Flashback – 10 years ago: Llangefni Town clash with Porthmadog

Llangefni Town 0
Porthmadog 1 (Dan Pyrs 85)
Cymru Alliance League – September 25, 2010

A Dan Pyrs goal five minutes from time sealed the points for Port at the home of reigning champions Llangefni exactly 10 years ago today.

With both sides underachieving in the league, clearly the result was going to be more important than the performance and the outcome meant three straight wins for Port in three different competitions.

Llangefni, this season refused promotion to the Welsh Premier after failing to meet the necessary criteria following their 2009-10 Cymru Alliance title win, were playing down the slope and flew out of the blocks.

Darren Gowans cut across the box from the left and keeper Richard Harvey needed to be alert to tip the well-struck 18 yard shot over the bar.

After weathering the early Llangefni attacks, Port came more into the game, keeping possession well and building from the back.

The returning Paul Roberts nearly opened the scoring when he fastened onto a Marcus Orlik header and home keeper Simon Williams saved from a narrow angle at his near post.

Llangefni were a danger on the counter attack and pressure by Orlik was needed to force Dean Wright to hurry a shot which flew over the bar.

Gowans lashed across the face of goal, while at the other end Williams gathered a Roberts header under his bar.

A lacklustre goal-less first half drew to a close with Ywain Gwynedd bursting into the Port box only to have the ball whipped off his toe by a timely Richie Owen intervention.

Half-time: 0-0

The second half opened much the same as the first with defences on top and few chances created.

Grahame Austin marshalled the home defence and Ryan Davies and Euron Roberts were outstanding at the heart of the Port rearguard.

Euron Roberts was in early action at the other end with a header from a Richie Owen corner which tested Williams.

Cefni were threatening at set pieces and an Austin header from a Darren Thomas free kick was kept out by Harvey.

A few minutes later Ywain Gwynedd was at the back post to meet a Gowans corner but lifted his shot over the bar and the same player fired into the side-netting from a narrow angle.

Orlik’s cracking 16 yard effort for the visitors did not miss by much.

But with five minutes left Dan Pyrs popped up in the box to score the winner.

Owen’s deep right wing corner reached Jamie McDaid and the young winger promptly put the ball back into the danger zone where Pyrs reacted well to fire home low from 12 yards.

Before the all-important three points could be considered safe, Harvey had to pull off a superb save to foil Darren Thomas.

With time running out another set-piece almost undid Port, an Austin header thundering against the crossbar.

Llangefni: Simon Williams, Steve Kehoe, Gerallt Jones, Rick Higham, Grahame Austin, Michael Robinson, Kevin Roberts (Jamie Ashton 24), Dean Wright, Ywain Gwynedd, Darren Thomas, Darren Gowans. Subs not used: Lee Dixon, Warren Gibbs, Mike Innes.

Porthmadog; Richard Harvey, Geraint Mitchell, Richie Owen, Euron Roberts, Ryan Davies, Darren Jones, Jack Jones (Cai Jones 61), Dan Pyrs, Paul Roberts, Marcus Orlik, Iwan Williams (Jamie McDaid 82). Subs not used: Barry Evans, Gareth Owen.