Llanrhaeadr 0 Porthmadog 2

LLANRHAEADR made Porthmadog toil before two second-half goals ensured the North Wales side a fifth successive win.

Porthmadog threatened early with top scorer Shaun Cavanagh firing against the post inside the opening five minutes.

The visitors continued to threaten with Rob Evans heading wide before Julian Williams tested home goalkeeper Jimmy Hayns.

Llanrhaeadr were not without their moments with player-manager Marc Griffiths heading over while maintaining a threat on the break throughout the half.

Porthmadog ended the half on top with Dan Dascalu testing Hayns before Williams’ shot was deflected wide.

The deadlock was broken three minutes after the break with Ifan Emlyn’s corner beyond Hayns for Josh Banks to head home.

Hayns denied Gruff John from another Emlyn corner moments later before the weather conditions worsened.

Despite the driving rain and wind both sides continued to look to play football and Llanrhaeadr almost levelled with 20 minutes remaining with Iwan Matthews firing across the face of goal.

However the let off galvanised the visitors and just five minutes later Iwan Lewis’ right wing cross failed to be cleared for Cavanagh to drill home.

It proved to be Cavanagh’s last action with the striker hobbling off moments later with an ankle injury.

To their credit the villagers continued to press and with 10 minutes remaining were handed a lifeline when Matthews was brought down in the area by Ceri James only for Iain Edmunds’ penalty to be superbly saved by Porthmadog goalkeeper Paul Pritchard.

LLANRHAEADR: Hayns, M Evans, Edmunds, Bailey, Kelly, Vaughan, T Evans, Green, Wytton, Matthews, Griffiths. Subs: Graham, Lloyd, D France, H France