FLASHBACK-15 YEARS AGO: Unlucky 13 for Porthmadog at 10-man Buckley Town
HUWS GRAY ALLIANCE – OCTOBER 29, 2011
Buckley Town 1 (Anthony Williams 8)
Porthmadog 0
Report: www.porthmadogfc.com
It was certainly a case of unlucky 13 for Porthmadog on this weekend 15 years ago as their season’s unbeaten run came to a halt after 12 games.
Buckley was the team to end Port’s fine form which had delivered nine wins and three draws.
A goal after only 8 minutes proved enough to give the hosts three points.
Two incidents either side of half time had a huge impact on the game.
Gareth Edwards, Buckley’s tall central defender, received a straight red card for violent play whilst the two teams were lining up for a Port corner.
Then 10 minutes into the second period there was a clash of heads when Joe Freeman and Rhys Roberts went up for a corner.
Freeman went down immediately and an ambulance had to be called. Play was subsequently held up for 25 minutes with players doing their best to keep active while waiting.
These events appeared to have more of an effect on Porthmadog than the home team.
Having dominated the opening period despite going a goal behind Port, in the second half, lost their composure. They became over eager and too many passes were misplaced.
Buckley on the other hand knew exactly what they had to do. They defended in numbers and gave Port little time to settle on the ball.
Lee Atherton and John Leonard got through some sterling work at the heart of the Buckley rearguard making sure that their big central defender was not missed.
Port got into their stride early in the opening half but against the run of play it was Buckley who went ahead.
An innocuous looking ball was played in from wide on the Buckley right which was allowed to travel right across the field without another player getting a touch until it reached ANTHONY WILLIAMS totally unmarked on the left of the box.
Williams bore in on goal and with only Richard Harvey to beat coolly slipped it low to the keeper’s left to open the scoring.
Apart from a couple of off-target efforts from distance, first by Williams and later from Tom Smith, for the rest of the half Buckley did little to trouble Harvey.
It was now one-way traffic with Darren Thomas in outstanding form setting up a series of quality moves which unfortunately lacked a finishing touch. Straight after the goal Rhys Roberts’ angled ball to the far post was only inches beyond Grahame Austin.
Then Austin again rose well to head a Thomas corner narrowly over the bar.
Thomas was then involved down the left with Arran Richmond whose low ball created a clear chance for Craig Roberts, but the shot was screwed wide..
Keeper Jamie Hulse denied Port an equaliser five minutes before the break with a fine save diving to his left to push away Thomas’ 20 yard free kick.
Half-time came with Buckley one up but down to 10 men.
Port were straight into the attack with Thomas breaking to the goal line on the left and only inches away from an equaliser as he fired a shot from a very narrow angle inches wide of the far post.
Buckley proved a threat on the break as Port pushed forward with Mike Burke giving an early second half warning with a shot which forced Harvey into a good diving save.
Then came the enforced break in proceedings and when the game restarted Port had a good chance for an equaliser.
Craig Roberts won the ball 25 yards out and put Iwan Williams through one on one but the striker decided to round the keeper first and Hulse saved a certain goal by going down and blocking the ball to safety.
Port’s play became increasingly frenetic and at times desperate.
Buckley could have increased their lead when Burke and Neil Wynne combined to give the latter a one on one shooting chance but Harvey was quickly out to pull off a fine save.
At the death a Richmond shot was narrowly over the angle and a good save by Hulse denied Rhys Roberts as he met a Thomas corner with a clean header.
Porthmadog
Richard Harvey, Clive Williams, Chris Williams, Steve Kehoe, Rhys Roberts, Grahame Austin, Jamie McDaid, Craig Roberts, Iwan Williams (Marcus Orlik 108), Darren Thomas, Arran Richmond.
Buckley
Jamie Hulse, Joe Freeman (A Lipton 80), Matty Hughes, Lee Atherton, Gareth Edwards, John Leonard, Derek Taylor, Tom Smith, Mike Burke, Anthony Williams, Neil Wynne (Paul Armour 101).