Flashback – 10 years ago: Another high five for on form Porthmadog

Rhayader Town 3 (Mike Collister 11, Lance Jones 82, Rhys Thomas 90)
CPD Porthmadog 5 (Carl Owen 8 & 18; Craig Roberts 20, Marcus Orlik 55, Rhys Roberts 65)
Cymru Alliance League – March 19, 2011

For a second consecutive Saturday Porthmadog netted five goals to gain a very comfortable victory and inflict a 10th consecutive league defeat on the home side.

From the start Port were on the attack and looking the most likely to gain an early goal.

This proved to be the case on eight minutes as a ball played from midfield took a deflection into the path of Carl Owen, who took full advantage, breaking behind the home defence to fire a low 15 yard shot which rattled the inside of the post on its way into the net.

The early lead was short-lived as some hesitant defence allowed Mike Collister to find the room to latch on to Lance Jones’ left wing corner and his shot from eight yards was deflected wide of Richard Harvey.

The goal provided only temporary relief for the home side as Port were soon on the attack again.

Dan Pyrs supplied a good low cross which just eluded Owen and Gareth Jones Evans racing in at the back post failed to get enough on the ball and it slithered wide.

Port were back in the lead after 18 minutes when Owen met Marcus Orlik’s cross at the near post and a low header squeezed inside the post.

Two minutes later and the visitors were 3-1 up. Darren Gowans’ quality angled ball put Craig Roberts behind the defence on the left. The forward cut inside to finish with a confident angled 15 yard shot.

Half-time: Rhayader 1 Porthmadog 3

Ten minutes into the second half and Port further extended their lead when Orlik chased to the byline, outwitted the full back and from a very narrow angle fired the ball across the keeper and into the far corner for a quality finish.

On 65 minutes came the fifth goal when Rhys Roberts netted for the fourth consecutive game and not for the first time he rose highest at the back post to meet Orlik’s corner to head inside the post.

Cai Jones almost replicated the Orlik goal from a narrow angle but the shot was cleared off the line.

Rhayader then raised their game to take advantage of some very sloppy defending.

When unnecessary free kicks were conceded around the box the Powys hosts took advantage.

From the first of these with eight minutes left the ball was only cleared as far as Glenn Evans who crossed low for Lance Jones to score from close range.

With yet another free kick given away, it came to Rhys Thomas, who found himself one on one with Harvey and scored the home side’s third.

This was a disappointing end to a good performance but Port almost ended with a final flourish when Paul Roberts and Cai Jones set up Orlik but the shot was sliced over the bar from 15 yards.

Porthmadog: Richard Harvey, Jack Jones, Mike Foster, Gareth Jones Evans, Ryan Davies, Rhys Roberts (Gareth Owen 80), Marcus Orlik, Dan Pyrs, Craig Roberts (Paul Roberts 29), Carl Owen (Cai Jones 62), Darren Gowans.

Thank you to Gareth Williams of Porthmadog FC for another great report