FAW Premier Cup Round 1	Saturday, October 22nd

Porthmadog ... 1		Carmarthen Town ... 2	(after extra-time)
Carl Owen 47		Rhodri Jones 77
				Craig Hughes 120

With a penalty shoot out looking almost inevitable Carmarthen snatched a
victory in added time in extra-time -a win which on the balance of play they
hardly deserved. As both sides pushed up in search of the winner it was no
surprise that one of them would be caught short of man power at the back.
When a ball was partially cleared livewire Sacha Walters crossed to the far
post where Craig Hughes was given the space to settle this exciting
encounter.

Port started their first ever Premier Cup tie far the stronger of the two
sides and went on to totally dominate the opening half. Though clear cut
chances were rare it was disappointing that the home team failed to turn
this domination into goals. They came close after 11 minutes when Neil
Thomas's header went narrowly the wrong side of the upright following a Mike
Foster free-kick. Twice again before the half-hour mark they could have
taken the lead. Les Davies set up Neil Thomas along the left and Tony
Williams at the far post was foiled by Delve's diving save. Soon after Carl
Owen and Les Davies created another opening for Tony Williams and it took a
goal line header by Town's Gary Lloyd to stop the home side going ahead.
Port forced a series of opening half corners and the visitors defence
conceded numerous free-kicks in danger areas as they struggled to keep the
home side out. 

After the interval Port made amends for their lack of first half goals when
they went into the lead only two minutes after the restart. Neil Thomas,
always influential in midfield, sent Carl Owen through with a perfectly
weighted ball. With the visitors vainly appealing for offside the Port
striker took his chance coolly from a narrow angle. Carmarthen pushed for
the equaliser and there were a couple of close calls at both ends. Walters
fired over the bar for Carmarthen and Webber's header shaved the wrong side
of the upright for Port. Luke Hardy unleashed a 67 minute volley which
Richard Harvey touched on to the bar and then did well to recover and clear.
Port with only 13 minutes left and in a good attacking position gave the
ball away and Carmarthen broke quickly for skipper Rhodri Jones to send a
quality shot past Harvey from 18yds to level the scores. Both sides
threatened and set up useful attacks but neither could make the conclusive
breakthrough.

Three minutes into extra-time Ywain Gwynedd almost settled things, when not
for the first time since coming on he rounded the experienced Gary Lloyd and
was unlucky to see his well struck shot cannon off the bar to safety. In the
second period Lloyd for the visitors almost caught out Harvey with a well
judged lob and Hughes from the edge of the box forced the keeper to make a
good diving save. Ywain Gwynedd at the other end cut into the box past Lloyd
but his shot was blocked. Then with seconds left came the winner from
Hughes.

So it's on to Newtown and a search for the all important league points.

Port: Richard Harvey: Rhys Roberts, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster:
Tony Williams (Jason Harvey), Gareth Parry, Neil Thomas, Ritchie Owen
(Matthew Webber), Les Davies (Ywain Gwynedd): Carl Owen.
Yellow: Rhys Roberts
Carmarthen: Delve, Hardy, Lloyd, Giles, Carter, Rhodri Jones, Smothers
(Danny Thomas), Kennedy, Hughes Walters, Cotterell.
Subs not used: Essa, James.
Yellow: Richard Carter.

Gareth Williams

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier -Saturday, October 15th.

Haverfordwest County ... 1	CPD Porthmadog ... 1
Dean Rossiter 64			Jason Harvey 82

Port snatched a point with a late equaliser thanks to Jason Harvey who
managed to squeeze Tony Williams' well placed cross past home keeper Lee
Kendall at the far post. Harvey had only been on the pitch for four minutes
before he helped, for the second week running, to change the course of the
game. But it was another Harvey -Richard Harvey- in the Port goal who kept
the visitors in the game with three or four outstanding saves and none
better than an 89th minute dive to his left to keep out a Dean Rossiter
effort at full stretch.

