Y Felinheli 1 Porthmadog 4, Ardal North West
ON a sunny August evening, a well-attended Cae Seilo looked as pretty as a picture whilst Wednesday`s result, from a Port point of view, was even prettier as an excellent and disciplined performance by the visitors yielded them a convincing and thoroughly deserved victory, writes Treflyn Jones.
Port were quickly out of the blocks and were a goal to the good after only six minutes when a mis-placed headed pass evaded Marc Wyn Jones in the Felin goal and trickled tantalizingly towards the goal.
The keeper seemed to have retrieved the situation as he slid to kick it off the line only for Port poacher Tom Hilditch to thump it back on to the target.
Again, the keeper appeared to have kicked it off the line but a linesman`s flag denoted that the ball had crossed the chalk to the delight of the travelling Port fans and 0-1 it was.
Barely two minutes later, after a patient exchange of passes ending in an assist by Tom Hilditch on the edge of the box, Cai Jones swivelled before unleashing an unstoppable shot from 20 yards past the stationary keeper. 0-2 and a very early cushion for the visitors.
There were a mere 10 minutes on the clock when Port put a dizzy Felin side in a whole heap of trouble. Once again it started with a patient move culminating in an absolute daisy cutter into the bottom corner of the net by Ryan Williams with the luckless Marc Jones rooted to his line.
What a peach of a goal! Would you believe it? After all the hurt of last season, Port were 0-3 up after only 10 minutes.
Port were now dominating possession with patience and accurate passing. Indeed, it took all of 19 minutes for Felin to forge their first meaningful attack as a shot from some twelve yards drifted tamely wide of Farebrother`s upright.
On the 20 minute mark, Rhys Alun was foiled by a smart low save by Marc Jones and the same player saw his left-footer from a narrow angle drift narrowly past the target. All this before the tricky Hilditch shot narrowly past the post before Port went in at half time leading 0-3.
Three minutes after the interval, Port put the game beyond the hosts when the industrious Caio Evans weaved his way into Felin`s box before being pushed to the ground. Up stepped Tom Hilditch to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot to put Port into an unassailable 0-4 lead.
Port pressed for a fifth but an ill-advised and ever-so-casual Cruyff turn by Farebrother almost presented Felin with a free gift before a timely tackle came to the rescue. Felin, with nothing to lose, had certainly perked up in the second period with some promising counter attacks, and a good effort by a home attacker drifted narrowly wide.
With 15 minutes remaining, Hilditch twice brought the very best out of custodian Marc Jones and sub Jack Gibney, at the end of a mazy run, smashed the ball into the side-netting before the hosts conjured up a somewhat flattering consolation goal.
It was a good goal for all that when an out-swinging cross by Richard MacDonald was headed gloriously past Ollie Farebrother by substitute Morgan Williams to make the final score 1-4.
This coming Saturday, Port will welcome the league`s new boys NFA from the Rhyl area to Y Traeth with a 2.30pm kick-off.