Flashback – 15 years ago: Carl Owen and Les Davies star for CPD Porthmadog

Porthmadog 3 (L Davies 27, C Owen 58 & 79)
Airbus UK 1 (Hussaney 85)
Welsh Premier – December 10, 2005

Back in the 2005-06 season Porthmadog’s strike partnership of Carl Owen and Les Davies was quite a thing.

And on this day 15 years ago the pairing combined to secure a deserved three points in a Welsh Premier League battle at Y Traeth.

Port had most of the play in the opening stages, one of the best chances falling to Owen after a Les Davies cross from the left on 16 minutes.

Airbus responded with a spell of pressure, but this was short-lived and on the break after 27 minutes Les Davies opened the scoring.

The big striker was put through on goal, and after the keeper got a hand to his initial shot, he made no mistake from the rebound.

The main talking point of the first half came a few moments later, when Owen was hacked to the ground by a combination of Airbus keeper Adam McGee and Gareth Sudlow.

However, the referee only saw fit to hand out a yellow card to Sudlow after this blatant professional foul.

From the resultant free kick Rhys Roberts headed just wide following a Les Davies cross.

Les Davies was involved in the other chance of note that came Port’s way in the first half.

He passed to Gareth Parry in the box, who was tackled, but the ball ran clear just inches wide of the goal.

Half-time: 1-0

Port came out in the second half hell-bent on adding to their score, and Carl Owen was desperately unlucky not to do just that three minutes after the restart.

He chipped the ball over the goalie but it rebounded off the bottom side of the bar.

This was followed by more pressure from Port, and it was no surprise when Owen made it 2-0 on 58 minutes.

He beat the Airbus off-side trap and again chipped McGee, before winning a race to the ball with the keeper and netting into the open goal.

Airbus forced themselves back into the game. Following a corner on 59 minutes there was a scramble in front of the Port goal, but the hosts somehow managed to clear the danger.

Gareth Owen created further problems five minutes later with a run down the right. He crossed the ball back to Leigh Williams whose shot was headed off the line and scrambled clear for a corner.

This was Airbus’ best period in the match, with Gareth Owen also having a strike on goal himself.

Port rode this storm unscathed and on 79 minutes Carl Owen sealed the win with his 10th goal of the season.

Again he sprang the Airbus off-side trap and coolly slotted the ball home when just having the keeper to beat.

Five minutes from time James Hussaney pocketed a consolation for Airbus.

Port: Richard Harvey, Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Terry Williams (Caughter), Gareth Parry, Richard Owen, Danny Hughes, Carl Owen, Les Davies (Ywain Gwynedd). Sub not used: Geraint Mitchell

Airbus: McGee, Connelly, L Williams, Futcher, J Davies, Sudlow, C Jones, G Owen, Leech (Hussaney), McIntosh, D Hughes (Purcell). Sub not used: Hopkins.

Many thanks to Gareth Williams for match information and Emyr Gareth for pictures