Following an invitation from David Melding AM (Deputy Presiding Officer National Assembly for Wales) the Dafabet Welsh Premier League was officially launched at the Senedd on Tuesday lunchtime in the company of players and representatives from the twelve member clubs. Mr Melding said: “We are delighted to host the official launch of the Dafabet Welsh Premier League here at the Senedd. It’s encouraging to see Welsh football in such a strong state and I’d like to wish the best of luck to all the teams in the forthcoming campaign.” League Chairman Peter Rees was complimentary of the recent European performances of the WPL representatives over the summer months: “The New Saints and Newtown deserve special praise for their respective successes and the promising performances of Bala and Airbus contributed to our most successful European campaign for well over a decade.” Sue Butler, S4C Sports Editor said: "We're very much looking forward to another thrilling football season on S4C with a new series of Sgorio in its new slot on Saturday afternoons. It's great that we can expand our provision this season to include the supporters outside the UK (on demand outside the UK on the S4C website) for the faithful supporters living abroad, and for new followers too." Dafabet WPL Secretary, Gwyn Derfel commented: "There’s no doubt that the standard of our National League is improving year on year. People are at long last starting to give it the credit it deserves. The opening weekend of fixtures I’m sure will offer people a lot of excitement as well as affordable family friendly football. It promises to be another good season in our National League here in Wales." LANSIAD UWCH GYNGHRAIR CYMRU DAFABET– TYMOR 2015/16 Yn dilyn gwahoddiad caredig gan David Melding AC (Dirprwy Lywydd Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru), lansiwyd tymor newydd Uwch Gynghrair Cymru Dafabet yn y Senedd ddydd Mawrth yng nghwmni chwaraewyr a chynrychiolwyr o’r deuddeg clwb. Dywedodd Mr Melding: “’Rydym yn hynod falch o gael y cyfle i gynnal y digwyddiad arbennig hwn yn y Senedd. Mae’n gyfnod addawol iawn i bêl-droed yng Nghymru a hoffwn ddymuno’r gorau i’r holl glybiau yn ystod y tymor i ddod”. Canmolodd Gadeirydd Uwch Gynghrair Cymru Dafabet, Peter Rees berfformiadau’r clybiau yn Ewrop dros fisoedd yr haf:“Mae’r Seintiau Newydd a’r Drenewydd yn haeddu clod mawr am eu canlyniadau cofiadwy ac fe gyfranodd Y Bala ac Airbus hefyd tuag at ein hymgyrch orau yn Ewrop ers dros ddegawd a mwy”. Dywedodd Sue Butler, Golygydd Chwaraeon S4C:"Rydym yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at ddechrau tymor cyffrous arall o bêl-droed ar S4C gyda chyfres newydd o Sgorio yn ei slot newydd ar brynhawn Sadwrn. Mae'n wych hefyd ein bod yn gallu ehangu'r gwasanaeth eleni i gynnwys y cefnogwyr y tu allan y DU, ar gyfer y cefnogwyr ffyddlon tramor, a denu diddordeb newydd hefyd." Ychwanegodd Gwyn Derfel (Ysgrifennydd Uwch Gynghrair Cymru Dafabet):"Does dim amheuaeth bod safon ein Cynghrair Cenedlaethol yn gwella bob blwyddyn ac o’r diwedd mae’n dechrau cael y sylw y mae’n ei haeddu. Bydd gemau’r penwythnos agoriadol yn siwr o gynnig digon o gyffro am bris rhesymol iawn i deuluoedd. Mae’n argoeli i fod yn dymor da arall yn ein Cynghrair Cenedlaethol yma yng Nghymru." Pre Season Friendly
Friday 14th August Haverfordwest County 3 Aberystwyth Town 2 After a blistering start from Aber to their final pre season game of 2015, leading to a 12th minute headed opener from Chris Venables, a header from Dale Griffiths before the break and two second half goals in two minutes from Jon Roberts and Luke Borelli won an entertaining game for the Pembrokeshire Bluebirds, despite Geoff Kellaway's late reply. On a beautiful summer's evening and an excellent surface the Black and Greens started sharply, and some nice touches lead to early chances for Luke Sherbon and Craig Williams. The dangerous Borelli saw a shot deflected wide for the hosts but then back came Aber again, and within the first quarter of an hour Craig Williams lofted in a deep free kick for Venables to head home the opener, and all in the garden looked rosy. Darren Thomas, who has been the undoubted star of Aber's pre season, was in the middle of everything and created a few openings, as did Cledan Davies with some swashbuckling runs, but the hosts held firm with home keeper Scott James heavily involved. Then however on 