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5th November 2007 - Evening Post
Match Report
Port Talbot made a heartbreaking exit at Rhyl, a Stuart Graves goal seven minutes from time enough to see the Lilywhites through. But at least it was a vastly improved display by the Steelmen who exorcised the ghost of their 8-0 hammering by Llanelli. The match exploded in the 70th minute when Rhyl defender Chris Roberts was sent off for a bad tackle. In the resulting melee, Port Talbot's Lee Surman unnecessarily became involved and he, too, saw red. Only the brilliance of home keeper Lee Kendall kept the visitors at bay. He saved well from Kerry Morgan's 25-yarder then twice denied Martin Rose whose third effort crashed against the post. Port Talbot deserved to take the tie into extra time but a lapse of concentration from Leigh De Vulgt with three minutes to go allowed Graves to pounce and volley home from 10 yards. Despite his disappointment, coach Tony Pennock praised his players. “We can take heart from this performance as there were plenty of positives,” he said. “I thought we matched Rhyl well and Lee Kendall saved them with a couple of unbelievable saves and we hit the woodwork.”
5th November 2007 - Daily Post
Match Report
A trip to Haverfordwest in the last 16 awaits Rhyl after a late Stuart Graves goal saw off stubborn Port Talbot in a stormy clash. A tense third-round tie at Belle Vue erupted in the 53rd minute when Lilywhites defender Chris Roberts clattered into Port striker Kerry Morgan. It led to a mass brawl after which Roberts received his marching orders for the tackle and Talbot defender Lee Surman was also dismissed. Angry Rhyl manager John Hulse blamed the Port players, who swooped on referee Darren Adie after the Roberts challenge. “I was disappointed by the way they all surrounded the referee, if they hadn’t done that maybe Chris Roberts would have only got a booking,” said Hulse. “In the end it backfired on them, with Surman running 40 or 50 yards to get involved which led to his red card as well.” Hammered 8-0 at Llanelli the previous weekend, Port set their stall out not to suffer a similar indignity and made life hard for Rhyl throughout. In a dour first half the best moment came with a fantastic save by Port keeper Kris Rogers from a George Horan bullet header. The home side were indebted to keeper Lee Kendall on 72 minutes for a tremendous double stop from striker Martin Rose, whose third attempt clattered the post. Rhyl finished the stronger, and three minutes from time Craig Jones’ crossed from the right for Graves to lash home. “I felt overall we deserved it,” added Hulse. “In the end our fitness showed, we kept probing and Stuart Graves took his goal really well.”
4th November 2007 - www.welsh-premier.com
Graves wins it at the death
A late strike from Stuart Graves put Rhyl into the fourth round, but Port Talbot put their 8-0 thrashing at Llanelli behind them to contest this tie at Belle Vue to the final whistle. They more than matched the Lillies in the first half and visiting keeper Kris Rogers only had one save to make, producing a superb reaction stop from George Horan's header. Lee Hunt did have the ball in the net for the hosts, only to be ruled offside, but the game flashed into life on 53 minutes when Chris Roberts went in late on the Steelmen's Kerry Morgan. Following a melee, Roberts was sent-off along with defender Lee Surman for the visitors. Morgan then hit a 25-yarder that tested home keeper Lee Kendall, while Hunt laid off Marc Connolly's free kick for Rhyl, but Horan failed to connect in front of a gaping goal. The turning point came on 72 minutes when a Scott Barrow free-kick found Talbot's Martin Rose, who was denied by Kendall's double save before crashing his third attempt against a post. The Lillies hit back and, three minutes from time, a Craig Jones cross caught Talbot's defence flat-footed and Graves finished clinically from 10 yards.
4th November 2007 - Wales on Sunday
Graves buries Port at death
Stuart Graves’ 87th-minute strike settled a stormy Welsh Cup tie at Belle Vue which saw a player from each side sent off. Fresh from an 8-0 thrashing at Llanelli, Port were determined not to let lightning strike twice and more than matched their North Wales opponents in the first half. Visiting keeper Kris Rogers was called into action only once in that opening stanza, producing a fantastic reaction stop from George Horan’s bullet header. Mark Connolly lashed a free-kick inches over for the Lilywhites and Lee Hunt had a goal controversially ruled out for offside. The second half began in volatile fashion and it was no surprise when a 53rd-minute flashpoint led to two red cards. Rhyl’s Chris Roberts went in late on Kerry Morgan, leaving the young striker writhing on the ground in agony. Players from both sides then got involved in a melee and eventually Roberts was dismissed along with Port defender Lee Surman for his role in the rumpus. The Steelmen continued to take the game to the hosts, Morgan hitting a 25-yarder which Lee Kendall did well to hold. Rhyl had a golden chance when Hunt laid back a Connolly free-kick for Horan who faced a gaping goal, but the ball took a wicked bobble and the defender failed to connect. A major turning point came on 72 minutes when a Scott Barrow free-kick was deflected to Port striker Martin Rose who was denied by a phenomenal double save from Kendall and then crashed a third effort against the right-hand post. Relieved by that escape, the Lilies piled on the pressure in the closing 15 minutes as Port tired from their endeavours. Both Andy Moran and Graves drilled tantalising balls across the box but no-one was able to administer the killer touch. Port remained a danger on the break and a cracking left-foot shot on the turn by Rose from all of 30 yards whistled inches wide. Then three minutes from time, Rhyl’s Craig Jones crossed from the byline, the spinning ball deceived the Talbot defence and Graves controlled before finishing clinically with his left foot from 10 yards. It was a win Rhyl just about deserved but after a testing week, Port could feel proud of their efforts.
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