Welsh League Div. 1 AFC Porth 1 Cwmbran Celtic 1.
It is always dangerous playing opponents who are going through a sticky
patch, and that is how it proved. Celtic had shown marked improvement on
their poor form to lose unluckily to the defending the Champions previous
week.
Although Porth dominated large parts of the game territorially, no one
could deny Celtic carved out the better opportunities as the game
progressed.
Porth started like they meant business and took the lead after just 5
minutes, Gavin Cory played a ball forward, the Celtic defence were caught
flat footed and Woodington got to the ball ahead of keeper Williams,
Robbie Thomas showed great anticipation and slotted the ball home.
Williams appealing in vain for a non-existent foul.
For the next 15 minutes it was all one way traffic as Porth motored
forward at every opportunity, wingbacks Thomas and Jason
Davies foraging down either flank, with Orchard spraying the ball around
with his sweet left foot. Half chances came for Woodington after a
Davies corner had been cleared to him, and Shane Davies himself after
Josh Owen had set him up with a determined run, his hot fizzed just wide
with Williams struggling across goal.
In the 22nd minute the first warning that Celtic we not here just make
numbers up as Patel got away from his marker and played a wicked ball
across goal with just the slightest touch needed.
Back came Porth with Davies, Orchard and Owen seeing plenty of
possession and keeper Williams was fortunate twice in the space of 5
minutes as he had drop on a Davies free kick after spilling the initial save,
and then on 32 minutes was grateful to his defence as Jarrad Wright saw
his header from a Davies corner cleared off the line.
Celtic stepped up gear and dominated the rest of the half, with Porth
struggling to find any form of fluency, Hall had fingertip a shot away and
when Coles was caught in possession Bull was in on goal Hall came out
smother and did just enough to put the striker off, Hall and Coles needed
lengthy treatment after colliding, both resumed.
Then as the half came to an end Celtic's best chance so far , a dangerous
cross was palmed away to Llewellyn and his first time shot smacked
against the post. HT 1-0.
Porth had better of the opening exchanges at start second half, Wells
won a free kick, Jason Davies took it and rolled the ball sideways to
brother Shane, his goal bound effort was going in the corner, but a
wicked deflection saw Williams scramble across goal to push ball away.
Although Porth saw plenty possession, too often wrong they took wrong
option, plenty effort, but little guile with Celtic slowly but ever so surely
getting on top.
In an effort change things Harris replaced Wells on 65 minutes, Celtic
were getting ever closer to an equaliser, Porth defending resolutely but
you felt hanging on, the lack of goals again making a one goal lead tenuous.
Their defence finally breached on 73 minutes, a ball over top caught Cory
in two minds, having said that the defence wasn't being helped by lack
penetration in front them as the ball inevitably came back at them, Cory
let ball bounce and Sub Maguire was past him, Coles caught between
coming across, or marking in 6yd box, Cory put out an arm and hauled
Maguire down, penalty said referee Ryan Stewart. Up stepped Patel to
confidently send Hall the wrong way.
Almost immediately Brock replaced Jason Davies, with the intention of
getting behind the Celtic defence, Brock saw plenty ball , but often was
crowded out, funnily enough this was Porth's best period of second half
as Celtic seemed settle back try defend for the remaining ten minutes.
Just as it seemed both sides had given their all Bull had a chance to win it
for the visitors, Davies was dispossessed in an advanced midfield position
,two slick passes later and Bull was bearing down on Hall in the Porth
goals, Hall advanced and just did enough to make Bull misfire, a let off.
On reflection Porth had plenty possession but created few real chances
and a draw was overall probably the fairest result. FT 1-1
AFC Porth v Cwmbran Celtic
1. S. Hall, 2. J. Davies (76), 3. J. Wright, 4. K. Coles, 5. G. Cory, 6. K.
Orchard, 7. J. Owen, 8. S. Davies, 9. J. Woodington, 10. C. Wells (65), 11.
R. Thomas.
Subs:12 T. Harris (65), 14. R. Nolan, 15. S. Brock (76), 16. A. Needs, 17. J.
Powell
Goals: R. Thomas (5).
Bookings Cory (73), Owen (88).
Referee R. Stewart , Cardiff