Port Talbot Town
Team - Lee Kendall, Leigh De-Vulgt, Lloyd Grist, Karl Lewis, Matthew Rees, Gary Bansor,
Lee John, Neil Thomas, Martin Rose, Gareth Phillips, Scott Barrow
Subs - Daniel Thomas (rep N.Thomas - 72), Nicky Holland (rep John - 58), Drew Fahiya
(rep De-Vulgt - 58)
Yellow Cards - None
Red Cards - None
Goalscorers - Neil Thomas (4), Martin Rose (9), (57), Scott Barrow (44), Karl Lewis
(65)
Porthmadog
Team - Richard Morgan, Euron Roberts, Mike Foster, Dan Pyrs, Ryan Davies, John Keegan,
Chris Jones, Ceri James, Paul Roberts, Mike Thompson, Gareth Parry
Subs - Marc Evans (rep Thompson - 50), Mark Gornall (rep Foster - 64), Jack Jones
(rep Parry - 71)
Yellow Cards - Euron Roberts (17)
Red Cards - None
Goalscorers - None
Attendance - 167
Referee - Mr Wayne Tregonning
7th December 2009 - South Wales Evening Post
Steelmen edge closer to chasing pack after superb five-goal display
A brilliant display of all-out attacking football earned Port Talbot an emphatic
5-0 victory over lowly Porthmadog at the GenQuip Stadium. The Steelmen are now within
one point of third-placed Rhyl and have a game in hand so the push up the table is
gaining momentum. This was Port Talbot's fifth successive victory and with matches
against Bala Town and Cefn Druids to follow before the two massive Christmas clashes
with Neath, Mark Jones's side are a big threat to the top teams. The tone of the
match was set in the fifth minute when Martin Rose brushed aside a challenge from
Porthmadog central defender and captain Ryan Davies.
The striker looked up and saw Neil Thomas unopposed at the far post and his inch-perfect
delivery gave Port Talbot an early advantage. From that point, the Steelmen dominated
the physical side of the game in a controlled and disciplined fashion as not a single
yellow card came their way. Rose beat keeper Richard Morgan five minutes later with
a cool finish after visiting full-back Euron Roberts backed off the challenge only
six yards out. Scott Barrow made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time with a rasping
drive and Rose and Karl Lewis — his first of the season — added others after the
break. Rose was set free by impressive Neil Thomas and Lewis blasted a fierce shot
through a crowded penalty area. Afterwards, Jones saluted his players. "That was
a superb, dominant performance and we are really starting to get there," he said.
"I thought we were excellent and there were big performances from Scott Barrow, Matthew
Rees, Gary Bansor and Neil Thomas. "But all 14 were at the top of their game. Remember,
Porthmadog won 3-1 at Carmarthen two weeks ago so that puts this result into perspective."
But Jones remained quiet on his side's title ambitions and European hopes. "I don't
want to go there with so much of the season remaining," he added.
7th December 2009 - Western Mail
Match Report
This result does not portray the entire picture as Porthmadog were fortunate not
to return north with a double-figure hiding. From the fifth minute when striker Martin
Rose easily rebuffed a weak challenge from visitors’ central defender and skipper
Ryan Davies to set up the opener for impressive Neil Thomas, the scene was set. Porth
defender Euron Roberts stood off Rose, only eight yards out, and the striker crashed
the ball past Richard Morgan for the second in the 10th minute. And John Keegan was
caught napping, dithering to clear and was lucky not to be more heavily punished.
All this inside the opening 15 minutes. The visitors were simply outclassed and Port
Talbot’s only problem was a slight lack of composure at vital moments. But they are
a formidable outfit as visitors’ boss Tomi Morgan acknowledged. “It was a long afternoon
for us and we were lucky to escape lightly,” he said. “We started badly, conceding
two very bad goals and our recent two wins are now but a distant memory.” Port Talbot
manager Mark Jones, celebrating a year in charge at the GenQuip Stadium, constantly
urged his side to go for the jugular to improve their goal difference. He smiled
on his way down the tunnel at half-time after Scott Barrow made it 3-0 with a rasping,
left-foot humdinger and looked on with pride as Rose netted brilliantly from an acute
angle after the break and Karl Lewis rammed home his first of the season from 25
yards. “It was a really good, dominant and powerful performance and that’s 15 points
out of 15 from our last five matches,” Jones said. “With Bala and Cefn Druids to
follow, before we meet Neath in the Christmas double-header, we must press on and
put further pressure on the top teams. “It could have been a lot more today, but
what I have told the lads is that Porthmadog won at Carmarthen a few weeks ago so
it puts the result into perspective.” Jones refused to talk about titles and Europe,
however. “I don’t want to go there. There’s an awful lot of football still to be
played this season,” he added. But if Port Talbot continue to remain free of injuries
and suspensions their small squad can cope but if the tide turns they could run into
troubled waters. With Liam McCreesh and Lee Surman missing and Daniel Thomas, Nicky
Holland and Drew Fahiya on the bench, however, they have a squad to be reckoned with.
