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23rd August 2007 - Robert Skeels, Port Talbot Guardian
Spot miss costs Blues points
New manager Tony Pennock tasted defeat in his first game in charge of a Welsh Premiership encounter. The Blues’ recent cup win against Neath Athletic became a distant memory as they leaked three goals at the start of their 2007-08 campaign. But they will be kicking themselves for missing out on a share of the spoils. Recent signing Liam McCreesh had his penalty saved in the 89th minute, which would have earned the Steelmen a 2-2 draw. Caernarfon’s response was clinical – they broke away to score at the other end, piling on the misery for Pennock’s men. Port Talbot failed to match their opening-half performance in the second period and it proved costly. An impressive opening-half display saw Port Talbot take a deserved lead through Dyfan Pierce, while Caernarfon were unable to create a chance on goal until their equaliser just before the break. Port Talbot struggled through the second half, however, and found themselves 2-1 down before the dramatic finish.
18th August 2007 - www.welsh-premier.com
Loan-man Vinnie the hero
On-loan Wrexham goalkeeper Vinnie Whelan was the Caernarfon hero in a tense finish to a thriller at The Oval. The new-look Canaries held a 2-1 advantage as they entered the last minute of the game, when defender Lee Bamber was penalised for handball in the box. Up stepped former Afan Lido starlet Liam McCreesh to claim a point for the Steelmen, but debutant Whelan showed his class by saving the spot kick. And a minute later Caernarfon broke upfield for John Rowley to seal the win by heading in from a James Thomas cross. Port Talbot had taken the lead on the half-hour through Dyfan Pierce, but new boy Chris Noone levelled on the stroke of half-time when Keiran Quinn's 25-yard shot fell into his path. James Glendenning put the hosts into the lead 12 minutes from time with a free-kick which took a deflection off the wall but Talbot kept battling and would have been rewarded, but for Irishman Whelan.
18th August 2007 - www.caernarfontown.net
Match Report
Caernarfon got off to a flying start for the new season, with the new signings creating an instant impact. The Canaries looked nervous during the first half, with five of the first eleven making their competitive debuts. Port Talbot certainly had much the better of the early exchanges; Lee Surman's shot was well held by keeper Vinny Whelan after 5 minutes, whilst Leigh De Vulgt saw a free kick from 20 yards curl narrowly past the foot of the far post after 25 minutes, having earlier seen a similar effort miss by a similar margin. And it was Port Talbot who opened the scoring on 32 minutes - Dyfan Pierce latched on to a low cross across the 18 yard line to sweep his shot past Whelan into the bottom corner. This setback seemed to stir the Canaries into action and only a minute later James Glendenning came up from the back to glance a Lee Bamber cross from the right just past the far post from the edge of the box. The home side equalised in first half injury time when Keiran Quinn's initial shot from range found its way to the feet of debutant striker Chris Noone, who made no mistake from 6 yards. The second half saw Caernarfon relax a lot more and play some excellent football, creating most of the attacking play and making Port Talbot rely on hitting them on the break. Right winger Timmy Ojapah, a summer signing from Vauxhall Motors, certainly showed some excellent skills as he outwitted Talbot defenders time and time again, and James Thomas crossed the ball well from the other flank. The almost went ahead within 2 minutes of the restart, Noone's shot from 18 yards going narrowly wide. But despite the home side's possession it was Port Talbot who came closest to going ahead when Dean Johnston's header from a corner rattled the upright on 61 minutes. Caernarfon looked to have secured victory after 78 miuntes when James Glendenning's free kick from 20 yards curled past the wall and was deflected in by at least two Port Talbot defenders much to the home fans' delight. But watching Caernarfon requires nerves of steel theses days and in the first minute of injury time three points seemed to have gone as Port Talbot were awarded a penalty as Lee Bamber was adjudged to have handled as he tried to stop a low cross from finding its target. Talbot sub Liam McCreesh stepped up to take the penalty, but young keeper Vinny Whelan was more than equal to the test and saved well down low to his right to keep the lead intact. And a minute later, with Talbot leaving huge gaps as they pushed forward, James Thomas picked up the ball on the left and crossed superbly for sub John Rowley to head home on the far post and finally secure victory.
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