The home side pressed from the start forcing several corners with the Port
defence living dangerously. After only three minutes Ryan Davies had to head
over his own bar under pressure and two minutes later the same player had to
pull off an outstanding tackle to keep out County debutant Steve McCabney
after Port had given the ball away in midfield. Gradually the visitors got
more into the game and after 13 minutes managed their first shot on goal
when Danny Hughes supplied Neil Thomas but Kendall in the home goal saved
easily. Later Lee Webber saw his cross slide across the face of the goal
with no one able to get a touch on it. After a fruitless half-hour within a
minute we could have had a goal at either end. First a super cross by Wayne
Jones on to the head of McCabney was headed narrowly over with the goal
gaping. Almost immediately at the other end Les Davies' perfectly weighted
through ball opened up the County defence for Carl Owen to run unchallenged
at the home goal but his shot went across Kendall and past the outside of
the post. Before half-time home defender Wyn Thomas came close with a couple
of efforts on goal. First a downward header had to be cleared off the line
and then he spooned another effort over the bar.

Soon after half-time Richard Harvey had to pull off one of his numerous
crucial saves when he kept out a shot from an unmarked McCabney and a minute
later it needed a repeat performance to keep out Adams at the far post.
Though Haverfordwest controlled much of the play at this stage Port were
still not out of the hunt and could have gone ahead when Rhys Roberts'
flicked a 54th minute Foster free-kick narrowly over the bar and five
minutes later a perfectly placed Neil Thomas cross from the right found Carl
Owen free at the far post but home keeper Kendall was well placed to pull
off a good save. But it was Haverfordwest who deservedly took the lead after
64 minutes when Dean Rossiter, who had been given far too much room by the
Port defence, picked his spot to drive past Harvey who this time could do
nothing to keep the shot out. The travelling supporters now feared the worst
but then Referee Adey showed McCabney a straight red card for a two footed
tackle on Port skipper Lee Webber and Richard Harvey denied Adams again.
With 11 minutes to go enter Jason Harvey and with eight minutes to go the
scores were level. There was time for another Richard Harvey save and a very
long three minutes of added time before Darren Adey blew his whistle and the
journey home to Porthmadog was better for that point. 

Haverfordwest: Kendall, Brace, Wayne Jones, Cattlin, Wyn Thomas, Rob Jones,
Blain, Adams, McCabney, Rossiter, Palmer. 
Subs: Hudgell, O'Sullivan, Shakir, Hughes.

Port: R Harvey, Rhys Roberts, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster: Danny
Hughes(Tony Williams 45), Gareth Parry Neil Thomas, Ritchie Owen (Jason
Harvey 79) Les Davies: Carl Owen.
Sub: Ywain Gwynedd.

Gareth Williams  

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier -Saturday, October 8th

CPD Porthmadog ... 3	Caersws ... 3
Mike Foster 43 (pen)	Ross Stephens 45
Neil Thomas 75		Chris Venables 53
Les Davies 80		Neville Thompson 84 

This rather untidy and often over vigorous game where both sides needed all
three points ended all square. It was a game which could have gone either
way but for a time 10 minutes before the end the referee appeared to lose
control as he was engulfed by intemperate Caersws protests. This came soon
after Port's third goal when much ado about nothing lead to a complete over
reaction by Chris Venables, a player who had contributed much to the game.
Venables struck the home side's forward Les Davies and gave referee Mark
Petch no option but to show the red card. But six goals and much needle gave
the spectators an exciting game as both defences looked under pressure. 

When the referee showed Ryan Davies a yellow card after only 3 minutes the
trend seemed set for the afternoon. The home side started well and Les
Davies tested Mulliner with a header. The best early chance fell to Carl
Owen running on to debutant Neil Thomas' fine through ball but Owen took the
ball wide and from a narrow angle fired a shot against the foot of the
upright. Only two minutes later Owen again went close this time with a
header. Caersws came more into the game and Stephens tested Harvey with a
low shot and soon after Harvey was again in action stopping a Mark Williams
header. The visitors goal survived a curling Mike Foster free-kick but the
full back soon had the opportunity to score his third penalty in as many
games. A minute from the interval Les Davies broke on the right of the box
and was brought down by defender Hugh Clarke who had already received a
yellow card. The referee unhesitatingly pointed to the spot and this was the
signal for the first Caersws mass protest. In the confusion which followed
referee Petch amazingly failed to dispatch Hugh Clarke from the field with
an apparently inevitable second yellow card. When things calmed down Mike
Foster duly dispatched the penalty to give the home side a lead which lasted
for less than a minute for from the restart the dangerous Neville Thompson
broke down the left and Ross Stephens swept his low cross past Harvey to
level the scores. 

