Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League - 21/4/03

Gresffordd................0  Porthmadog...................6
                                     L. Webber 4.
                                     R. Williams 10, 18, 79.
                                     T. Williams 58.
                                     G. Parry 63.

After battling my way through the Wrexham traffic (apparently the "Dragons"
had quite an important match), I turned up 5 minutes late to see that the
Port bandwagon was already on the tracks. After the tenseness of the victory
at Buckley the other day, Port's men could breathe easier, and the result
was a win that hardly required to move up from first gear. Having said that,
no one could accuse the lads of giving up after winning the league, and this
was especially true of Robert Williams who capped a brilliant performace
with a well deserved hat-trick.

I was reliably informed that Port's goal had been netted by Lee Webber who
scored (you've guessed it) with his head from a Mike Foster corner. This was
preceded by a Webber free kick that was palmed away by Rowland in the
Gresford goal. It was a free kick that also lead to Port's second, with
Webber and Foster once again in the thick of the action. Foster was this
time the taker, with Webber chipping the ball over his shoulder to the path
of Robert Williams who controlled the ball before placing it in the bottom
corner.This goal brought the season's tally up to the hundred mark.

Gresford were creating some chances with Phil Jones coming closest, but you
didn't feel that was any real danger of a hat-full of goals coming in the
hosts' way. It wasn't long before Port's lead was extended to three as
Robert Williams completed a first half brace in the space of eight minutes.
Carl Owen and Gareth Caughter combined well down the right, with Caughter
crossing into the box, before Williams netted with a hooked the ball from
behind. Gresford's best opportunity came on 27 minutes after Craig Williams
was fouled, but Hugh Jones' free kick  was off the mark. The remainder of
the half passed off with little action as Port took their foot off the gas a
little.

It seems that everything is going Port's way at the moment - even the
weather for at half-time a torrential hail storm broke out but ended on cue
just as the players returned to the field! Robert Williams again created his
share of chances in the second half, combining well with Caughter and Carl
Owen. Viv then decided to change things around bringing on Tony Williams and
Richard Hughes in place of Caughter and Richie Owen, and the move came off
almost instantly, as Tony Williams netted on 58 minutes after being set up
by a defence-splitting Robert Williams pass. Then, five minutes later, the
other replacement, Richard Hughes was involved in a Gareth Parry goal. Carl
Owen crossed the ball towards Richard Hughes who directed the ball back to
Gareth Parry who made no mistakes to make it 5-0.

Gresford again created some chances. The biggest scare came on 64 minutes
when Campbell Harrison had to clear Phil Jones' shot off the line after
Gerard McGuigan was caught stranded. Robbie Nevitt also came close on more
than one ocasion, but Gresford never created enough and lacked that little
bit extra in the final third. There was however enough time at the other end
for Port to add one more goal to the tally, and there was no one who
deserved to score more than Robert Williams who netted this time with his
head. Richard Hughes was once again involved, heading the ball into
Williams' direction from a John Gwynfor cross. Richard Hughes also had a few
chances to put his name on the score sheet and would probably have scored
had he had more match practice!

In the end Port had a very comfortable victory without really over exerting
themselves. But, with three games remaining to make it a full season without
defeat, Port will surely face far sterner challenges at Airbus, Halkyn and
finally Llandudno.

Congratularions are also in order to the Gresford programme editor for his
up to date edition which included a report on Port's championship clinching
victory at Buckley.

Gresford: G. Rowland, M Davies, K Todd, S Ainge, D Purdy, W Jones, R Nevitt,
H Jones, C Williams, Phill Jones, Phillip Jones.
Subs: S Williams, R Jones, A Roberts.

Port: McGuigan, J G Jones, M Foster, L Webber, C Harrison, G Caughter (R
Hughes), D Evans, G Parry, R Owen (T Williams), C Owen (Y Gwynedd), R
Williams.

Iwan Gareth.

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance  League  -Saturday, April 19th

Buckley Town ... 2    Porthmadog .... 3
Mike Williams 37      Ritchie Owen 14
Julian Pepper 66      Carl Owen 78
                      Robert Williams 83

Now that the threat of points deduction had been removed,  by the wise
decision of the Welsh F.A. tribunal, Port entered this first against third
encounter knowing thet one point would make promotion to the Welsh Premier a
certainty. In a tense and exciting contest -and a credit to the standard of
play in the Cymru Alliance this season- the visitors  found themselves in
the unlikely situation of having to score twice in the last 12 minutes in
order to clinch the victory.

