate to send a youthful and inexperienced squad to tackle Port at
the Traeth. In the event this young team proved woefully inadequate for the
task. Port dominated from the start looking sharp with some crisp passing
and good running off the ball. Such was the home team's dominance that the
young Chester side found it difficult to get out of their own half. After
only 7 mins the newcomers Les Davies and Rhys Roberts combined to create a
clear chance but Davies' header was just off target. Before the visitors
could recover Carl Owen broke into the box and fired low past Broomfield to
open the scoring.

Port continued to dominate with Gareth Parry and Danny Hughes controlling
the midfield. Two goals a few minutes before the half-hour mark gave a
scoreline which was a truer reflection of the flow of the game. In the 26th
minute a long Richard Harvey clearance was flicked on by Les Davies for Carl
Owen to produce an excellent piece of skill to beat Broomfield in the
Chester goal. Three minutes later, following a Danny Hughes free-kick, the
ball dropped for Carl Owen again who steered the ball goalwards and defender
Roberts could only help it into the net.

Port only added one more goal during the second period when Mike Foster
fired a 20 yd free kick low into the net. Though they lost their rhythm with
the introduction of numerous substitutions they still continued to enjoy the
best of the play though near the end Richard Harvey was called on to make
his only save of the match when he palmed Holroyd's shot on to the bar
before it fell to safety.

Osian Roberts will be pleased with the attitude and composure shown by his
team but Saturday's game against Colwyn Bay will provide a sterner test.

Port: Richard Harvey, Jon P Jones, Ryan Davies, Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster,
Gareth Caughter, Gareth Parry (capt), Danny Hughes Ritchie Owen, Lee Davies
Carl Owen. 

Subs used: Tony Williams, Lloyd Edwards, Mike Webber, Richard Hughes, Barry
Evans, Ywain Gwynedd.

Gareth Williams

Pre Season Friendly - Friday, July 22nd

Holyhead ... 0   Porthmadog ... 2

Port played their first game in preparation for the new season at Trearddur
Bay as the Holyhead pitch was not yet ready. Les Davies the new arrival from
Bangor City lined up with brother Ryan and celebrated his debut by scoring
the opening goal of the match. Carl Owen added a second later. Viv Williams
declared himself pleased with the excellent run out his team gained from the
game.