7th December 2009 - Daily Post
Morgan is not happy
Porthmadog endured a longer-than-usual journey home from Port Talbot, as they reflected
on their worst show and result of a worrying season. With their Welsh Premier status
at risk, Tomi Morgan’s men are very much caught up in the relegation struggle and
must start to pick up points soon. Boss Morgan said: “We did not help ourselves by
being so poor because it was the worst performance and result of the season so far,
and we have no excuses.” Porthmadog’s pain began with an early goal from former player
Neil Thomas, who finished off from close range after Scott Barrow’s assist had exploited
a poor clearance. The home side’s four other goals came at regular intervals with
a double from Martin Rose, and one apiece for Barrow and Karl Lewis. Luckily for
Porthmadog a host of other chances went begging.
6th December 2009 - Wales on Sunday
Steelmen crush their North Walian rivals
Port Talbot kept up their challenge to the league’s top three clubs with an emphatic
victory over Porthmadog at Victoria Road. They were in a different class to the North
Walians and they could have scored more had they taken all the chances they created.
It took the Steelmen just five minutes to go in front, Neil Thomas moving on from
the left to strike a great shot past Richard Morgan in the visitors’ goal. The next
goal arrived five minutes later when top scorer Martin Rose hit a screamer from the
edge of the box to double his side’s advantage. Port Talbot were on the score sheet
once more before the half time whistle, Scott Barrow hitting a shot from the edge
of the box that found the net through a crowd of players. Substitute Daniel Thomas
and namesake Neil went close to adding to the home tally before Rose struck again
in the 57th minute. And the Steelmen rounded the day off when Karl Lewis blasted
a shot through a clutch of players to find the net for the fifth.
5th December 2009 - www.porthmadogfc.com
Match Report
This was a game that Porthmadog would sooner forget as they were outplayed by a Port
Talbot team who controlled the game throughout. Before ten minutes was showing on
the clock the home team were two goals up, and with another following on 44 minutes
they had the game sewn up before the interval was reached. They went on to add another
two goals in the second period to confirm their complete domination of the afternoon's
proceedings. Without Richard Morgan's heroics in the Porthmadog goal the margin of
the defeat would have been even greater. When an early shooting opportunity for Mike
Thompson was quickly snuffed out by prompt defensive action, travelling supporters
could hardly have imagined that it would be another 30 minutes before their team
would test Port Talbot keeper Lee Kendall with any kind of shot again. In their first
real attack the home side took advantage of a misjudgement by Porthmadog skipper
Ryan Davies for Scott Barrow to race clear down the left, before dispatching an accurate
low cross which left Neil Thomas with only Richard Morgan to beat, and this he did
with a low shot from 8 yards. Port Talbot did not have to wait long for their second
after only 9 minutes when Martin Rose fastened on to a throw-in down the left before
cutting inside and from a narrow angle fired a low 10 yard shot past Richard Morgan.
Port Talbot continued to dominate and John Keegan had to clear a Neil Thomas effort
off his line and Richard Morgan was required to pull off two fine saves, one a reflex
save down at his near post to keep out Rose and again, when Scott Barrow got in behind
the defence, the keeper needed to improvise and save well with his legs. But with
half-time approaching the killer third goal came. A short corner on the right by
Scott Barrow was played to Lee John who returned the pass for the winger to race
into the box and fire a low shot inside the near post. The second half continued
much as the first with Port Talbot controlling the possession and when Porthmadog
did get the ball they were closed down quickly and forced into errors or hurried
passes. With 12 minutes of the second half gone Port Talbot claimed their 4th goal
when the excellent Neil Thomas further punished his former club, threading a ball
through the defence for Rose to race on to and score his second of the match with
an angled shot from 15 yards. When the 5th goal came after 65 minutes the travelling
support feared even worse was to follow. The fifth came from a powerful low drive
by Karl Lewis from 20 yards after a corner was only partially cleared. The home side
did not ease up and Rose came close with another angled shot and Lewis was only a
whisker away with a long range effort. Richard Morgan continued to perform heroics
racing off his line to halt Barrow and then pulled off two saves in quick succession
while in the same attack Mark Gornall had to clear off his line. Porthmadog on the
other hand had few attacks to show for their endeavours though one attack, following
a good build up, freed Marc Evans down the left but Lee Kendall, who had been little
more than a spectator, got down well at his near post. The only consolation is that
the last five games at the GenQuip Stadium have been won in alternate years by each
club in turn. This year was Port Talbot's turn and they certainly made sure of that!
Port need to pick themselves up quickly for a vital home game against Connah's Quay
next Saturday.