Port almost went back into the lead two minutes into the second period when
Ritchie Owen's header struck the bar but Caersws responded with several
useful right wing breaks by Venables and Ross Stephens came close on a
couple of occasions. On 53 minutes Chris Venables broke into the box, this
time on the left, and fired a fine low shot beyond Harvey to put the
visitors ahead. Danger man Venables then supplied Mark Williams and the
former Port forward came close at the near post. Harvey then produced a good
save to keep out Thompson. In an effort to change the pattern of the game
Viv Williams introduced subs Ywain Gwynedd and new signing Jason Harvey.
This must have succeeded for after 75 minutes the home side were back on
level terms when the influential Neil Thomas picked up in midfield before
firing a low 20 yard effort which Mulliner failed to keep out. Port pushed
forward for the three points and newcomer Harvey swung a second inswinging
corner to the far post where it was headed back into the goalmouth and Les
Davies did well to keep down an awkward ball and direct it past Mulliner for
Port's third and surely winning goal. But no there followed the 'Venables
incident' and then with five minutes left Neville Thompson turned in Graham
Jones' far post cross to level the scores. Another draw for Port but surely
Caersws will not remain at the foot of the table for very long.

Port: Harvey: Danny Hughes, Webber, Rhys Roberts, Foster: Tony Williams
(Ywain Gwynedd), Ryan Davies, Neil Thomas, Ritchie Owen (Ywain Gwynedd):
Carl Owen (Matt Webber), Les Davies.

Caersws: Mulliner, Thomas, Jehu, Reynolds, Clarke, Venables, Graham Jones,
Geraint Lewis, Mark Williams, Stephens, Thompson.
Subs: Probert, Mitchell, Bermingham.

Gareth Williams  

Welsh Cup -Saturday, October 1st

Gresford ... 1	Porthmadog ... 2
Craig Williams 7	Mike Foster 23 (pen)
		Ryan Davies 75

A Porthmadog supporter summed up this game in one sentence: "Well at least
we won"! It was by no means a convincing performance by the visitors from
the Welsh Premier; in fact Gresford, who didn't play that well themselves,
looked like creating a shock on more than one occasion.

There was little sign of what was to come in the first five minutes of the
game. Port dominating the possession could - probably should - have been
three goals to the good. Carl Owen had two great chances within a minute;
his first effort, after a good through ball from Ywain Gwynedd - starting
his first game of the season - was well saved by home keeper Gareth
Rowlands. He should have done better with his second opportunity but was
again foiled by Rowlands. It was Rowlands who again came to Gresford's
rescue after five minutes of the game, this time saving from Les Davies who
had made a good run down the left flank.

It was against this background of Port domination that Gresford opened the
scoring in the sixth minute. The ball fell to Craig Williams who was
unmarked on the edge of the visitor's box. Spotting the advancing Harvey, he
cleverly chipped the keeper to put the Cymru Alliance side 1-0 up.

The goal clearly gave Gresford added confidence with Port unable to
re-establish their early dominance. With chances at a premium, neither
keeper was really tested, with Harvey's easy save from Wyn Jones's free kick
the only opportunity of note. Then on 23 minutes came the break Port had been
looking for. Ywain Gwynedd again supplied Carl Owen with a pass down the
right and he was brought down in the box by Mike Granno. Mike Foster, for the
second game running, coolly slotted away the resulting penalty kick.

Both sides had chances to score before the half time whistle. Harvey again
had to save from a long range Gresford free kick - this time from Danny
Purdie. Just 2 minutes before the whistle Lee Webber should have put the
visitors 2-1 up from a Tony Williams corner; his shot from close range
ricocheted off the bar.

The second half was an uninspiring affair, characterised by sloppy passing
from both sides and marred by what looked like a serious knee injury to
Gresford's Jonathan Radcliff after 78 minutes. Neither side created many
clear scoring opportunities -Ywain Gwynedd's 67 minutes shot which was saved
by Rowlands, after good work by Les Davies, was a rarity.

The visiting supporters' relieve was clear when, in the 75th minute, Ryan
Davies got his head on the end of a Tony Williams cross to put Port 2-1 up.
This well-created and well-finished goal was a rare high point in an
otherwise dower second half! Gresford did put the visitor's goal under some
late pressure, but wayward passing and poor finishing meant that the result
never seriously looked in doubt.

Viv and Osian will not have found many positives take much from this
performance - one of the few exceptions was possibly Ywain Gwynedd who
played well in his first start of the season. But at least Port are through
to the 3rd round of the Welsh Cup and there's still hope for a good cup run.
 

