Airbus UK Broughton
Football Club
The Wingmakers -
March 2010 Welsh Soccer News
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April 11 - 08:00 PORTHMADOG pick up a surprise 2-1 win at Airbus
PORTHMADOG picked up a surprise 2-1 win at Airbus UK,
but based on their great track record at Broughton, the
pundits should not have been too surprised.
It was nip and tuck in the opening half with defences
clearly on top and chances few and far between.
But the Seasiders broke the deadlock on the hour mark
after some fine probing by Cai Jones when Chris Jones
struck the ball low past Airbus keeper Chris Doran.
The Planemakers quickly atoned, however, a fine run by
Josh Johnson setting up Carl Owens who shot from just
inside the box to beat Richard Harvey with the help of the
crossbar.
But Porthmadog were back in front within four minutes,
Chris Jones scoring again.
Airbus left gaps at the back chasing the game and the
visitors missed three glorious chances to seal it.
Doran thwarted Cai Jones, watched a Marcus Orlik chip
rebound off the crossbar and then prevented Chris Jones
from notching his treble.
Wales on Sunday
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April 11 - 08:00 McCreesh puts Port Talbot into final
A SOLITARY goal from Liam McCreesh proved enough to take
Port Talbot into the Welsh Cup final for the first time,
with victory over Bala at Aberystwyth's Park Avenue.
With chances at a premium at both ends, the decisive
moment of a sun-drenched semi-final came on 33 minutes,
when McCreesh’s somewhat innocuous shot managed to slip
through the hands of keeper Leon Bimpson before rolling
into the net.
It was an unfortunate moment for the Bala keeper, who
has been in fine form this season, but on balance of play
the Steelmen deserved their place in the final after
enjoying the better of possession.
Both sides failed to hit their top form in a sometimes
scrappy affair, the ball often spending too long in the
air.
But for Port Talbot and their boss Mark Jones, it was
just reward for their efforts this season.
They carved a few goal-mouth scrambles and a couple of
efforts from distance, but were unable to give themselves
any breathing space as battling Bala remained in the hunt.
The best chance for the league new boys came in the
second half, when a free kick from wide out by John Irving
found the head of the unmarked Ross Jefferies.
His header looked to be sailing for the top corner of
the net but it was well held by keeper Lee Kendall.
That apart, Kendall was never really troubled as his
side’s accustomed solid defending kept the Lakesiders at
arm’s length in their first semi-final appearance.
And the encounter was to end on a further disappointing
note for Bala, whose experienced midfielder Ricky Evans -
such an influence for his side this season - was sent off
in the last minute for picking up a couple of late
bookings.
Wales on Sunday
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April 9 - 14:00 Cup final dream so close for Steelmen
PORT Talbot will look to complete a memorable week as they attempt to reach
their first Welsh Cup final when they meet Bala Town at Aberystwyth's Park
Avenue tomorrow.
A 2-0 league victory over near-neighbours Neath on Wednesday evening has
taken the Steelmen to within a point of third-placed Aberystwyth Town, who
have a tough home encounter with Llanelli tonight — their game in hand.
With three matches remaining there is now a real possibility of Mark
Jones's side making it into Europe for the first time via the league route,
but the Welsh Cup offers a second bite of the cherry as the winners gain an
automatic place.
First-half goals from Daniel Thomas and Martin Rose earned Port Talbot
the spoils at The Gnoll as the Eagles were totally outplayed, and they could
have been on the end of one of their worst beatings of the campaign.
"To be honest, it should have been five or six as we missed some real
sitters," said Jones.
"It was a comfortable win, but thankfully all the lads came through
unscathed so we travel to Aberystwyth with a full squad available."
Chairman Andrew Edwards has arranged an overnight stay in Ceredigion and
his players will be at the Aber v Reds clash tonight.
Although Port Talbot will be hot favourites to reach the final against a
team whose form has dipped of late, Jones is urging caution.
"There are no favourites in cup semi-finals. Everything that has gone on
before goes out of the window," he said.
"We will be treating Bala with the respect they deserve, as if we were
facing The New Saints. We want that final berth and they will feel the same.
"The cup offers the quickest route into Europe so is a vitally important
competition."
Evening Post
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April 9 - 14:00 Premier Clubs face Anxious Wait on Licensing Decision Day
Football Association of Wales Headquarters this morning to assess the twenty-four applications
for an FAW Domestic Club Licence.
The Domestic Licence has been introduced this season by the FAW for any
club wishing to participate in the restructured and streamlined Welsh
Premier League for next year and the Licence is a pre-requisite for
participation in next season's League of Twelve.
