Flashback – 10 years ago: Twin strike force do the business for Porthmadog

CPD Porthmadog 4 (Paul Roberts 12 & 80, Carl Owen 27 & 38)
Rhayader Town 2 (Oliver Richards 70, Tyrone McFadden 90)
Cymru Alliance – April 9, 2011

Twin strike force Paul Roberts and birthday boy Carl Owen both scored twice as injury-ridden Port completed a double over mid-Wales club Rhayader during this week 10 years ago.

Three goals up at the interval and with Owen repeating the first half brace at the Weirglodd, the Traeth men looked set for a comfortable win.

But as happened in the corresponding game, Rhayader fought back in the second period.

Port started well and in only the second minute Darren Gowans found himself in acres of space on the left of the box but skewed his shot wide of the post.

The visitors posed a 10th minute threat when, following a corner, Richard Harvey went down low at his near stick to keep out an angled effort from Tyrone McFadden.

Then with 12 minutes gone Paul Roberts opened the scoring with his 13th league goal of the season.

The move which started with Gareth Owen at the back was played to Roberts’ feet by Mike Foster and with the neatest of touches the striker deceived his marker before cutting into the box to finish with a superb angled shot inside the far post.

Port continued to dominate and the game was largely played in the Rhayader half of the field.

Roberts went close when he beat keeper Eifion Price to a loose ball but in the challenge failed to get enough power on his finish.

The same player latched on to a Cai Jones corner but Price managed to keep out the low shot.

Co-striker Owen was also in the action and with 27 minutes gone his determination at the back post to reach Rhys Roberts’ downward header was rewarded with a headed goal.

With seven minutes of the opening half left Port made it 3-0.

Owen ran on to an excellent through ball by Gowans and rounded the keeper before firing low into the net.

Half-time: Porthmadog 3 Rhayader 0

After the turnaround, it soon became clear that Town manager Dylan McPhee’s words were ringing in his players’ ears as they looked a yard or two sharper than in the first period.

With 70 minutes on the clock good work by McFadden breaking to the byline opened up the Port defence and his delivery to the far post was turned into the net by sub Oliver Richards.

The goal sparked a response from Port, Owen heading over the bar. The same player met a Cai Jones cross but the header was again just wide of the mark.

In the 80th minute any danger of a fightback was scotched when Roberts scored Port’s fourth.

Sub Jamie McDaid raided down the left and struck a super cross to the near post to be met by Roberts, whose glancing header went across keeper Price into the far corner.

With time running out Rhayader scored a second, McFadden coolly finding the net following an accurate downward header by Nick Evans.

Porthmadog: Richard Harvey, Jack Jones, Mike Foster (Darren Jones 81), Richie Owen, Gareth Owen (Richard Hughes 61), Rhys Roberts, Cai Jones, Dan Pyrs, Paul Roberts, Carl Owen, Darren Gowans (Jamie McDaid 46). Subs not used: Gareth Parry, Campbell Harrison.

Attendance: 112

Many thanks to Gareth Williams of the CPD Porthmadog website for the report