Llanelli 5 Porthmadog 0
LACKLUSTRE Porthmadog were swept aside by Llanelli, who were determined to confirm their place in the Inter Toto Cup as the third-from-top finishers.
And a blitz of three goals in nine minutes midway through the second half condemned the Traeth travellers to their worst result of the entire season.
Having frustrated the Llanelli full-timers twice at home – in a 2-1 Premier Cup upset and a 1-1 draw in the league – Porthmadog had hoped for better.
But the late withdrawal of regulars Danny Hughes, Rhys Roberts and Carl Jones left the squad short, although they coped well enough in the first half.
Llanelli set the pace virtually throughout and yet were rationed to a single goal from Jacob Mingorance on 35 minutes, when he converted a left-wing centre at close range.
Porthmadog’s sporadic raids featured one Les Davies shot, which the home keeper Duncan Roberts collected with a superb full-length save.
But the game’s outcome hinged on that damaging spell by Llanelli between the 61st and 70th minutes, when they rattled in more goals from Rhys Griffiths, Mingorance again and Griffiths with his second.
The league’s top scorer, Griffiths, then raised his tally for the season to 36 with the completion of his hat-trick on 80 minutes, while Porthmadog were left shell-shocked.
Davies produced another 20-yarder, which was not good enough, and Clayton Blackmore had a strong drive turned away by Roberts – but these efforts bore little significance in the context of a one-sided game.
