Flashback – 5 years ago: Parryyyyy! Teenage Sion wins it for Porthmadog

CPD Porthmadog 1 (Sion Parry 76)
Holywell Town 0
Cymru Alliance – October 24, 2015

On this weekend back in 2015, eighteen-year-old substitute Sion Parry grabbed the all-important goal which ended Porthmadog’s run of five straight league defeats.

Taking on the considerable challenge of second-placed Holywell, Port were missing five first team players through injury and ranked definite underdogs ahead of this tussle at Y Traeth.

But what transpired was a huge team performance with Josh Banks, Iolo Hughes, Iddon Price and Gruff John Williams producing huge shifts in an heroic back four.

Then in the second half, with home fans just hoping that Port could hold on for a point, up pops teenager Parry to coolly turn in Julian Williams’ low cross and win the game with his first goal for the senior team.

The opening stages of the game were rather low key.

Steve Lewis for the visitors flicked a header wide, while Asa Hamilton for Port tested Mike Platt in the visitors’ goal with a shot from distance.

Around the middle of the half Holywell enjoyed a good spell, forcing several corners but the Port defence dealt with these confidently.

It required excellent tackles from Price and Ceri James to halt Connor Littler and one in particular from Banks to stop Lewis.

At the very end of the half, Hamilton on his home debut came close to opening the scoring with a determined run down the left, drawing the keeper but his shot being deflected for a corner.

Half-time: Porthmadog 0 Holywell 0

Parry came on for James Papirnyk at the start of the second half.

From the kick-off, Holywell were a huge threat.

Lewis should have put them ahead when he headed Tony Roebuck’s back post cross over the bar. Five minutes later the same player spurned another good chance, lifting his shot well off radar.

Around the hour mark Holywell twice stretched the Port defence with good build up play, but first Dan Drazdauskas and then Steve Thomas failed to hit the target.

While the scores remained level and chances were being wasted, Port remained in contention to pick up all three points.

With 76 minutes on the clock the game was turned on its head.

Williams, who had been having a quiet second period, received from Parry and broke dangerously down the right to cross low. Parry, who had started the move, finished with a close range shot.

Holywell, seeing their chance of going top of the table disappearing, struck back and Josh Roberts’ free kick caused panic in the home goalmouth but a header off the line and a scrambled clearance kept the Wellmen out.

Then with six minutes left Port were handed a glorious opportunity to seal the three points when they were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box.

Up stepped the usually reliable James but Platt flung himself to his right and pushed away the spot kick.

All hands to the deck again for Port and they kept going, kept their heads to pick up the points.

PORTHMADOG: Richard Harvey, Gruff J Williams, Josh Banks, Ceri James, Iddon Price, Iolo Hughes, Steve Rogers, James Papirnyk (Sion Parry 46) Iwan Lewis, Asa Hamilton, Julian Williams. Unused subs: Jack Davies, Eilir Edwards, Craig Papirnyk, Aron Jones.

HOLYWELL: Mike Platt, Rod Williams, Josh Roberts (Graeme Williams 86), John Leonard, Dafydd Griffith, Jonathan Jones, Tom McElmeel, Tony Roebuck, Connor Littler (Dan Drazdauskas 58), Steve Lewis (Stuart Hayes 76), Steve Thomas.
Attendance: 166.

Huge thanks as always to Gareth Williams for match information and Emyr Gareth for the photos.