This game kicked off at 2.00pm, a grudging concession by the visitors to events in Moscow, but those who stayed away missed a treat. Any neutral spectator could be forgiven for thinking that Port were the team that were challenging at the top of the table as they took the game by the scruff of the neck from the first kick. The home side could have gone ahead in the first minute when an useful Dafydd Evans cross reached Carl Owen in space on the left but the striker found the angle too narrow and failed to convert the opportunity. The pressure was kept up and after 9 mins Mark Williams came within inches of converting what would have been a spectacular over head shot on goal.
Six mins later and it was no more than Port deserved when they wentahead. First Mark Williams had a shot cleared off the line then Lee Webber drove the ball through a crowded box and Ritchie Owen touched the ball past Worsnop into the net. The lead lasted for only two mins as once again the defence blundered to concede a very untidy goal, when keeping a tight hold on things was all that was needed. Lee Spike took advantage of the slack defence, and a ricochet, to level the score.
Port though continued to dominate and it remains a mystery how the home side did not restore their advantage after 25mins when first of all Worsnop pushed Gareth Parry's header against the post and Mark Williams put the ball in the net but the referee had spotted an offence. Aberystwyth rarely threatened and their only real strike on goal came from a Lawless free-kick well saved by McGuigan.Apart from this effort the much praised Lawless had little impact on the game as he was kept well in check by John Gwynfor who turned in another excellent performance.The opening half ended with Port again on the attack with Baker doing well to clear another Gareth Parry header off the line and Carl Owen, whose pace often exposed thesluggish visitors' defence, broke on the right but his low shot was well saved by Worsnop.
There was little change in the second period where Port if anything were even more dominant.Even the news that TNS had slipped up failed to inspire them. Aber did however have an early chance when Bari Morgan, failed to take advantage of a poor Webber defensive header, blasting his shot well over. Seven mins into the second half and Mike Foster, showing throughout that he was back to full fitness, floated across a perfect free-kick for Lee Webber at the far post to finish with a classic header back across the keeper and into the net. At the other end the scorer then failed to clear and gave Mark Lloyd Williams his only sight of goal in the entire game and on this occasion McGuigan was on hand to deal with his effort on goal. Emrys Williams' tight control of the dangerous 'Juice' was probably a decisive factor in the game.
By now Dafydd Evans was running the game from midfield spraying passes to both flanks. A fine ball to the right found Mark Williams on the right and Worsnop cleared at the near post under pressure from Carl Owen. Then Evans sent Carl Owen through on the left and by now a desperste Finley could only stop him at the expense of a yellow card. Though Port were well on top their failure to add a third meant that Aber were always in with a chance.
Towards the end they did mount some serious attacks and twice Spike got on the end of crosses but McGuigan again proved equal to the task. In fact even in the closing stages Port seemed the more likely to score and subs Tony Williams and Steve Pugh, on the counter-attack, should have done better when the Aber defence was once more outpaced. When the final whistle blew Port had deservedly taken Aber's unbeaten league record and the visitors left the field knowing that the defeat could well have been far heavier.
Viv Williams will be pleased not only with the three points but also the manner in which the victory was gained -by playing their passing game.
Port: Gerard McGuigan, John G Jones, Emrys Williams, Lee Webber, Mike Foster(capt), Danny Hughes, Gareth Parry, Dafydd Evans, Rutchie Owen, Mark Williams (Tony Williams), Carl Owen (Steve Pugh). Sub not used: Gareth Caughter.
Aber: Worsnop, D Burrows, Chris Short, Ben Jones, Ged Hennigan, Gary Finley,Phil Baker, Mark Ll. Williams, Bari Morgan, Lee Spike, Glyndwr Hughes, John Lawless. Subs: Chris O'Sullivan, Tappin, Cerith Davies.
Report by: Gareth Williams