This was a game between the form sides of the league and something would
have to give. Port boasted a record of 27 games unbeaten in the league this
season while Buckley are on a run of  22 games, over all, without defeat. To
add further needle to the occasion Port have not tasted defeat in the league
for 12 months and the last team to beat them was Buckley Town. The scene
was, therefore, set for a titanic struggle at the excellent Globe Way ground
and that is exactly what we got.

Both sides put in an early sighter with John Gwynfor for the visitors firing
over the bar, after being set up by Tony Williams, while a minute later
Nunnerly made ground through the middle of the park only to blaze his shot
over the bar. As the game settled down Port siezed the initiative with Carl
Owen an early threat then with 14 mins on the clock the same player upped
the pace bursting down the left touchline before turning inwards, nutmegging
the experienced Hinchcliffe in the process, before slipping a low ball to
Ritchie Owen who thundered a shot from the edge of the box into the top
corner of the net -a net which required running repairs as a result of the
power of the shot!

Port continued to have the better of the play and when Tony Williams was
brought down on the edge of the box and Carl Owen drove narrowly wide of the
foot of the post. As the tension got to both sets of players Gareth
Caughter, for the visitors, saw yellow as did Dale Lovatt who brought down
Carl Owen, once again, racing in on goal. Towards the end of the half
Buckley started to threaten and once Lee Webber had to clear with keeper
McGuigan caught out of his goal. The threat increased with McGuigan doing
well to keep out Nunnerly and Williams but Mike Williams' persistence paid
off and he picked up the pieces to force the loose ball into the net and
make it all square at the interval.

Port came close to getting back into the lead 5 mins into the second period
when they forced a corner on the right after a good move by Dafydd Evans,
Gareth Caughter and the inevitable Carl Owen. The combination of the Mike
Foster inswinging corner and the Lee Webber downward header came within a
whisker of achieving this. At the other end McGuigan was in action diving at
the feet of Jamie Pierce. On the hour Rob Williams, who had just come on as
sub, raced on to a Dafydd Evans through ball and his flicked shot bounced
tantalisingly past the upright. But it was the home side who took the lead
when Pepper and Pierce opened up the visitors defence with a neat move and
Pepper shot low to score from 10 yds.

Port now dug deep into the reserves of strength and effort and Ritchie Owen
almost got a second goal as his thunderbolt, following a Mike Foster corner,
hit the underside of the bar before being scrambled clear. With the unbeaten
record now seriously under threat Gareth Caughter, in the 78th min, whipped
a ball to the far post where, man of the match, Carl Owen, at full stretch,
managed to toe end the ball past home keeper Turner and into the net.It was
all to play for again and in the 83rd minute Robert Williams controlled a
long ball out of defence and, with two defenders breathing down his neck,
fired a powerful 20yd shot into the top corner of the net. Though the home
side won a free-kick, in the dying minutes, which flew over the bar the game
was over and the fitness and determination of the Porthmadog side had
carried them to victory and the Cymru Alliance Championship 2002-2003.   The
celebrations could now begin!

Buckley: Turner, Harrison, Chris Roberts, Bryce, Lovatt, Mike Lewis,
Hinchcliffe, Nunnerly, Pierce, Pepper, Mike Williams.
Subs: A. Neal, C. Hughes, Dave Taylor.

Porhtmadog: McGuigan, John G. Jones, C. Harrison, L. Webber, M. Foster, D.
Evans, G Parry, R Owen, G Caughter, T Williams(Rob Williams), C Owen.
Subs not used: Iwan Robets, Ywain Gwynedd.

Gareth Williams

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League    -Tuesday, April 15th

Llanfairpwll .... 0        Porthmadog .... 3
                           Carl Owen 5, 31.
                           Gareth Caughter 29

On a warm Spring evening top faced relegation strugglers before a good crowd
on a hard surface where ball control would prove to be quite a task.
Visitors Porthmadog, without regulars Pugh, Danny Hughes, Farr and McGuigan,
showed the strength of the squad that Viv and Osian have built at Y Traeth
and were soon on the attack. It took only five minutes for them to get their
noses in front when Robert Williams took advantage of a quick throw-in on
the right by Dafydd Evans to square the ball across the edge of the box to
Carl Owen in plenty of space. The striker took full advantage and  coolly
drove the ball past Partington in the home goal.

Port continued to dominate throughout the half with Carl Owen forming a new
promising partnership up front with Robert Williams  putting the home
defence to the sword. The strong Port midfield, with Dafydd Evans, Gareth
Parry and Ritchie Owen at their best, soon gained a stranglehold on the
game. The home side had few opportunities in attack but did put Port briefly
under pressure following a free-kick on the right and then  their best
effort came when Billy Evans was only narrowly off the mark with a near post
header following a good cross from the right.

