15 years ago – Llangefni and Porthmadog both in Welsh Premier and meet in League Cup
15 YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 10, 2007
LOOSEMORES LEAGUE CUP
Llangefni Town 2 (Mitchell 57, D G Roberts 87)
CPD Porthmadog 0
On this date 15 years ago both Llangefni Town and Porthmadog were competing among the elite in the Welsh Premier League.
Part of the top flight schedule was the Loosemores League Cup, where Cefni and Port shared the same three-team group as Caernarfon Town.
Only the side topping their pool would qualify for the quarter-finals and it was Llangefni who finished at the peak, winning all four of their matches. They beat Porthmadog 2-1 away and 2-0 at home, as well as seeing off the Cofis 3-2 at The Oval and 3-1 on Anglesey.
That 2-0 success over Port, on October 10, 2007, was Cefni’s third group game.
Viv Williams had just returned to Porthmadog as manager, but there was to be no fairy tale return for him on this night.
After a goalless first period the visitors defended a set piece poorly and conceded a 57th minute goal to Port ‘old boy’ Geraint Mitchell.
Sub Danny Glyn Roberts added a second two minutes from time to complete the scoring.
Though Port keeper Richard Harvey had to pull off a good early save, diving to his left to keep out Chris Evans’ low 20 yard shot, it was the visitors who posed the greatest threat in the opening period.
Adam Docker had a shot cleared off the line in the 13th minute following a corner.
After 27 minutes Marcus Orlik, cutting in from the right, was unlucky to see his curling shot strike the crossbar.
Soon after Gareth Parry’s 20 yard effort shaved the bar and Iwan Tomos lifted his shot over when well placed.
John Gwynfor Jones curled a shot in from the right which went narrowly wide of the far post.
The best chance of the half, however, fell to Carl Owen, but he failed to hit the target. It was a half full of endeavour from the visitors and they should have been ahead at the interval.
Half-time: Llangefni 0 Porthmadog 0
Early in the second half Aled Rowlands, who had been a constant threat down the left side, lifted a cross over the defence but Carl Owen fluffed his lines.
However, the home side enjoyed their best spell of the game in the period after the break and 12 minutes in the visitors were made to pay for missed chances when Mitchell took advantage of what was virtually a free header to beat Harvey and convert Darren Thomas’ right wing corner.
Port now pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Rowlands had a 64th minute shot pushed away by keeper Simon Williams into the path of Paul Roberts, whose shot from close range struck the post.
Rhys Roberts had a chance four minutes later but failed to get enough power on his shot and Williams made the save.
With Porthmadog pushing everything into attack, Llangefni were a threat on the counter. Ywain Gwynedd, in one of many breaks put his shot, under pressure from Aled Rowlands, across the face of goal.
In the 75th minute, Rowlands broke to the byline and lifted a perfect cross for the unmarked Roberts but, with the goal gaping in front of him, the usually reliable marksman headed wide.
With time running out and Porthmadog pushing forward things became stretched at the back and when Grahame Austin lifted an 88th minute delivery into the box Danny Glyn Roberts beat Harvey to settle the tie and give Llangefni their passport into the next stage of the competition.
In the league that season, Port won 4-1 at Cefni, but lost the return 4-2 at Y Traeth, both clashes taking place over the Christmas and New Year period.
At the end of the campaign, however, bottom side Llangefni were relegated, having competed for just the single season in the WPL, while Porthmadog saved themselves by beating Rhyl on the final day.
In the Loosemores League Cup, Cefni met Rhyl in the last eight, but lost 5-2.
Teams on October 10, 2007, Loosemores Cup tie at Llangefni
Llangefni: Simon Williams, Lee Dixon, Caerwyn Roberts, Geraint Mitchell, Chris Hogg, Steven Kehoe, Darren Thomas, Chris Evans, Kevin Lloyd (Danny G Roberts 85), Ywain Gwynedd (Adrian Jones 90), Grahame Austin (Dylan Owen 90).
Porthmadog: Richard Harvey, John G Jones (Richard Smart 87), Adam Docker, Rhys Roberts, Mike Foster: Marcus Orlik, Gareth Parry (Jason Sadler 67), Iwan Tomos (Barry Evans 82), Aled Rowlands: Carl Owen, Paul Roberts.