Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier -Saturday, September 17th

CPD Porthmadog ... 1	Bangor City ... 2
Carl Owen 15		Paul Roberts 48 (pen), 89.

Both sides were looking for their first win of the season and this showed in
a game where the football rarely flowed and where for a long time there was
little to excite the crowd. In the end it was the story of two penalties one
converted and one missed which turned out to be the means by which Bangor
gained three fortunate points while Port, who had looked the more likely
winners throughout, ended with none.

The first chance of the game fell to Gareth Caughter after seven minutes
when he was put through by Ryan Davies but his low well struck effort
brought o good diving save from Bangor keeper Andrew Price. Ritchie Owen
after 14 minutes burst down the left supplying Carl Owen at the near post
but the strikers shot was blocked for a corner. From the corner which was
only partially cleared Rhys Roberts crossed superbly for Carl Owen to beat
the offside trap and while the defence stood still he rounded keeper Price
for the opening goal of the game.

Following the goal the home supporters expected their team to consolidate
and maybe increase their lead as Bangor created little with Rhys Roberts and
Lee Webber dealing confidently with the high ball attacks. Richard Harvey in
the home goal was rarely threatened dealing easily with a couple of Paul
Roberts efforts. Yet Port failed to take full advantage and though Les
Davies and Gareth Caughter threatened down the wings there was insufficient
support in the box for lone striker Carl Owen.

Bangor came out looking livelier after the interval and within three minutes
of the second period they were level. Kevin Scott struck a dangerous right
wing free-kick into the box but a blast on referee SL Evans' whistle and a
finger pointing to the spot was just the opportunity for the visitors to get
back into the game. The referee had seen a push on Bangor striker Carl Lamb
and up stepped former Port hero Paul Roberts to crash the penalty straight
down the middle of Harvey's goal. Only a minute later and Port could have
restored their lead with a quick break and Gareth Caughter's far post cross
was driven low across the face of the goal and narrowly past the post by Les
Davies. Port continued to appear the more likely to gain the lead as a good
build up involving Danny Hughes and Gareth Caughter resulted in a Ritchie
Owen header just past the post. But just after the hour mark it was the Port
goal which led a charmed life as a couple of close range chances were muffed
and it needed a goal-line clearance with Richard Harvey beaten.

Then it was Port who threatened with Ritchie Owen bringing a fine diving
save from Price who touched the 25yard effort round the post. Then Carl Owen
under pressure from two defenders saw his shot screw wide of the post. Carl
Owen again burst through the City defence after 70 minutes and just as he
prepared to shoot he was brought down inside the box by Eifion Jones. Gareth
Parry took the spot kick but Price guessed correctly and turned the shot
round the post. Port continued on the offensive winning numerous free-kicks
near the box and Danny Hughes linked up dangerously on the right finding Les
Davies whose strong finish went narrowly outside the post. With Port
striving for the winner Bangor broke out of defence and an interchange of
passes freed Paul Roberts on the left of the box and he scored the 89th
minute winner with a low shot from 15 yards. A start which had promised so
much for the home side ended with Port yielding all three points.

Port: Harvey: Danny Hughes, Lee Webber, Rhys Roberts, Foster: Gareth
Caughter, Gareth Parry (Tony Williams), Ryan Davies, Ritchie Owen, Les
Davies: Carl Owen.  
Subs not used: Jon Peris Jones, Ceri Roberts.

Bangor: Price, Blackmore, Scott, Eifion Jones (Kyle Jones), O'Neill, Priest,
Maxwell, Walsh, Paul Roberts, McGinn, Carl Lamb (Alex Hay).
Subs not used: Beattie, Ogilvy, Burke.

Ref: SL EVANS Bethesda

Gareth Williams 

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier -Sunday, September 4th.

Porthmadog ... 1    Port Talbot ... 1
Ryan Davies 90      Rhys Griffiths 74

Port Talbot almost snatched an unlikely win in a game which Porthmadog had
largely dominated but failed to turn pressure and possession into
goals.Porthmadog created enough chances but found the excellent Marty
Ellacott in outstanding form in goal for the visitors pulling off save after
save to frustrate the home side. Even the injury time equaliser came only
after Ellacott had beaten out Ryan Davies' first point blank effort before
succumbing to the second attempt by the same player.