The real threat continued to be at the Llanfairpwll end, however, as Robert
Williams, after 25 mins, neatly fed the ball inside to Gareth Caughter who
burst through the middle before unleashing a powerful shot which brought a
good save from Partington. The same pair produced a carbon copy of this move
only four minutes later but this time Caughter's half-hit shot caught out
Partington  and found the net. It took only two minutes before Port
virtually clinched the game when Carl Owen soared above everybody to head
John Gwynfor's cross, from the right, into the back of the net.

In the second-half  Port continued to dominate but for once failed to add to
their tally. This was the result of some near misses but also the  good,
determined defensive work by the home defence with their strong tackling
disrupting the usually smooth passing game of the visitors. There were
several good efforts by the visitors and just after the hour mark Ritchie
Owen picked up a loose pass in midfield before making ground and shooting
over from 20yds. The Robert Williams, Gareth Caughter duo threatened again
with a good move ending with a Gareth Caughter shot which went narrowly wide
of the target. Carl Owen came close to gaining his hat-trick when he
controlled a Gareth Parry midfield header and turned well before unleashing
a powerful shot which flew narrowly over bar.

Thw game towards the end petered out rather tamely as Llanfairpwll, despite
their sterling defensive work, failed to impose themselves on the game and
did not at almost any stage threaten Ken Jones' goal. Port had notched
another double on their relentless march towards the Welsh Premier.

Llanfairpwll: Partington, Euron Roberts, Pat Linning, Rhodri Owen, Gafyn
Jones, Gareth Roberts, Gethin Williams, Aled Griffiths, Darren Moore,
Matthew Head, Billy Evans.
Subs: Geraint Evans, Arwel Evans, Geraint Evans.

Port: Ken Jones, John G. Jones, Campbell Harrison, Lee Webber, Mike Foster,
Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry, Ritchie Owen (Richard Hughes), Gareth Caughter,
Carl Owen (Iwan Roberts), Robert Williams (Tony Williams).

Gareth Williams.

North Wales Coast Challenge Cup - Saturday, April 12th.

Port.....................2       Halkyn...............0
David Farr 63
Richard Owen 90

Cymru Alliance rivals Halkyn, provided Port with a far sterner challenge
than last round's rivals from the Unibond League, Colwyn Bay. Port had to do
without the services of Carl Owen and defender Danny Hughes, out for the
rest of the season after a foot injury at Cemaes in mid-week, and their
presence was missed, as Port struggled to get on top against a determined
Halkyn United.

Port did get most of the possession early on, but failed to stamp their
authority on proceedings. Gareth Caughter did however come very close on
four minutes with his header form a Lee Webber cross only denied by the
woodwork. Early opportunities were limited at both ends, and it was 15
minutes before Port custodian McGuigan was called into action to block a
Liam McIntyre attempt. The ref didn't help things and was far to ready to
put his whistle to his mouth, which meant that play was rarely flowing. Port
had further chances, with Tony Williams beating two markers, only for his
cross to go just beyond Steve Pugh. Richard Owen was then denied by the
upright from a Mike Foster cross ball on 24 minutes. This was followed by a
scare at the other end on the half-hour, as a Mike Foster missed-clearance
went to the path of Gareth Thomas, but Gareth Parry was there to the rescue.
The half's only other chance came Port's way a minute later when Lee Webber
hit a shot well over the bar from a Dafydd Evans free-kick awarded for a
Liam McIntyre infringement.

In Carl Owen's absence, Port seemed to be missing that edge in front of goal
despite Pugh and Williams' best efforts. Pugh did create some good openings,
but  didn't get enough support in the last third after breaking down the
right in the second half's first minute. Tony Williams was just beaten to
the ball minutes later after getting into a good position from a Steve Pugh
cross.

Halkyn then started to get take control of things for a period. Gareth
Thomas' near-post header went just inches wide from a Bevan Humphreys cross
on 56 minutes. Gerard McGuigan had to pull off a good save to deny Julian
Jones' downward header. However, the game's turning point came on 63 minutes
when David Farr, who had just been introduced moments earlier after a long
period out through injury, netted with his first  touches of the game. The
hard work leading up to the goal was carried out by Gareth Parry, who was
outstanding throughout the 90, and made a surging run through the middle
before slipping the ball rightwards to the path of David Farr, who ran in on
goal before unleashing a superb 18 yd shot that gave Robbie Williams with no
chance.

