Flashback – 15 years ago this week, did we witness the most remarkable Welsh Premier League game ever?

FOOTBALL FLASHBACK

WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
December 27, 2008

CPD Porthmadog 6 (Parry 21, Roberts 71, Foster pen 75, Rowley 79, Lloyd Williams 84 & 90)
Gap Connah’s Quay 5 (Loughlin 4, C Jones 18 & 58, Peter Doran 30, Cronshaw 70)

This week marks the 15th anniversary of not just one of the most exciting matches in CPD Porthmadog’s history, but also a contender for the Welsh Premier’s all-time No 1 classic.

Trailing 5-1 to gap Connah’s Quay with less than 20 minutes left, Port did not appear to have a hope, but five home goals in the latter stages, including a double from Marc Lloyd Williams, completed the unlikeliest of comeback victories and the mother of all turnarounds.

Even the writers of Roy of the Rovers may have rejected this as a storyline for being too far-fetched!

The last time there had been a similar scoreline at the Traeth was back in September 1993 when under Meilir Owen, Port were on the wrong end of a 6-5 scoreline against Llanelli.

Connah’s Quay manager Steve O’Shaughnessy could hardly believe his eyes as his team appeared to be coasting to a comfortable three points but suddenly threw it all away.

On 71 minutes, Quay’s Phil Doran received a red card from referee Andy Harms for a late challenge and foul language. 

When Rhys Roberts headed Port’s second goal past Chris Maxwell from Mike Foster’s resulting free kick, it appeared to be no more than a consolation with little bearing on the final result.

Four minutes later, however, Foster cut the deficit to two when he cracked his spot kick just inside Maxwell’s left hand post after Steve Kehoe had been flattened in the box.

The home side now had the bit between their teeth big time and mounted a series of attacks which opened up the Nomads defence. With Lloyd Williams on fire more goals looked on the cards.

With 79 minutes gone, Chris Jones put Jiws through, the goal machine had his shot parried away by Maxwell, but only as far as John Rowley, who made no mistake from the rebound.

Six minutes remained when Lloyd Williams ended his barren spell as he latched on to Rhys Roberts’ header behind the defence and this time fired low past Maxwell from 15 yards to level it at 5-5.

Port had no intention of trying to settle for a point as manager Paul Whelan urged his team to attack.

In the fourth minute of injury time, Jiws got behind the defence again and his clinical finish under pressure gave Port the most unlikely three points.

Everything that had gone before had pointed to a Connah’s Quay victory.

They were away to a flying start with Liam Loughlin a threat, and with only four minutes gone he took advantage of a Jon Peris Jones miskick to cut in from the left and beat Dave Vickers from close range.

The visitors continued to dominate and it was little surprise when they opened up the shaky Port defence once more and when the ball was spread left, Loughlin found himself in acres of space and picked out Craig Jones whose finish found the corner of the net.

For a time the home side upped the pressure and Gareth Parry brought them back into the game when he turned home Foster’s curling corner.

Nomads restored their two-goal advantage on the half hour when a short free kick surprised the home defence and Craig Jones’ low shot from 20 yards was blocked on the line by Peris Jones but rebounded only as far as Peter Doran who had the simplest of tasks tapping into the empty net.

Two more Quay goals came in the second half, Craig Jones getting his second with a far post header and sub Mike Cronshaw nodding home, giving the Deesiders what appeared to be an unassailable 5-1 lead.

Then the funny old game struck again……

Porthmadog: (4-4-2) Dave Vickers, Jon Peris Jones (John Rowley 46), Ryan Davies, Eifion Jones, Mike Foster: Steve Kehoe, Gareth Parry, Rhys Roberts, Chris Jones: Marc Lloyd Williams, Marcus Orlik (Ben Ogilvy 41).
Sub not used: Mark Thomas.

gap Connah’s Quay: Chris Maxwell, Phil Clarke, Phil Doran, Ben Alston, Andy Alston, Craig Jones, Kieran Quinn, Danny Forde, Liam Loughlin, Peter Doran, Adam Dickenson (Mike Cronshaw 63).

Referee: Andy Harms (Prestatyn). Attendance: 213.

Report: Gareth Williams – diolch Mr Williams