36 minutes a right wing cross found Dale Griffiths in Aber's area and he equalised from a few yards out. Borelli then went close twice more, but Aber responded as the exhuberant Thomas ghosted past home defenders to draw a brilliant save from James. Declan Carroll drew a save from Phil Draper and the half ended at 1-1, with Aber probably ahead on points after a positive half. The Bluebirds made a good start to the second half, with Carroll and Sam Rodon both being denied, before a two minute spell which decided the outcome of the game definitively. First a long throw into the area landed nicely for Jon Roberts to glance home a second on 52 minutes, and then two minutes later Carroll played Borelli in for a third goal which the Bluebirds winger deserved. The chances kept coming and with 26 minutes to go Ross Stephens sent a nice ball into Haverfordwest's area, and Kellaway pounced to round the keeper and reduce the arrears. Aber again finished strongly: Craig Williams set up Stephens who fired just wide, Thomas was clean through with Kellaway but was again denied by James, then in injury time Thomas had yet another shot saved by James, and seconds later Venables suffered the same fate down the right side, and the game was gone. The Black and Greens certainly played very well in patches last night, but from now on in the results really count, and they will need to produce a more consistent performance next week at Llandudno if they are to leave Maesdu Park with a positive result in their opening Dafabet Welsh Premier League game of the season. Kick off is at 5.15pm, and the game will be broadcast live by Sgorio from 4.45pm. We however hope to see you on the Supporters Coach instead! Pre Season Friendly Friday 14th August (ko 7.45pm) Haverfordwest County v Aberystwyth Town Aberystwyth Town are preparing for their final pre season friendly tomorrow night against their Friendly Rivals from Pembs, Haverfordwest County at the Conygar Bridge Meadow. The match will give Town Manager Ian Hughes a last chance to cast his eye over his charges in a match situation before the Big Dafabet Welsh Premier League Kick Off a week Saturday at Llandudno. Town's good Pre Season form suffered a slight blip with a 2-0 defeat at Porthmadog last Saturday, so Hughes' Players will be doubly determined to show that they are ready for selection next weekend when they take the field tomorrow evening. The Bluebirds from Haverfordwest were promoted to the Welsh Prem last May, having finished second in the Welsh League Division One, and their squad includes some very familiar faces to Black and Green followers. Ryan Batley and Steff Williams both played for Aber last season while Jordan Follows and Declan Carroll left Park Avenue in 2013. County keeper Craig Morris spent some time at Aber, and other familiar names in Haverfordwest's Squad include Craig Moses, Jack Christopher, Kieran Howard and Nicky Palmer. This fixture generally attracts a good following of Football Supporters from West Wales, and we anticipate an exciting and hard fought derby tomorrow evening. Kick off is confirmed as 7.45pm, and not 7.30pm as has been advertised elsewhere. Aberystwyth Town FC congratulate Black and Greens Academy Product Tom Bradshaw on his first Career Hat Trick Bradshaw's brilliant triple strike earned Walsall a famous 4-3 victory at the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest, last night in the Capitol One League Cup First Round. Tom's significant contribution to this dramatic encounter, which of course produced one of the big shocks in Round One, has hit the headlines in the National Press this morning. He scored the first two goals of the encounter in the 11th and 14th minutes, and with ten minutes to go the Saddlers were 3-1 up. Two late goals from Forest seemed to have taken the game to extra time, but then Bradshaw popped up with an injury time penalty to win the tie! Match Highlights can be viewed here. Shrewsbury-born Tom was a part of Aberystwyth Town's Academy for a number of years while his family were living in Tywyn, and he made his debut for the Black and Greens in 2009, scoring 2 goals in four games and coming on as a substitute in the 2009 Welsh Cup Final. Last season 23 year old Bradshaw appeared at Wembley for Walsall in the Johnson's Paint Trophy Final, and enjoyed his best ever season, scoring 17 goals from 30 League One appearances for the Saddlers, and being named on standby for Wales' Senior Squad in October. After a superb start, everyone at the Club wishes Tom a hugely successful season for Club and ... maybe country? Pre Season Friendly