Farr's opener changed the whole complexion of the match, and Halkyn's only
real chance at an equaliser came after a sloppy pass at the back by Campbell
Harrison gave Gareth Thomas a chance, but his shot went well over the bar.
Port were never really in much danger of giving up their lead but in the
second minute of added time  they made sure of the victory as Richard Owen
scored with the last kick of the game. But few could deny that his shot was
worth a 92 minute wait. After beating two markers he unleashed a 20 yard
drive that was always going to rocket into the top corner. So a win in the
end for Port, but one they had to work harder for than of late.

Port: McGuigan, Foster, Harrison, Webber, J G Jones, Caughter, G Parry, D
Evans, R Owen, S Pugh (Farr), T Williams (I Roberts).
Sub not used: B Evans.

Halkyn: R Williams, McIntyre, B Humphreys, Wilde, J Jones, Clayton,
Henderson, Horne, Sweet, G Thomas, Wood.
Subs: K Davies, D Williams, Boulton, Richardson, N Jones.

Iwan Gareth.

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League   -Tuesday, April 8th.

Cemaes...........0     Port..................9
                       Carl Owen 34,77.
                       Gareth Caughter 45.
                       Tony Williams 55.
                       Robert Williams 59,89.
                       Darren Jones (OG) 70.
                       Michael Foster 80.
                       Steve Pugh 85.

Two sides met at School Lane who had been at either end of an eight goal
beating on Saturday, Cemaes at the receiving end against Llandudno, while
Port put the same number past Holywell. Another heavy defeat was, therefore,
on the cards for the youthful, troubled Cemaes side but it took some time
for the league leaders to establish a commanding lead in this game. In fact
34  mins had past before Port obtained the first goal and it took a
blistering 7 goal second-half performance to sink the home side.

Port played down the notorious School Lane slope in the opening half  and
territorially they dominated from the start but a combination of missed
chances, a bumpy overgrassed surface, excellent goalkeping and falling foul
of Cemaes' off-side trap meant that the first goal was quite a while coming.
As early as the 8th min Tony Williams was narrowly off target after Gareth
Caughter cross from the right. Soon after Caughter, a constant threat on the
right crossed well but Carl Owen's flicked header flew narrowly the wrong
side of the post. Twice within minutes one-on-one opportunities were
spurned, first when Gareth Parry won the ball in midfield but fell victim of
the uneven surface and saw his attempt to lob the keeper fly over the bar
and then Carl Owen in a similar situation met his match in the shape of the
diving Cemaes keeper, Ian Clutton.

Despite the 34 min wait the goal, and the way it arrived, was somehow
inevitable as Carl Owen sprang the offside trap to control a long ball into
space and this time beat Clutton with a low shot which went into the net via
the upright. The visitors now piled on the pressure and Clutton in the home
goal made a series of fine saves to keep out John Gwynfor's downward header,
a Tony Williams right-footer and then flung himself at the feet of the same
player to smother a scoring opportunity. Just before the interval the
visitors went further ahead when Gareth Caughter's 20 yarder,following a
partial clearance by an overworked Cemaes defence, took a ricochet and flew
past Clutton  into the net.

The effort of restricting the visitors to two goals at the interval took its
toll in the second period and after a couple of close shaves Tony Williams
took advantage of another Caughter run on the right to slot home the
winger's accurate cut back into the box. Only four minutes later Robert
Williams took advantage of a well judged Gareth Parry through ball to score
with virtually his first action after coming on as substitute. There
followed a string of excellent saves by Clutton tipping over a Gareth
Caughter shot, a diving save from Carl Owen and going down at the feet of
Pugh to keep the score from mounting even further.


After 70 mins overworked defender Darren Jones put Steve Pugh's low cross
into his own net under pressure from Carl Owen. The last twelve minutes saw
four more goals inflicted on a tired home defence. Carl Owen used his close
control skills to turn the defence and used the space created to shoot low
past Clutton. Then Mike Foster put a quickly taken free-kick into the corner
of the net and soon after the same player crossed accurately for Pugh to
head into the net from close range. Finally a minute before the end Rob
Williams scored his second -a third goal in three sub appearances since his
return from Cemaes- controlling Carl Owen's far post cross to turn well and
net.
  With    17     goals  coming in the last two games the goal tally for the
season has now reached 92 with six games still to play......?? On the down
side, however was the first-half injury to keyman Danny Hughes whose
defensive composure and creative play at the back has been such a vital
component of the team's successful season.

