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7th January 2008 - Western Mail
Same old story for Tucker
Not for the first time since he took over at the Remax Stadium, Port Talbot manager Nicky Tucker again witnessed his side throwing away two points from a match they dominated. Lee Hudgell’s 89th-minute strike saved the day for the improving Bluebirds, who have taken 10 points from their last five matches to climb up to mid-table. Young Haverfordwest striker Jack Christopher continued his impressive form with a 33rd-minute opener, but Martin Rose’s second-half penalty and Liam McCreesh’s close-range effort seemed to have put Town on target for three points. “It’s another game we should have won, but we gave away two sloppy goals after dominating for 80 minutes,” said Tucker.
7th January 2008 - Evening Post
Hudgell rescues County a point
A second half Martin Rose penalty, followed by a sweetly struck finish from Liam McCreesh, looked to have given the Steelmen their sixth home win of the season, but they were stunned, when Lee Hudgell fired home an 89th minute leveller, after Jack Christopher had put the Pembrokeshire side ahead in the first half.Port Talbot created a goal scoring opportunity inside the opening six minutes. Lee John fired just wide of the upright from the edge of the penalty area, after being picked out by a cross-field delivery from Rose after only three minutes. The outstretched hand of goalkeeper Lee Idzi prevented a Chad Bond effort from finding the back of the net, with former Barry Town full back Terry Evans, alert at the near post to turn the ball behind for a corner. Haverfordwest gradually found a route forward into the Steelmen's territory, and it was a vital tackle by Leigh De-Vulgt, which prevented Neil Thomas from finding a way into the penalty area after seventeen minutes. In the 33rd minute Tom Ramasut flighted a free kick to the far post, and Christopher broke the stalemate, with a well-placed header. Five minutes before the turnaround, Port Talbot almost levelled. A shot from McCreesh deflecting off Bluebirds skipper Gareth Elliott, and only a quick reaction from Idzi prevented the ball flying into the top corner of the net. Haverfordwest went close to adding to their lead on 53 minutes. Luke Bowen found Ramasut in space, and although the ball drifted over the top of Rogers, it only just curled beyond the far upright. Port Talbot finally drew level on 56 minutes with Rose drilling home a low struck penalty after Bond had been tripped by Thomas. A second goal finally arrived in the 79th minute. John made swift progress into Haverfordwest territory, and intelligently found McCreesh who crisply shot past Idzi, from the edge of the penalty area. With a minute of the match remaining, Haverfordwest battled back to score a late equaliser and gain a crucial point. Lee Hudgell made lightning progress down the right wing, avoiding a tackle from Craig Hanford to plant the ball past Rogers from eight yards. "It was a frustrating match, but I can't fault the players commitment, unfortunately we switched off during the final minutes, and it's allowed Haverfordwest to score an equaliser, which denied us of two additional points to add to the three we gained at Neath on New Year's Day," said Port Talbot manager, Nicky Tucker. "We certainly worked hard to get back into the game after Haverfordwest went ahead, and we should have maintained our improving run of form. "With the number of chances created, we failed to add possibly three or four more goals, and even Derek Brazil, the Haverfordwest manager agreed that Christmas had come a little late for him". "We conceded a goal at a critical point in the game when a free kick was sent to the far post. "It was expected that the goalkeeper or centre halves would clear the danger, but they didn't and Jack Christopher scored, totally against the run of play." "The whole side knows that we're not putting enough chances away, and it's something that I'm working on, once it clicks, I think we'll score three or four goals in a game."
6th January 2008 - Wales on Sunday
Match report
Nick Tucker, who is making his mark at Port Talbot since his recent appointment, has been around a while so this type of game was no surprise to him. His team was dominant throughout – even during a first half when they ended up trailing to a Jack Christopher goal. Then, when they did get ahead, they threw away the win with a late defensive error. Who would be a manager? Tucker remained philosophical and was not interested in picking out which attacker had wasted the most chances. If Haverfordwest’s equaliser was annoying, then their first was not good from a defensive point of view. From a free kick out near the corner flag, the home defenders were out-muscled on the far post by Jack Christopher, who headed firmly home. The home side came back after the interval and, at last, managed to finish a move – and a good one it was too. Kyle Shepherd picked up the ball in midfield and waltzed past two defenders, before cutting it back to the waiting Chad Bond, who drilled home the equaliser. With 11 minutes to go, there was little dispute from Haverfordwest when Port Talbot were awarded a penalty. Martin Rose stepped forward and seemed to have secured the win. However, things went wrong when the visitors launched a long ball down field. It should have been dealt with, but Lee Hudgell nipped in to grab an equaliser, just two minutes from time.
5th January 2008 - www.haverfordwestcounty.co.uk
Match report
In an entertaining and end-to-end match at the Re/Max stadium, on Saturday, Haverfordwest County came away with a hard earned point following a last minute equaliser by Lee Hudgell. With Adam Raymond replacing the departed Phil Cattlin, Haverfordwest started slowly, but after soaking up the early pressure began to make their presence felt on a lively and energetic Port Talbot team. Despite losing Jonathan Coates to injury midway through the first half, County took the lead on the 34th minute, when a Tom Ramasut free kick was headed home by Jack Christopher at the far post. The second half continued in the same vein as the first with neither side giving way. County replaced Adam Raymond with Like Bowen, at the start of the second half, with Nicky Woodrow moving out to the right side of the attack.11 minutes after the restart, Port Talbot were awarded a penalty when Chad Bond was brought down by Neil Thomas. Lee Idzi nearly pulled off the save, but Rose’s strike was too strong. Having drawn level, Port Talbot increased the pressure, and for a while County were forced to defend and attack on the break, and in the 79th minute a Liam McCreesh shot pinballed around the penalty area, before being deflected into the net. In a frantic final five minutes, Port Talbot made two substitutions, but were unable to prevent Lee Hudgell’s 89th minute equaliser. A regrettably low attendance of 161, highlighted the problems facing WPL football, but those who did turn up saw a really good game.
5th January 2008 - www.welsh-premier.com
Hudgell’s late leveller tough on Talbot
Despite dominating for much of the game, Port Talbot were forced to settle for a draw after a late defensive error allowed Haverfordwest to level. The Steelmen had chances through Lee John and Chad Bond before trailing to Jack Christopher's 34th-minute header from a free-kick near the flag, but came back strongly after the break. Eleven minutes into the half, Martin Rose scored from the spot after Bond had been brought down by Neil Thomas and Talbot took the lead on 79 minutes when Liam McCreesh sent an angled shot past Bluebirds' keeper Lee Idzi. Talbot looked to be heading for a home win but County's Lee Hudgell had other ideas, firing home from eight yards a minute from time to snatch a share of the spoils.
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