Of the current eighteen Principality Welsh Premier League clubs, only
Technogroup Welshpool decided against applying for the Licence when the
process began last August, so the remaining seventeen applications will be
assessed today.
There are also seven clubs from the two feeder leagues who have applied,
with Afan Lido, Barry Town and Bridgend Town from the Welsh League and
Buckley Town, Caernarfon Town, Llangefni Town and Llandudno Town of the
Cymru Alliance.
The clubs are assessed not only on their Stadium, but also the youth
development, player medicals, their legal statutes and stadium lease, the
personnel and administration within the club, which includes the coaching
qualifications of their Manager, their current financial status and their
club charters.
FAW Club Licensing Manager Andrew Howard further explained;
"There are a total of 71 criteria for the Licence applicants to meet, so
we're approaching the end of a very long journey for clubs who have worked
tirelessly to achieve the FAW Licence.
"The criteria that the FAW has set is realistic and pitched at a level,
which we believe merits the status of a Welsh Premier League club. Our
National League needs to progress and making stadia more pleasant for
spectators, improving the levels of coaching and thus standard of play and
ensuring good financial practice will all go a long way to achieve this."
The Club Licensing initiative was introduced by UEFA for their
competitions seven years ago and the FAW has followed suit with the majority
of other European Nations, in developing a similar model for their National
League.
"The introduction of the domestic Licensing system in Wales has certainly
been welcomed by UEFA, who are strong advocates of this form of Governance
at National Association level" added Howard. Welshpremier.com
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April 8 - 11:00 Craig Harrison backs his players to handle ‘Super 12’ pressure
CRAIG Harrison is backing Airbus UK Broughton to keep
their cool in the red-hot race for a Welsh Premier League
‘Super 12’ place.
For the first time in their top-flight history the
Wingmakers are no longer going into the majority of their
matches with the underdog tag around their neck such is
the steady progress they have made under their former
Premier League star boss.
But with that comes added expectation and Harrison does
not deny it would represent a major underachievement if
his 10th- placed side failed to qualify for next season’s
slimmed-down competition by not finishing in a high enough
league position.
Airbus are in possession of one of the prized top-10
spots but failure to take three points from Saturday’s
visit of third-from-bottom Porthmadog to the Airfield
(2.30pm ) would leave them looking over their shoulder.
“It’s been a very progressive year for us as all of the
sudden we are now favourites to win games,” said Harrison,
who will be without the suspended Ashley Williams and the
injured Rhys Roberts against Port.
“Sometimes it’s easier to be a team down at the bottom
than have the pressure of being a team at the top that is
expected to win.
“I’ve been through both. I was part of a Crystal Palace
team that avoided relegation on the last day of the season
and also played in a Middlesbrough team, with the likes of
Paul Merson and Paul Gascoigne, that were going for
promotion to the Premier League. With Palace we were
concentrating on not getting beat, but to actually go and
win the game, like we were expected to do at ’Boro, is a
different type of pressure.
“My players are feeling that now but I’m sure they can
handle it.”
Flintshire Chronicle
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April 8 - 11:00 Port Talbot beat Neath in Welsh Premiership
PORT TALBOT are making a bold bid to land a European spot
for the first time in their history following an
impressive victory at The Gnoll last night.
It was Mark Jones’ side’s seventh unbeaten match on the
trot and they now look forward to a Welsh Cup semi-final
tie against Bala Town at Park Avenue on Saturday.
The visitors had much the better of the exchanges and
won at a canter and now trail third-place Aberystwyth Town
by just a point with three matches of the league campaign
to play.
The Seasiders have played a game less, but they have a
difficult home encounter with Llanelli tomorrow night and
still have Rhyl and The New Saints waiting in the wings.
Daniel Thomas gave the Steelmen a 15th-minute boost
with a superb individual effort, setting off from 30
yards, beating two Neath defenders before lashing home an
unstoppable shot.
And Thomas was to the fore again 18 minutes later when
he threaded the ball through the home defence and Martin
Rose latched onto the opportunity to double the advantage
for Port Talbot.
Andy Dyer’s side never looked like clawing their way
back into the match as they slumped to their fifth home
defeat in seven matches, although they look on course for
the super 12.
They were fortunate not to suffer a heavier loss as
Rose, Thomas and Drew Fahiya all went narrowly close to
adding to Neath’s woe in the second period as the visitors
simply ran away with it.
Western Mail
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April 5 - 11:00 Carl Owen’s late leveller seals points for Airbus
AN injury-time equaliser from Carl Owen earned Airbus a
crucial point from a dramatic game at Latham Park on Saturday.
