Port all set for play-off decider
PORTHMADOG boss Craig Papirnyk is looking forward to a huge occasion as the club takes on Caersws this Saturday with promotion to the Cymru North as the winner-takes-all prize.
While not concealing his disappointment at having to go through this route, he concedes that he can’t wait for Saturday’s huge occasion.
“As the season draws to a close, we have one last chance at promotion.
“Naturally we are all disappointed with not winning the league and gaining automatic promotion, but the table doesn’t lie and at certain times during the season we just haven’t been good enough. All credit to Mold, worthy winners.
“This play-off game is a really great opportunity for us and a second life !
“Caersws will be no easy game and for them promotion is as important. I personally can’t wait for the game, I’m fortunate to have my home town host it and I’m really looking forward to it.
“We know what’s at stake, we will be preparing over these two weeks to ensure we have done everything beforehand to give us the best chance possible.
“It’s a one-off game and a huge occasion for both clubs, we are all focused and looking forward to it.
“I think the Port faithful will turn out in their 100s and we will need them and their fantastic support. “Come on Port ! “
The first ever Ardal Northern Play-off will be played on Saturday at the Wern Mynach Ground which is in Park Road, Barmouth LL42 1PL. Kick off 1.00pm.
As the club website says: “Previously we have looked on from the outside at this time of the season, at the tension and high oxygen excitement of one-off, winner takes all play-off games. Now supporters of Caersws and Porthmadog can experience it at first hand, a day of either joy or despair with no middle ground. Though both clubs have missed out on the direct route to the Cymru North they will be keen to take advantage of this second chance.
“A whole season is now crystalised into a single game. Though both have missed out on the top spot, they can still look back on successful seasons in 2021/22 and hope to prove that 2nd, after all, is not ‘nothing’.”
Caersws finished three points behind Ardal NE champions Chirk AAA on 73 pts and two clear of 3rd placed Cefn Albion. They lost just three games over the season and scored 100 league goals.
They finished the season on a high note winning 9 and losing just one –to Dolgellau- of their last 10 games. They also won the Ardal Northern League Cup beating Ardal NW champions Mold Alex 1-0 in the Final at Penycae, with Glynn Coney scoring the only goal.
Goal scorers are key at any time and Caersws will be looking to leading scorer Luke Mumford to provide further goals to go with his season’s tally of 21 in the league. Port will hope that they can again turn to Rhys Alun for a repeat of his vital goals during the run-in
Port finished 11 points adrift of champions Mold Alex, recording 22 league wins scoring 95 goals and losing 5 times. They conceded just 25 goals with Craig’s decision to bring in experienced defenders in the January window paying off.
Clearly this will be a battle between two very strong outfits with a nail-biting afternoon in prospect for both sets of fans.
The last meeting 4 years on. As we build up to the game on May 28th we take a look back to the last time the two clubs were in opposition. in January 2018. But he rivalry between Caersws and Port stretches back to season 1992/93 when the clubs were both founder members of the then League of Wales. Regular visits between the Traeth and the Rec continued during periods in both the Welsh Premier and the Cymru Alliance. On that last occasion, Port were winners by 2-0, with Gareth Jones Evans and Joe Chaplin on the score sheet and completing a season’s double, having won 5-2 at the Rec. The match report at the time says:“Port struck twice, just before and just after the half hour mark. A good break down the left by Sion Edwards led to the first goal. His measured cross was coolly headed wide of keeper Callum Hawthorne (by Gareth J Evans) to open the scoring. Six minutes later Port doubled their advantage and again it was a Sion Edwards assist. fired in by Joe Chaplin.”
.Though these results will have no bearing on the Play-off Final meeting it is interesting to note the line-ups when the two last met:PORTHMADOG: Richard Harvey, Tomos Emlyn, Josh Banks, Dan Roberts, Tom Taylor, Gareth Jones Evans (Rob Evans 65’), Ifan Emlyn, Iwan Lewis, Joe Chaplin (Meilir Williams 55’). Julian Williams, Sion Edwards (Cai Jones 70’). Unused subs; Sion Bradley, Craig Papirnyk. Yellow: Josh Banks 69’, CAERSWS: Callum Hawthorne, Jake Parr, Aron Hughes-Jones (Phil Jones 81’), Elliot Jones, Ryan Davies (Dave Lloyd 81’), Graham Jones, Rhydian Davies, Lance Jones, Steve Blenkinsop, Luke Sherbon, Craig Harris. Unused subs: Graham Evans, Dylan McPhee. Yellow: Elliot Jones 51’.
Four years on and we see that several players are still turning out in the same club colours: Gareth Jones Evans, Josh Banks and Ifan Emlyn for Port with Jake Parr and Rhydian Davies for Caersws.