Port: Richard Harvey, Danny Hughes, Lee Webber, Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster,
Ywain Gwynedd (Matthew Webber), Ryan Davies, Tony Williams, Ritchie Owen,
Carl Owen, Les Davies.

Gresford: Gareth Rowlands, Chris Newman, Phil Jones, Matthew Williams, Mike
Granno, Alan Williams, Jonathan Radcliff, Shaun Williams, Craig Williams,
Danny Pardie, Wyn Jones

Subs: Ian Matthias, Kevin Hope, Darren Jones

Emyr Gareth

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier -Sunday, September 25th

Porthmadog ... 2		Rhyl ... 1
Carl Owen 40		Greg Stones 63
Mike Foster 76 (pen)

Crisis? What crisis? Well it just goes to show that the score rarely tells
the whole story of the game. Port gained an unlikely victory over title
contenders Rhyl and whereas in the previous four league games they have held
the upper hand for the greater part of the game and deserved more from the
games, that was not the story today. Rhyl controlled for long periods but
apart from one scrappy goal they found a determined Port rearguard equal to
the task. Last week Port had victory snatched away from them by a
controversial penalty but today the same official Simon Evans pointed to the
spot after 76 mins and Mike Foster drove low past Ged McGuigan to give the
home side the victory and three vital points to lift them out of the bottom
three.

Port could have gone ahead in only the second minute when Les Davies timed
his run, on to a Mike Foster free kick, perfectly but was disappointed to
see his firm header fly narrowly over the bar. There followed a lengthy
period where the visitors were in command winning numerous corners and
several free-kicks in dangerous positions. The closest they came to the
breakthrough at this stage was when, following a Port corner, the ball was
cleared out of defence and a turn of pace by Mutton threatened to open up
the home defence but Rhys Roberts, in excellent form throughout, recovered
superbly to challenge and dispossess the attacker. Rhyl continued to
dominate and Harvey pulled off a fine diving save to keep out Limbert. Then
after 25 minutes Rhyl were unfortunate not to open the scoring when Harvey
failed to clear his line but Wilson's goal bound shot struck Lee Hunt and
the danger was averted. 

Gradually Port got more into the game with Les Davies prominent on the left
and from a Tony Williams corner Webber came close at the far post. Then with
half-time approaching Port won a free kick in central midfield. Les Davies rose
to flick the ball into space behind the visitors defence and Carl Owen was
on it in a flash. Then, following a good first touch, he drove the ball
across the advancing keeper and into the net. It was Port therefore who
surprised even themselves by going in at the break a goal to the good.

Rhyl again set the early pace in the second-half with Hunt chesting the ball
down into the path of Wilson but his shot was well saved by Harvey. But Port
were not prepared to sit back and wait for the attacks to come as Les Davies
moved to a more forward position and indeed he was only a whisker away from
converting Ritchie Owen's cross from the left. It was Owen himself who could
have scored a minute later but he seemed to lose his footing in the box with
the goal gaping. A good spell for Port continued as McGuigan had to pull off
a good save to keep out a Carl Owen header at the expense of a corner. There
followed a period of free-kicks for petty offences and the sight of Gareth
Wilson for Rhyl and Mike Foster for Port swinging in kicks became monotonous
and repetitive. However it was from a 63rd minute Wilson free-kick that the
visitors drew level. A scramble following a high ball saw Greg Stones head
it goal wards though it seemed that the final touch came from a Port head.

The home side did not settle for a draw, good result though that would have
been. A long ball out of defence was latched on to by Carl Owen, who had
been a constant threat, and once again his first touch was sound but as he
entered the box he was brought down by Horan and referee Simon Evans pointed
to the spot. Mike Foster made no mistake and Port were ahead for the second
time in the match. This time it proved conclusive and the Port defence, with
John Gwynfor making a valued if rare appearance, held firm.

Port: Harvey: Danny Hughes, Webber, Rhys Roberts, Foster: Caughter (John G
Jones), Ryan Davies, Tony Williams, Ritchie Owen: Carl Owen, Les Davies.

Subs not used: Ywain Gwynedd, Ceri Roberts, Carwyn Edwards, Arwel Evans.

Rhyl: McGuigan, Powell (Hoy), Graves, Brewerton, Horan, Stones, Wison,
Limbert, Hunt Mutton (Moran), Adamson (Connolly).

Att. 403

Gareth Williams.