Home side Newtown got off to a flyer with a Dylan Blain
double on five and 29 minutes putting them in command.
Owen replied for the Wingmakers before the break but there
were no further goals until the 88th minute when the league’s record marksman
Marc Lloyd Williams levelled against his former club with his 15th goal of the
season.
The Robins refused to be disheartened and when in-form
Callum Wright made it 3-2 a minute later it looked like the game was won.
But Owen’s second – his ninth of the season – in stoppage
time earned a vital draw for the Wingmakers who remain in the top 10.
Dave Jones
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April 5 - 22:00 Nomads keep slim top 12 hopes alive
GAP Connah’s Quay warmed up for today’s trip to Bala Town
with a 5-0 thumping of second from bottom Caersws.
“We knew we had more goals in us than we were producing and
that’s why we packed all our training time last week into sorting out this
worrying lack of finishing,” said assistant boss Mark McGregor. “This time we
threw more players into the box and it’s paid off.”
Having set themselves an ambitious target of five straight
wins to finish the season and give themselves a fighting chance of squeezing
into the top Super 12, the resurgent Quay were unrecognisable from their
six-match sequence of single-goal scraps.
Sam McNutt set the ball rolling on 15 minutes with Mike
Hayes adding a second two minutes later.
A header from McGregor (47) followed by Danny Pinch (77)
and Aaron Burns (84) piled up the tally as doomed Caersws suffered another
reverse with never a hint of a double to go with their 1-0 home victory a month
earlier.
Now boosted injury-free Gap will be aiming for a repeat
performance when they face tougher hosts Bala Town in their next test today.Flintshire Chronicle
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April 1 - 22:00 Wingmakers rocked by injury blows
AN injury curse has finally struck Airbus UK
Broughton – leaving them without the services of at least two key players in the
crucial run-in to the Welsh Premier campaign.
Last Wednesday night’s freak 5-1 home loss to Bangor City left Airbus boss
Craig Harrison with more than a sour taste in his mouth.
He saw goalkeeper Kristian Rogers, defenders Jamie Smith and Matty Woodward
and striker Marc Lloyd Williams all injured.
Two of that quartet will not play again this season, Rogers with a broken jaw
and Smith with a dislocated ankle.
A question mark also remains over whether Woodward will feature in the
Wingmakers’ final six games.
“Kristian and Jamie will be out for four to six weeks,” said Harrison. “Matty
has been managing a knee problem for about six months with painkillers, but with
this latest knock enough is enough and he will take some time out to heal now.
“We have avoided injury all season – then this comes all at once.”
The only good news for Harrison is that top-scorer Lloyd Williams will miss
only Saturday’s trip to his former club Newtown (2.30pm).
Airbus are eighth but still have work to do if they are to seal the top-10
spot that would qualify them for next season’s ‘Super 12’.
“We have quality in the squad and players have been knocking on my door
asking why they are not getting into the first team,” said Harrison. “Now they
have the chance to prove I was wrong to leave them out.
“We have Paul McManus, who has League Two goals to his name; Jack Rowlands
has been in good form; Josh Johnson, Tom Rowlands, Gareth Sudlow, James McIntosh
and Gary McConnell are all quality players, while we have the best second
goalkeeper in the Welsh Premier in Chris Doran, so they all have to come in and
show me they deserve a place.”
Flintshire Chronicle
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April 1 - 22:00 Nomads gear up for make-or-break weekend
GAP Connah’s Quay are gearing up for
an Easter weekend double- header which could make-or-break their Welsh Premier
League ‘Super 12’ chances.
Nomads have beaten some of the league’s biggest and best teams this term but
Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Port Talbot Town means they face an uphill task to secure
a coveted top-10 spot – the main playing criteria for participation in next
season’s slimmed- down top flight.
Ken Price’s 14th-placed side are 11 points behind 10th-placed Neath with six
games to play – two of which come in the space of 48 hours.
First up for Nomads is Saturday’s visit of lowly Caersws to the Deeside
Stadium followed by a trip to Bala Town on Monday (both 2.30pm).
Boss Price knows nothing less than maximum points will do following the
defeat to high-flying Port Talbot.
As neighbours Airbus UK Broughton found last month, the Steelmen are an
extremely difficult outfit to break down, and although Nomads improved after the
break, Price had no real complaints with the final outcome.
“They are a strong side to be fair and we let them play too much football in
the first half,” said Price, who lost Ben Alston to injury. “But we changed our
formation around a bit at half-time and had a lot more possession.
“There weren’t that many clear chances going to be honest and what there were
we weren’t able to take.””
Flintshire Chronicle
