Principality Welsh Premier League
Friday, 18th September 2009
at The GenQuip Stadium
Port Talbot Town 1-2 Aberystwyth Town
Goalscorers
Port Talbot Town
Martin Rose (53)
Aberystwyth Town
Luke Bowen (71)
Geoff Kellaway (90+2)
Referee - Mr Dean John
Port Talbot Town
Team - Tony Pennock, Leigh De-Vulgt, Scott Barrow, Gareth Phillips, Matthew Rees,
Lee Surman, Karl Lewis, Neil Thomas, Martin Rose, Daniel Thomas, Drew Fahiya
Subs - Lee John (Unused), Lloyd Grist (rep Phillips -74), Mark Jones (rep Rose -
87), Sam Baker (Unused)
Yellow Cards - Daniel Thomas (20), Drew Fahiya (48), Neil Thomas (56), Gareth Phillips
(73)
Red Cards - Drew Fahiya (66), Daniel Thomas (68)
Goalscorers - Martin Rose (53)
Aberystwyth Town
Team - Stephen Cann, Steve Bowen, Kristian James, Aneurin Thomas, Sion James, Adam
James, Geoff Kellaway, Gareth Hughes, Luke Bowen, Luke Sherbon, Michael Waters
Subs - Robert Evans (Unused), Glyndwr Hughes (rep S.Bowen - 72), Cledan Davies (rep
A.James -40)
Yellow Cards - Kristian James (17), Gareth Hughes (49) Red Cards - None
Goalscorers - Luke Bowen (71), Geoff Kellaway (90+2)
Attendance - 325
Referee - Mr Dean John
Manager Mark Jones suffered his first home defeat on Friday night as his side were
reduced to nine men. New signing Tony Pennock replaced the injured Lee Kendall in
goal while Drew Fahiya replaced Lee John who could only settle for a place on the
bench and Karl Lewis returned in place of suspended Liam McCreesh. The game hinged
on a crucial decision from referee Dean John as he dismissed Port Talbot duo Drew
Fahiya and Daniel Thomas within 90 seconds of each other midway through the second
half. After missing a number of chances in a goal-less opening half, emergency signing
Tony Pennock was called into action early in the second half as Aberystwyth were
awarded a penalty but Pennock made a fine save from Luke Sherbon’s spot-kick. Martin
Rose then scored his first league goal of the season on 53 minutes as Port Talbot
appeared to be cruising to a comfortable win but controversy erupted on 66 minutes
when Drew Fahiya was tripped inside the area on his way to goal. John wrongly judged
that no contact had been made and to add insult to Fahiya he brandished the former
Dinas Powys striker with his second yellow card of the game for a dive. Assistant
referee Kim Fisher stood within yards of the incident but offered no advice or support
to John on what would be the turning point of the match. The decision added an edge
to the match and within 90 seconds Daniel Thomas was shown a straight red card for
retaliation after a tangle of legs inside the Aberystwyth penalty area. With a two
man advantage Aberystwyth came into the game and equalised on 72 minutes through
former Port Talbot Town striker Luke Bowen. The nine-men of the home side worked
hard for the last 20 minutes, with midfielder Neil Thomas covering the area of three
men with a superb display in the middle of the pitch, but Aberystwyth scored the
winner after sustained pressure deep into injury time through Geoff Kellaway. Manager
Mark Jones was left fuming with referee John as a comfortable lead for the home side
turned into a defeat and further suspension problems through a crucial wrong decision
from the official. It was also Jones first defeat at The GenQuip Stadium since he
returned to the club in December 2008.
21st September 2009 - Evening Post
Red cards and a late winner make it a night to forget for boss Jones
After looking on course for another promising points return, Port Talbot let slip
a 1-0 advantage to crash to a last-minute 2-1 defeat to Aberystwyth Town at the GenQuip
Stadium on Friday night. It was a match shrouded in controversy as Drew Fahiya and
Daniel Thomas were both red-carded by referee Dean John within two minutes of each
other, midway through the second half. Thomas's dismissal was deserved, his petulance
the cause as he flicked out a leg to make contact with an Aberystwyth defender who
had dispossessed him. Fahiya's was not so straight- forward, John adjudging that
the player had dived to earn a penalty. After his earlier yellow card, red followed.
It was a decision that infuriated manager Mark Jones, who said: "Don't get me wrong,
Dean John is one of the best referees in our league, but he had a massive off night
tonight. Drew is the last person in this club who would dive. “I don't condone diving,
but the lad didn't dive. It should have been a penalty. Perhaps the Eduardo sending
off put thoughts into referees' minds and they are now looking for it more. The danger
is in getting it wrong." Martin Rose put Port Talbot ahead with a calm 53rd-minute
finish but minus two players, Port Talbot were hit by former player Luke Bowen in
the 72nd minute, and Geoff Callaway (90) made it the cruellest of finishes.
