PORT GAIN HARD-WON POINTS AT HOTSPUR
HOLYHEAD HOTSPUR 1 Corey Williams 76’ CPD PORTHMADOG 2 Gerwyn Williams 60’ Marcus Banks 70’
There are no easy games in this league and at a cold but very friendly New Stadium (formerly `New Oval’), Port gained a thoroughly deserved but hard fought victory against a tenacious Hotspur side recently badly hit by a raft of departures to neighbouring Trearddur Bay from Tier 5, writes Treflyn Jones. Would you believe it!?
Port started brightly enough and kept possession very well. With only five minutes gone, Gerwyn Williams came close to opening the scoring when he latched on to a wellweighted through ball into the box but his worthy effort was well saved by the onrushing custodian Adam Martin who was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers on the night. Seven minutes later, the same attacker produced a good long range shot which unfortunately went straight at the keeper.
It wasn`t all Port, however. The dangerous and pacy Dylan Jones-Summers achieved Hotspur`s first effort on target after 15 minutes, when, after a mazy run, he unleashed a powerful drive which Morgan Jones parried away for a corner. During the ensuing ten minutes or so, Holyhead gradually found their feet and made further forays into the Port half without seriously threatening Morgan Jones` goal.
During the closing 20 minutes of the half, it was nearly all Port in terms of possession and they were setting up goalscoring chances galore. The Harbourmen made a goal-line clearance but the hosts broke quickly and forced Morgan to make an excellent save low down. Then, some eight minutes from the interval, Adam Martin was forced into a save with his legs on the goal-line. Caio Hughes also had a goal-bound shot deflected for a corner and a fine 20 yard effort by Cai Jones was parried away.We also hit the bar in a frantic period of non-stop attacks.
After a somewhat quiet and cagey start to the second period, Port at long last made the breakthrough on the hour.
It all started with a blistering run down the left flank by Caio Hughes whose deep cross from the byline evaded everybody in the six yard area and fell to the left boot of Gerwyn Williams: though the onrushing Meilir Williams at first appeared to have applied a final touch the goal belonged to Gerwyn who much to the delight of the Port faihful had his first since his recent move from Dolgellau.
Port were now understandably growing in confidence and ten minutes later, Marcus Banks did very well to score Port`s second with a sliding toe-poke into the corner of the net. A cushion? Not quite, it seems. With some 14 minutes of normal time remaining, Port supporters were suffering palpitations as an awkward low cross bounced immediately and awkwardly in front of Morgan whose fumble fell into the path of substitute Corey Williams who tapped home.
Port continued to set up chances and had two worthy penalty shouts as both Cian Pritchard and Gareth Jones-Evans appeared to be brought down in the box.
On 82`, there was a real heart-in-mouth moment as a great long distance effort from a Hotspur attacker had to be parried onto the bar by Morgan Jones. But Port prevailed and are now on 22 points with, possibly, three more victories required to achieve survival in the Cymru North.
Next Saturday, we will welcome Rhuthun to Y Traeth in another league match with a 2.30 kick-off. Is it too much to hope for another three points?
Cian Pritchard,a student a Coleg Meirion Dwyfor and a regular member of the CPD Porthmadog Cymru North squad, has been named in the Wales Schools squad for a representative match with ISFA.
ISFA, the Independent Schools FA, represents independent or private schools and is a member of the English FA. The game will be played at Shrewsbury School on Sunday 29 January with a 2pm kick off.
Cian was previously part of the squad which gained a 4-0 over Australia Schools at Aberystwyth.