Compared with the tension and excitement of the midweek League Cup clash at Farrar Road this today's game served up a more ordinary fayre with both sides finding control a problem on a hard ground with a swirling wind. These two teams were facing each other for the third time barely a month into the new season. If it had been Port's policy to target games as 'must get three points' games, this would have been one of them especially after the two wins in the League Cup. Port had the better of the early play and after 14 mins Mark Williams tested Brown with a useful header following a Carl Owen break on the left. At the other end McGuigan was called into action to save well from Rogers. In fact after 21 mins, and against the run of play, the visitors could well have gone ahead when Rogers almost caught out a dithering Port defence. Eventually the ball bobbling around the box was cleared.
The home side responded with several dangerous attacks with first Alan Morgan's useful corner being cleared under pressure and a good run down the left and cross by Caughter coming to nothing. Then after 33 mins came the opening goal, when Alan Morgan's left wing corner reached Gareth Parry who sent a well directed header back across goal for Emrys Williams to head past Brown and record his first goal since his return to the Traeth. Only four minutes later the home side had doubled their lead when Mark Williams, on his league debut for Port, took advantage of another dangerous cross by Gareth Caughter to beat the keeper from close range. Port seemed to relax after going into a two goal lead and twice poor defence could have allowed Welshpool back into the game once when Courtney's hurried shot went straight at McGuigan and then in a comedy of errors John Gwynfor and then Lee Webber had to clear off the line. At half-time the home side retained their two goal advantage.
The second half saw Port in full control and from the kick-off Carl Owen was just off target. Soon Webber came close with a header from an Alan Morgan cross. On 56 mins Brown needed to be at his best to keep out a Carl Owen effort following a good through ball by Emrys Williams. Surprisingly it took until the 65 minute for the home side to add to their goal tally and it came from a Lee Webber header, following an accurate Alan Morgan corner. This proved to be the end of the scoring although Port's dominance suggested that there were more goals on the way. Alan Morgan almost caught out Brown with a cleverly floated ball which almost crept under the bar while Carl Owen on a run to the right of the box shot across the face of the goal.
Welshpool, although forced to defend for long periods, did come close on a few occasions. McGuigan made a fine diving save at the foot of the post to keep out the dangerous Steve Rogers and the keeper again did well keeping hold of Gary Evans' well struck free-kick from 20yds.
A victory which brings the points tally up to nine and a league record of three wins in four games and two wins and a draw in league cup games - which represents an excellent start at Welsh Premier level.
Report by: Gareth Williams.
