PORT DOWNED IN TOP-TWO DUEL

Ardal League North-West CPD PORTHMADOG 1 Julian Williams 90’+ 6’(p)

MOLD ALEX 2 Danny Warren 44’ (p) D Doherty 58’

AT the end of a hardfought and keenly contested match watched by 348 civilised supporters, it was Mold Alex who edged this top of the table clash which, as a spectacle, failed to live up to expectations, writes Treflyn Jones.

The game also cruelly underlined Port’s inability to beat a top five side in the league thus far.

The opening twenty minutes was a pretty cagey affair with neither side able to assert their authority and was spoilt by a combination of the stiff breeze and an over-reliance on long, hopeful passes by both sides at times. An early Port free kick had to be parried away by Quinlan and a dangerous Mold free kick was met by a diving header by Mold’s Nash which went narrowly wide of Paul Pritchard’s goal.

On 24’, however, Port came desperately close to opening the scoring when a glorious Julian Williams header from a corner was superbly cleared off the line from just under the crossbar. Four minutes later, a rising left-footed drive from a Mold attacker was well grabbed by Pritchard. Then it was Port’s turn, when Rhys Alun was presented with a chance in the Mold box but his right-footer went well-wide when a left-foot shot would have served him better! ‘Decisionmaking’ as Mr. Papyrnik would say! Then, just as the half drifted to a goalless ending, a seemingly on-target volley hit a Port elbow and the ref, under pressure from the typically persistent screaming and shouting of a club from the NorthEast, pointed to the spot.

A few minutes earlier, Port had an equally legitimate claim for a spot-kick but our protests were waved away. Why? Anyway, up stepped Mold’s goal machine Danny Warren to slam the ball home past the diving Pritchard and the half ended with Port having to chase the game.

The second half progressed much as the first: lots of huffing and puffing and much honest endeavour coming to nothing.

Then on 60 minutes Mold put the game all but beyond Port as a session of ping-pong in the Port area fell to Doherty who tapped the ball home to the delight of the visiting supporters.

Pritchard’s claims of a push on him came to nothing and he was booked for his protest.

There was then little to report apart from a horrible injury to substitute right back Ben Fisher who had to be stretchered off. This looked rather worrying and our best wishes go to Ben for a speedy recovery.

Towards the end, Port tried to push forward for an equalizer, with their usual quick-passing game being thwarted time and again by an ever-alert and gritty Mold defence.

Mold created two further chances for themselves with Warren coming close and when Doherty was clean through on goal, his shot was cleared off the line.

Then, deep into injurytime, Port were given something of a lifeline when Julian Williams was brought down in the box and the same player confidently dispatched his spot kick beyond Quinlan to bring an air of overall fairness to the scoreline.

A 2-1 defeat was fair enough on the balance of play. It was never pretty but Mold did enough and will be a hard team to beat in their run-in.

For Port’s part, it was never going to be their day and it looks increasingly likely that we are aiming for a play-off spot at best if we are to return to the second tier …..a place where the best-supported club in the league (by a mile) should be.

Dydy hi ddim drosodd… daliwch i gredu! Porthmadog: Paul Pritchard (GK), Cai Parry, Josh Banks , Euron Roberts (Ben Fisher 48…’ ..John Littlemore 67’)),Iddon Price, Stuart Rogers, Ifan Emlyn, Dewi Thomas, Marcus Banks (Paul Lewis 46’) Rhys Alun (Cian Pritchard 88’) Yellow cards : Josh Banks (80’), Paul Pritchard (60’). Torf/ Attendance: 348. Dyfarnwr / Referee :- Robin Williams Cynorthwywyr/ Assistants:- Aled Rhys Williams, Adrian Wyn Williams; Noddwyr/ Match Sponsors: GALERI HARLECH; Noddwr y Bêl/ Match Ball Sponsor: Belyn Financial Services / Bryn Arms, Gellilydan