These sides came into this game with similar records and both boasting a
home draw against last year's champions, TNS, so a draw as the eventual
outcome was not entirely a surprise. The visitors were first into their
stride with Hooper testing Harvey with an early shot and later Pearson
controlled well only to fire a 20 yd effort over the bar. Gradually
Porthmadog got themselves into the game and following a Mike Foster free
kick a flicked header by Gareth Parry flew just over the bar. On the half
hour mark Les Davies burst down the left from the halfway line but his cross
was slightly behind Carl Owen. The best Porthmadog chances came near the end
of the half. A 33rd minute Ritchie Owen header, following a Jon Peris cross,
looked goal bound, but Ellacott brilliantly touched the ball over the bar.
This was followed by a 44th minute far post header by Danny Hughes meeting a
Foster cross but the ball flew narrowly over the bar.

The second half continued much as the first with the home side controlling
the game and looking the most likely to score. Ritchie Owen shot wide after
a Les Davies break and then just after the hour mark Carl Owen looked almost
sure to score as he burst into the box but first Ellacott superbly kept out
his header and then his follow up shot. Less than 10 minutes later and
Ellacott pulled off another double save first an angled shot by Ritchie Owen
which fell obligingly into the path of Gareth Caughter but the keeper pulled
off the seemingly impossible denying Caughter at point blank range.

Inevitably pressure without goals leads to a sudden breakaway and that
indeed was the case in the 74th minute. Foster was dispossessed on the left
and the ball was transferred quickly into the box for Rhys Griffiths to fire
a shot which took a deflection from Porthmadog's Gareth Parry before
nestling in the corner of the net.

To their credit Porthmadog did not allow their heads to drop with this turn
of events. Ellacott was in action again within two minutes pulling off
another fine save to deny Carl Owen after being put through by Mark
Williams. The home side continued to throw people forward in a desperate
effort to salvage something from the game and when it seemed that Ellacott
would survive unbeaten Carl Owen carved an injury time shooting chance for
Ryan Davies to convert -thanks to that second bite at the cherry.

In the end Porthmadog were happy enough to take the one point in a game
which should have given them their first victory. They have found themselves
frustrated by teams who close down quickly and push up at the back. The
games against Airbus, Newi and Port Talbot have been very similar and
Porthmadog have lacked the guile to open up tight quick tackling defences.

CPD Porthmadog: Harvey, J.P.Jones (T.Williams 57'), Foster, R.Roberts,
Webber, Hughes, G.Parry, R.Owen (R.Davies 83'), Caughter (M.Williams 77'),
C.Owen, L.Davies.
Red Cards:      None        Yellow Cards:      None

Port Talbot Town: Ellacott, de Vulgt, Hanford, Ashley, Rees, Surman
(Cockings 81'), Hooper, Phillips, Griffiths, Pearson (Bowen 90'),
Jones.            Sub not used: Devonald
Red Cards:      None        Yellow Cards None
Attendance:      237      Referee:    N L Morgan

Gareth Williams

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier League -Tuesday, August 30th

Newi Cefn Druids ...1		Porthmadog ...1
Darren Williams 74		Ritchie Owen 3

Both sides on paper had similar records with both losing to Airbus in League
Cup games and both gaining a point at home in tough opening day league
encounters. Port were however hoping to clinch three points and had only
themselves to blame that this was not the case as they got off to a flying
start taking the lead after only three minutes and then saw the home side
reduced to 10 men for all but the first four minutes of the second period.
But Plas Kynaston has never been the happiest of venues for the visitors and
today's encounter did not prove to be an exception.

A third minute break down the right by the busy Gareth Caughter opened up
the home defence and his low cross was flicked on by Carl Owen for Ritchie
Owen to finish off from close range. The home side showed from the start
that they would rely on the long ball as an attacking ploy and push up at
the back to constrict the play. Port, though they seemed the most likely to
add to their score in the opening half, found themselves by and large
frustrated by these tactics. There were decent shots from Gareth Caughter
and Danny Hughes breaking from midfield and one good build up saw Danny
Hughes again head narrowly wide at the far post. Carl Owen broke on the left
but was forced wide and his shot blocked for a corner. The Druids meanwhile
did not trouble Richard Harvey until a minute before the interval when a
ball ran loose for Coulson to test the Port keeper with an useful low shot
which was pushed for a corner at the near post.

