Llangefni Town 2 Porthmadog 4

Ardal North West

ONE of football`s most irritating clichés is ‘ game of two halves’. Well, this nerve-shredding encounter between 1st and 2nd placed clubs in Tier Three was undeniably one of those.

Port started very well with Josh Banks and Rhys Alun a constant thorn in Cefni`s side down the left flank and they took an early lead on five minutes when midfielder Ryan Williams found Jake Jones in space on the right and his cross was parried by keeper Gethin Hughes into the path of the dangerous Danny Brookwell to finish with confidence.

Gradually, Llangefni were beginning to find their feet but any hopes of an early revival were dashed when Rhys Alun netted a penalty midway through the half.

Much to their credit, the islanders grew more and more into the game and manufactured their first scoring chance on the half hour mark when Osian Jones missed the target with a close range header.

More chances follwed for the hosts but Port extended their lead on the stroke of half time when they were awarded a hotly disputed penalty after Hughes was again adjudged to have brought down the onrushing Rhys Alun, who again scored from the spot.

It was then that Llangefni started to turn on the style with Osian Jones going close twice.

Llangefni threw caution to the wind in the second half and played some really good attacking football.

Barely five minutes in, they reduced the deficit when a free kick was awarded on the edge of the box and a well-directed cross by Caio Inch was headed home by Cameron Jones.

Port had lost their cohesion by now and were providing little or no threat in attack.

Llangefni, on the other hand, were on fire as they conjured up several enthusiastic attacks and on 78 minutes, it was 2-3 courtesy of a wonderful looking cross-cum-shot by Aron Hughes-Jones which looped high over Farebrother before nestling on the inside of the side-netting.

But Port restored their two-goal buffer when Josh Bank’s thumping header against the run of play took a deflection off defender Aled Williams on its way into the roof of the net.

It was horribly against the run of play and it wasn`t always pretty but it was ultimately a great away win for Port, who stay top of the league with 34 points and a very impressive goal difference of +29.

Next Saturday, they welcome Connah`s Quay Town to Y Traeth in another league encounter. This will be a very tough encounter against the first team to take points off them so far this season.