Cemaes: Ian Clutton, Stephen Moss, Ben Livingstone, Darren Jones, Aled
Jones, Ben Williams, John Williams, Justin Ryding, Andy Will, Darren Baker,
Gavin Lawrenson.
Subs: Darren Hughes, Edryd Jones.

Port: Gerard McGuigan, John G. Jones, Danny Hughes(Richard Hughes), Campbell
Harrison, Mike Foster, Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry, Richie Owen(Steve Pugh),
Gareth Caughter, Tony Williams(Robert Williams), Carl Owen.

Gareth Williams.

Huws Gray Fitlock Cymru Alliance League    -Saturday, April 5th.

Porthmadog ..... 8     Holywell Town....... 1
Tony Williams 5            Shane Francis 7
Carl Owen 15
Lee Webber 26
Gareth Caughter 44
Gareth Parry 47
Gwydion Meurig 61 (og)
Robert Williams 65
Richard Hughes 90.

Viv Williams celebrated his his 100th Cymru Alliance game in charge with a
win in the club's final home game of the season. It was also a very
significant victory as it gave them their 16th home win which means a 100%
home record  -a fine achievement scoring 67 goals in the process and
conceding only 12. It is disapponting that the attendances have often been
poor despite the excellent standard of football on offer.

With the recent close encounter still fresh in the mind the home side were
expecting another stern test but as it turned out the much changed visitors
side found it impossible to hold a rampant Port on the wide open spaces of Y
Traeth. From the start the home side were very much in charge and in the 4th
minute a Mike Foster corner appeared to have crossed the line, but play was
waved on as Clemence, in the visitors' goal, scrambled the ball away from
beneath his bar. Port did not have to wait much longer for the first goal to
come for only a minute later Gareth Caughter directed a Carl Owen cross back
across the goal and to the feet of Tony Williams who was left with a simple
tap-in .

The lead did not last long however and the bounce of the ball on the dry
ground produced a mix-up between Webber and keeper McGuigan and Shane
Francis was on hand to take advantage with a low shot into the unattended
goal. This blunder only briefly disrupted the home side for there followed
three further first-half goals all courtesy of Mike Foster's superbly
flighted corners. Carl Owen took advantage of one after 15 mins, when
Clemence failed to gather the high corner, and tapped in from close range.
Then Webber was the beneficiary of a 26th minute Foster corner with a clean
far post header. Clemence will have nightmares thinking about Mike Foster's
left footed corners as just before half-time another dropped in the box for
Gareth Caughter this time to score from 5yds.

The 4-1 advantage at the interval was no more than the home side deserved as
front men Carl Owen, Tony Williams and Gareth Caughter gave the Holywell
defence a torrid time with their individual skills and excellent team play.

The second-half was only 2 mins old when Gareth Parry took advantage of a
ball placed behind the visitors' defence breaking on the right and, though
his shot was partially parried(!), Clemence could not keep it out of the
net. Port now completely dominated the game with the visitors rarely able to
break out of their own half. This constant pressure told after 61 mins when
defender Gwydion Meurig turned a Robert Williams cross into his own net.
Only four minutes later sub Robert Williams took advantage of a quickly
taken free-kick on the right to drive into the net from 15 yds -his first
goal for the club since his return from Cemaes.

The tally could have been even higher had Port accepted all their chances
for Gareth Parry volleyed over a Mike Foster cross from 8 yds while Carl
Owen shot over the bar after an useful ball from Gareth Parry and John
Gwynfor headed fractionally from yet another Foster corner. The corner
taking maestro,however, had one more up his sleeve for in the final minute
he provided one for sub Richard Hughes who scored from close range.

Another remarkable milestone has been past in this most memorable of
seasons. It seems utterly stupid that progress is dependent on decisions
taken in smoked filled committee rooms. Port must now continue to do their
talking on the field as they prepare for a run of seven away games.

Port: Gerard Mc Guigan, John G. Jones, Danny Hughes, Lee Webber(Campbell
Harrison), Mike Foster, Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry, Ritchie Owen, Tony
Williams(Robert Williams), Carl Owen, Gareth Caughter (Richard Hughes).

Holywell: Simon Clemence, Gwydion Meurig, Ryan Dunnen, Chris Griffiths,
Eddie Burness, Gareth Thomas, Simon Giddings, Dave Powell, Shane Francis,
Alan Winstanley, Ben Lewis.
Subs: Mark Thomas, Mike Allsop, Geraint Rowlands.

Gareth Williams.