Four minutes after the break Carl Owen at last received a well placed
through ball and just as he burst forward goalwards he was unceremoniously
brought down by Gareth Barton. Referee SL Evans reached immediately for a
red card. Amazingly being reduced to 10 men did not appear to have any
effect on the game. In fact the longer the game went on the greater the
frustrations of the visitors as they failed to open the home defence along
the flanks or with constructive passing through the middle. Their only
tactic was to throw high crosses which proved to be meat and drink for Aled
Rowlands and his fellow defenders.

With Port lacking the invention to open up the Druids defence the danger of
a counter attack increased and Darren Williams served warning with a 73rd
minute  shot which flew across the face of goal and then a minute later the
same player turned a left wing cross into the net to level the scores. Port
continued to huff and puff but this was not their night and in fact Druids
sub Mazzarella came closest with a shot from the edge of the box.

A hard surface and a lively bouncing ball contributed to the frustrations of
the evening. This is a performance which Port will wish to forget.

Port: Harvey: Jon P Jones, Lee Webber, Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster: Danny
Hughes, Gareth Parry, Ritchie Owen (Tony Williams 76'), Les Davies: Gareth
Caughter, Carl Owen. 
Subs not used: Mark Williams, James Parry.

Newi Cefn Druids: Mackin, Coulson, O.Jones, Rowlands, Hobson, Barton, Cook,
Chalk (Mazzarella 64'), Williams (Haydor 86'), Andrews, Durkin.		
Sub not used: Edgar

Attendance 115

Gareth Williams

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier	-Saturday, August 20th

Porthmadog ... 2		TNS ... 2
Carl Owen 10		Mike Wilde 37
Les Davies 78		Marc L Williams 44

What a cracking game to kick off the new league season with the home side
shaking off last week's lethargy to turn in a magnificent performance to
present the champions with a serious challenge on the day. The quality of
the play from both sides made it an excellent advertisement for the Welsh
Premier. Indeed a game fit for TV.

Port made the early pace and after only four minutes Gareth Caughter made a
good break on the right but his shot flew narrowly wide. But home supporters
did not have long to wait for something to cheer about for after only 10
minutes Les Davies rose in midfield to send Carl Owen on his way with a well
directed header. The Port striker had drifted to the right of the box and
coolly fired an angled shot across keeper Doherty and into the corner of the
net. 

Port continued to dominate with Carl Owen in outstanding form giving the
experienced Steve Evans a torrid time. He broke through again fastening on
to Gareth Parry's through ball but Gerard Doherty rushed out to block his
shot. Twice TNS defender Chris King had to concede corners under pressure
from crosses by Les Davies and Ritchie Owen. But a looping Carter effort
past the post just after 28 minutes was a sign that TNS were not going to
sit back and allow themselves to be dominated. Indeed this was the signal
for a period of intense pressure by the visitors which yielded them two
goals and several close calls.

Soon after the half-hour Mark Ll. Williams fired low from the left but
Harvey saved well at his near post. A minute later and Harvey was in action
again diving at the feet of Mike Wilde to pull off an excellent save. The
Port defence was under pressure and Lee Webber and debutant Rhys Roberts
were performing well as the high balls were played into the box. But after
37 minutes came the inevitable equaliser and again it was Marc Lloyd who
broke left and though his shot was parried Mike Wilde was on hand to score
from close range. With a minute to go to the interval a well rehearsed
free-kick for the visitors caught out the Port defence and the final low
ball into the box was turned into the net by the inevitable Marc Lloyd W.

After the interval play was end to end with a Ritchie Owen screamer flying
across the face of the TNS goal while at the other end Harvey had to touch a
Wilde cross over the bar. Then on 55 minutes with the home defence under
intense pressure Rhys Roberts had to head off the goal line. But after the
hour mark Port struck back with the best move of the match as Gareth Parry,
Carl Owen and Gareth Caughter combined for Jon Peris to cross to the far
post but Les Davies' header was into the side netting. Then it was harvey's
turn to pull off another great save to deny Carter. Next came a fine
Caughter cross which found Carl Owen but there was no one on hand to take
advantage of the striker's downward header. 

