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27th December 2007 - Western Mail
Match report
Twice Neath came back from a two-goal deficit to level in a thriller at the Remax Stadium to stretch their impressive unbeaten record to six matches. Afterwards, both sides reflected on mistakes that cost them victory, proving that to reach the top goals against are as important as goals for. Eagles boss Andrew Dyer was furious his players had gifted the hosts their three goals. “We gave away shocking goals,” he said. “The positive is a six-match unbeaten run but when you score three goals away from home you should come away with a win.” Dyer added, “I’m very disappointed, although most will think we did well to claw back a point. “But I don’t see it that way. Yes, we again showed character to fight back – we have done that often recently – but we should not be in that position.
“I thought we had overcome the problems of leaking bad goals and need to put that right for the return next week as we have shown we can score goals against them.” Port Talbot manager Nicky Tucker was as frustrated as his counterpart. “It feels like a defeat,” he said. “We have to learn to keep clean sheets. We were in total control for the opening 20 minutes, scored two goals, then a mix-up between our keeper and centre-half let them back in. “We brought about our own problems and that’s why we are a mid-table side and not up in the top three.” But Tucker praised the visitors, “Neath are a well-organised side and we knew what to expect from them as they never give up, as they showed today.” Tucker also reflected on a disappointing bank holiday attendance, saying, “I feel sorry for the chairman, who is desperately trying to encourage locals to support the club.” Chad Bond and Scott Barrow gave the Steelmen a 2-0 lead inside 17 minutes, but Richard French, a former Port Talbot striker, reduced the arrears a minute later. Barrow (59) again resored the two-goal advantage before super-sub Carl Shaw, on for only four minutes when he netted, and Andrew Hill, with 12 minutes remaining, squared the match.
26th December 2007 - www.neathathletic.ik.com
A Christmas Cracker!
This local Boxing Day derby crackled and fizzed its way through a most entertaining 90 minutes, with both teams wanting to attack each other it made for an interesting game. The home side were into a two goal lead within seventeen minutes through Chad Bond and Scott Barrow, this despite us making a reasonable start to the game. But within a couple of minutes the endeavour of Richard French to chase down lost causes was rewarded with Matthew Rees clearing against the onrushing striker and into an empty net. After a frantic four minutes the game settled a little and was a mixture of physical battles and the refs whistle until half time when it remained 2-1. The second half brought more bad news for us as whilst attacking we allowed the ball to be played up the pitch and Scott Barrow latched onto it and calmly slotted past Carig Morris for 3-1. The resolve and spirit of the team was once again tested and no-one more personifies this than Carl Shaw, who after becoming a dad for the second time on Christmas Eve came off the bench to get us a goal that put us right back in the game. The equaliser came through Andy Hill following a good save by the home keeper following a Chris Pridham piledriver. Honours even - two good comebacks but when all said and done we are disappointed not to have won the game after some defensive lapses that could have been avoided cost us. We now look forward to the return encounter on New Years Day at Llandarcy Park.
26th December 2007 - www.welsh-premier.com
Neath fightback twice for derby draw
The first-ever Welsh Premier meeting between neighbours Port Talbot and Neath Athletic ended all-square, as the Eagles twice recovered from a two-goal deficit to earn a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller. The Steelmen raced into a two-goal lead with two goals inside two minutes through Chad Bond and Scott Barrow, but former Port Talbot frontman Richard French reduced the arrears with a shot that was turned into his own net by home keeper Kristian Rogers. Barrow grabbed his second on 59 minutes to put Talbot in the box seat again, but another ex-Steelman, Carl Shaw, again got Athletic back in the contest just four minutes after coming off the bench and leading scorer Andrew Hill ensured a share of the spoils with a 77th-minute equaliser. "We gave away shocking goals," said Neath boss Andrew Dyer. "The positive is a six-match unbeaten run but when you score three goals away from home you should come away with a win."
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