Saturday 8th August Porthmadog 2 Aberystwyth Town 0 Aberystwyth Town fell to a disappointing defeat in this afternoon's pre-season friendly at Porthmadog, as goals from Eilir Edwards and a penalty from Stuart Rogers earned the hosts a 2-0 victory. Manager Ian Hughes was boosted before kick off by the returns of Phil Draper, Lee Surman, Luke Sherbon, Chris Venables and Rhys Griffiths to the starting line up, but the visitors took a while to settle, and with Port keeping the ball nicely, they had most of the play. A dangerous cross by Rob Evans was headed clear by Surman, whilst at the other end Darren Thomas, starring again for Town, put on a super burst of speed, and his left footed volley brought a sharp save from Richard Harvey. Griffiths had a shot saved for Aber, and Surman headed Ross Stephens' header over the bar while for the hosts Edwards fired wide. Then after a move down the right, Rogers for Port brought a superb save from Draper, but Edwards pounced to fire home from close range on 39 minutes. Draper denied Rogers twice more before the break, and with Aber disrupted by injuries to Jack Rimmer (stomach strain), Rhys Griffiths (nasty calf injury), and the illness of Craig Williams, Port were good value for their lead. The visitors started the second half strongly, and sub Geoff Kellaway brought a save from Harvey with a volley, before setting up Thomas to do the same. At the other end Draper did excellently well to deny Edwards. Cledan Davies drew a free kick on the edge of the area, which Venables fired just over, and he then drew yet another save from Harvey. Antonio Corbisiero made a welcome return to Aber's midfield with 15 minutes to go but minutes later Port were awarded a very debatable penalty for handball, and Rogers sealed the win confidently, to the delight of the 100 strong support from the Criccieth Pathfinder Camp. Try as they might, it was not going to be Aber's day, despite creating chance after chance late on. Venables flashed a shot over the bar after an excellent move involving Stephens and Thomas, Surman and Sherbon had efforts blocked and Harvey yet again denied Thomas, but the game ended at 2-0, with Port deserving the victory having shown a more clinical edge where it really mattered. Ian Hughes and his side will be glad of two more weeks training, and one last friendly next Friday night, to improve on their match sharpness and prove that they are ready for the Big Kick Off at Llandudno on 22nd August. Kick off at Bridge Meadow, Haverfordwest in six days' time will be at 7.45pm. Looking forward to it already! Pre Season Friendly Saturday 8th August (kick off 2.30pm) Porthmadog v Aberystwyth Town Aberystwyth Town travel North up the Cambrian Coast tomorrow for their penultimate pre season friendly of 2015, and are guaranteed a tough test at Cymru Alliance front runners Porthmadog. Aber have had a promising pre season run to date, beating Welsh Alliance sides Llandyrnog United and Llangefni Town, and earning a draw at Caersws last week with an extremely youthful side. More first team regulars are certain to return to the Squad tomorrow, with Mike Lewis and Luke Sherbon coming back into contention after injuries and Chris Venables, Rhys Grifiths, Geoff Kellaway and Lee Surman also available for selection as Manager Ian Hughes gets to the business end of Town's Pre Sesaon Schedule, with just two weeks remaining until the Big Kick Off. Porthmadog have had a mixed pre season to date, defeating Barmouth, Carno and Nantlle Vale, drawing with Dolgellau, but losing to Penrhyndeudraeth and Gap Connah's Quay, but they will certainly be on a high after last Saturday's 3-2 friendly victory at Nantporth, home of Bangor City. Their squad has some familiar faces, notably Ben Vangucci, who came through Aber Town's Youth side, and Rob Evans who represented Aber in the 2009 Welsh Cup Final. Ground directions, and much much more can be found on Porthmadog's excellent - and bilingual website here: http://www.porthmadogfc.com/index.htm. Kick off at Y Traeth will be at 2.30pm. |
Gem Nesaf
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Ebost / Email: AberTownFC@live.co.uk
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