It was the professional outfit who were now hanging on and introduced Hogan
as a holding midfielder to replace striker Marc Ll. Williams in an effort to
retain their goal advantage. This might indeed have worked but for Les
Davies who after 79 minutes picked up a loose ball in midfield and set off
on an amazing run past defender after defender and having almost lost the
ball on a couple of occasions broke into the box and with only one thing in
mind let fly with a power blast which gave Doherty no chance. This sent the
home supporters in the large crowd into their seventh heaven. 

TNS threw everything into attack spreading the ball wide but full-backs Mike
Foster and Jon Peris, on for the injured James Parry, were more than equal
to the task. A blast over the bar by Barry Hogan and then it was all over
and the local boys had matched the professionals every inch of way for 90
minutes -a tremendous testimony to their fitness. 

Port: Harvey: James Parry (Jon Peris Jones), Lee Webber, Rhys Roberts (Tony
Williams), Mike Foster: Gareth Parry, Danny Hughes (Mark Williams), Ritchie
Owen, Les Davies: Gareth Caughter, Carl Owen. 

TNS: Doherty: Wood, King, Jackson, Steve Evans, Holmes, Ruscoe, M. Lloyd
Williams, Wilde, Beck, Carter.

Subs: Toner, Hogan, Ward.   

Gareth Williams

Loosemore's Cup, Saturday August 20.

Porthmadog ... 2		Airbus UK ... 3
Caughter 12		James Husband 32
L. Davies 46		Craig Jones 69
			J. McIntosh 74


Porthmadog last season's semi-finalists found their interest in this year's
competition to be short lived. Airbus victors over Cefn Druids last week
gained a deserved victory to put them through to the second round. Port
failed to consolidate after being ahead twice. They got a rare early lead
after only 12 minutes and though Airbus drew level Port regained the lead
with a goal straight from the second-half kick-off. Airbus fought back to
expose the home side's defensive frailties with two second-half goals.

Port enjoyed the better of the early play and they went deservedly ahead in
the 12th minute when Carl Owen crossed from the right and Gareth Caughter
took advantage of Les Davies' downward header to fire a low first-time shot
past the former Wrexham keeper Paul Whitfield. The early goal was not a
signal for Port to push ahead to increase their lead but instead it was
Airbus who threatened. Dave Hughes had a low shot cleared off the line and
it took a good Ryan Davies header to clear an useful right wing cross from
Craig Jones. 

The planemakers drew level after 32 minutes when a fine piece of opportunism
saw James Husband fire a powerful angled shot from the right which caught
Richard Harvey by surprise and though the keeper got a hand to it he could
not keep it out. Airbus maintained the offensive and a 30yd shot by James
McIntosh flew narrowly wide of the upright.

Port got the best possible start to the second-half again it was Carl Owen
who crossed from the right and this time Richie Owen touched it on for Les
Davies to open his account in a Port shirt with a well placed shot. Once
again the home side failed to build on their lead and the disappointing
period which followed saw three of the visitors receive yellow cards with
some over vigorous play. 

Airbus opened up their game after the hour mark as they pushed forward with
Craig Jones and Dave Purcell exploiting the wing space down the right to
open up the home defence. After 69 minutes Purcell broke wide on the right
and Jones latched on to the cross to outwit the home defence and level the
scores. Five minutes later and the visitors were ahead for the first time in
the game and Port were down to ten men. The referee waved a red card having
adjudged that Ryan Davies had committed a professional foul on Craig Jones
as the Port defence was caught out. Though Richard Harvey dived to his left
to keep out McIntosh's penalty the forward reacted quickly to put the ball
into the net.

Down to ten men Port made three substitutions but they could not change the
pattern of the game. At no stage were Port in control and can have no
complaints as the visitors closed down quickly in midfield and denied Port
the opportunity to develop any kind of passing game.

Port: Harvey: James Parry, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster (Rhys
Roberts): Danny Hughes, Gareth Parry (Tony Williams), Ritchie Owen, Les
Davies: Gareth Caughter (Mark Williams), Carl Owen.

Sub not used: Jon Peris Jones 

Airbus: Whitfield, Purcell, Hopkins, Dave Hughes, John Davies, Sudlow, Craig
Jones, Gareth Owen, McIntosh, Husband, Smart.

Subs: Leach, Jennings, Andrew Thomas.

Gareth Williams