FLASHBACK – 5 years ago: Porthmadog fight back from 2-0 down to draw with Flint

JD CYMRU NORTH – JANUARY 4, 2020

CPD Porthmadog 2 (John Owen 71, Telor Williams 81)
Flint Town United 2 (Mark Cadwallader 27, Alex Titchiner 34)

Report: Gareth Williams – http://www.porthmadogfc.com

On this date five years ago Porthmadog fought back from 2-0 down to force a draw with high-flying Flint.

A rousing second-half performance gave Port a valuable point in the struggle to escape from the relegation places.

On the balance of play late on, they could perhaps have picked up all three points.

Yet things looked gloomy for a home side missing key players when they fell two goals behind in the first half, but the moment the returning Gareth Jones Evans switched to central midfield was the turning point in the match.

He sprayed a flow of quality passes from midfield and John Owen took advantage of one of these to open Port’s account.

Owen then provided the assist for Telor Williams to score the equaliser, the 18 year-old’s first goal fo the team.

Flint enjoyed more of the early possession but Port had two great chances. In only the second minute Owen made an interception 10 yards inside the Flint half and raced on outpacing the visitors’ defence into the box, only to lift his shot narrowly over the bar,

Then 10 minutes later a superb crossfield ball from Mel McGinness put Ilan ap Gareth in on goal on the left, but out rushed keeper John Danby to make a block and as the ball bobbled around in the box there were two more buffers to prevent a goal.

At the other end Paul Pritchard needed to pull off a good save to keep out Richard Foulkes’ low shot.

Another dangerous Port break came after 20 minutes with Jones-Evans putting Owen away down the right. A great cross followed which was only inches beyond McGinness racing in at the back post.

But despite all this good work Port were at the receiving end of a Mark Cadwallader break. He darted through on the left on the box and and his well-placed angled shot found the net inside the far post.

Just 7 minutes later, Alex Titchiner broke to the byline on the right, then lifted a looping cross which by a stroke of luck ended up in the far corner of the net.

Disappointing for Port but for Flint it perhaps looked like job done. That is how it remained to half-time and few could see any way back for Port.

From the start of the second period Flint looked to slow the game down and maintain what they had.

Then on 56 minutes Craig Papirnyk made the switch which changed the game.

Jones-Evans went into centre midfield, going on to control proceedings and Telor Williams came on wide left to play an important role in the fightback.

Immediately, Jones-Evans put Owen through on the left of the box and with McGinness racing in, a goal looked certain, but he went down to a last-ditch tackle.

Now, with Flint making little impact, Port raised their game with the home support sensing that they could get back in it.

It was Jones-Evans again with a long cross for Owen at the back post and the striker produced a great finish from a narrow angle, lifting his shot over the keeper and into the far corner.

Now Port had the bit between their teeth and Owen was showing his full array of skills.

With the game entering its final 10 minutes Owen broke down the right and found Williams, who coolly slotted past Danby to level the scores.

The visitors were under the cosh now and Williams played inside for McGinness whose low shot was scrambled for a corner. From the flag-kick a fine header from the excellent Sol Kempster was only inches wide of being a winner.

It was an emotional day at the Traeth commencing with a silent tribute to club stalwarts Dafydd Wyn Jones and Alun Roberts. It ended with a storming fight back – both would have heartily approved.

Porthmadog: Paul Pritchard, Rob Evans, Tomos Emlyn, Sol Kempster, Iddon Price, Ifan Emlyn, Jay Gibbs (Telor Williams 56), Gareth Jones Evans, Ilan ap Gareth, Mel McGinness, John Owen. Subs: Ceri James, John Littlemore, Rhys Alun.

Flint: John Danby, Tom Kemp, Richard Foulkes, Alex Titchiner, Mark Cadwallader, Dominic McHugh, Callum Bratley, John Davies, Chris Li, Nathan Brown, Jacques Welah, (Tony Davies 84).

Attendance: 283

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED THAT SEASON?

• Flint claimed two wins over Port before this January meeting – 5-1 in the Nathaniel MG Cup and 3-1 at the Essity in the Cymru North
  
• Port finished the season being relegated, ending up third from bottom

• Flint finished runners-up, 16 points behind champions Prestatyn Town, yet the Silkmen were promoted to the Cymru Premier.

• On 19 May 2020, the league was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an unweighted points per game method was applied to determine the final standings. The Football Association of Wales said a decision on promotion and relegation between leagues would be made in due course.

• Champions by 16 points, Prestatyn Town were refused a Tier One licence in April 2020 to allow them to compete in the Cymru Premier for season 2020-21 and their subsequent appeal was unsuccessful. Flint Town United were awarded Tier 1 Licence following a successful appeal.

• Flint’s promotion to the Cymru Premier was confirmed by the FAW on 16 June 2020. It was also confirmed that Porthmadog, Corwen and Llanfair United would be relegated to Tier 3.