Saturday 11 May 2002 Garw Athletic 6-3 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Friday 10 May 2002 Pontlottyn Blast Furnace 0-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) It’s been hard work but we’ve done it. Pontypridd Town finish in third place and are promoted to the Second Division of the Welsh League. Yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tuesday 7 May 2002 Dinas Powys 0-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Breathtaking, brilliant, unforgettable, superb, need I go on. An unbelievable night! This result means that a win in our last game will clinch promotion. However if we lose Caldicot go up, if we draw we will be level on points and goal difference so there would be a play off to decide who goes up. Goals scored are NOT taken into account to decide promotion issues. Caldicot 67 points from 34 games +43 GD, Ponty 66 points from 33 games +43 GD. Saturday 4 May 2002 Troedyrhiw 1-1 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Huge disappointment as we now need at least a draw from our tough match at title chasing Dinas Powys. Defeat would hand Caldicot promotion. Caldicot 67 points from 34 games +43 GD, Ponty 63 points from 32 games +41 GD. Bettws 4-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Wednesday 1 May 2002 Caldicot’s 4-0 win over Skewen in their final game means we need six points from our last three games to guarantee promotion! Caldicot 67 points from 34 games +43 GD, Ponty 62 points from 31 games +41 GD. Sunday 28 April 2002 Caldicot beat Newcastle Emlyn 2-0 so it’s now between us and Caldicot for third place. Caldicot 64 points from 33 games +39 GD, Ponty 62 points from 31 games +41 GD. Saturday 27 April 2002 Seven Sisters 1-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) This superb win and Caldicot’s defeat at Troedyrhiw due to a last minute goal leaves us favourites for third place, Newcastle Emlyn lose again at Caerau Ely. Ponty 62 points from 31 games +41 GD, Caldicot 61 points from 32 games +37 GD, Newcastle Emlyn 55 points from 31 games +5 GD. Porthcawl Town 4-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Wednesday 24 April 2002 Caldicot win 1-0 at Dinas Powys to move above us into third. Caldicot 61 points from 31 games +38 GD, Ponty 59 points from 30 games +40 GD, Newcastle Emlyn 55 points from 30 games +7 GD. Tuesday 23 April 2002 Pontypridd Town 0-2 Goytre United (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Sunday 21 April 2002 Newcastle Emlyn 1-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) A missed opportunity, now we need to win all of our last four games unless Caldicot slip up. Ponty 59 points from 30 games +40 GD, Caldicot 58 points from 30 games +37 GD, Newcastle Emlyn 55 points from 30 games +7 GD. Saturday 20 April 2002 A midweek defeat against Dinas Powys and a draw at Caerau Ely today for Caldicot, while Newcastle Emlyn have also drawn twice and are almost out of contention. Ponty 59 points from 29 games +41 GD, Caldicot 58 points from 30 games +37 GD, Newcastle Emlyn 52 points from 29 games +6 GD. Wednesday 17 April 2002 RTB Ebbw Vale 0-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 13 April 2002 Pontypridd Town 6-1 Skewen Athletic (Welsh League Division 3) Back up to third as Newcastle Emlyn suffer shock 4-0 home defeat. Ponty 56 points from 28 games +39 GD, Caldicot 54 pts from 27 games +33 GD, Newcastle Emlyn 50 points from 27 games +6 GD. Saturday 6 April 2002 Pontypridd Town 2-0 Pentwyn Dynamo’s (Welsh League Division 3) Wednesday 3 April 2002 Caldicot beat Abercynon 10-0 tonight. Caldicot now have 51 points from 26 games +30GD, Pontypridd 50 points from 26 games +32 GD, and Newcastle Emlyn 50 points from 25 games +11GD. Tuesday 2 April 2002 Pontypridd Town 2-2 Dinas Powys (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 30 March 2002 Pontypridd Town 1-0 Pontlottyn Blast Furnace (Welsh League Division 3) Caldicot lost again so we move up to third place. Re-arranged fixtures: Newcastle Emlyn Away SUNDAY 21 April and Pontlottyn Away FRIDAY 10 May, our last game of the season. Saturday 23 March 2002 Pontypridd Town 2-1 Tillery (Welsh League Division 3) Good news as Caldicot and Newcastle Emlyn lost to put us right back in the promotion race. Bad news as Lee and Robert Richards have definitely left. Old favourite Stacy Fulker returns from Treforest and the impressive Dewi Frelford is likely to stay. Wednesday 20 March 2002 Tonight’s match at Pontlottyn postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Saturday 16 March 2002 Abercynon Athletic 1-3 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Tuesday 12 March 2002 Pontypridd Town 2-5 Bridgend Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 9 March 2002 Pontypridd Town 0-1 Caldicot Town (Welsh League Division 3) Disaster as we lose to our big rivals, who are now favourites for the third promotion place. The result also meant the loss of some financial backing, and two players, top scorer Robert Richards and his brother Lee, may be leaving the club following a “difference of opinion”. Saturday 2 March 2002 Today’s game at Dinas Powys was postponed due to a “dangerous pitch”. Some of our regular supporters travelled to the ground and in their opinion the surface was fine, but there were no posts up and the pitch hadn’t been marked. Tuesday 26 February 2002 Pontypridd Town 1-2 AFC Llwydcoed (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 23 February 2002 Pontypridd Town 4-0 Newcastle Emlyn (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 16 February 2002 Newport YMCA 1-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Tuesday 12 February 2002 Pontypridd Town 2-2 Gwynfi United (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 9 February 2002 Pontypridd Town 1-1 Risca & Gelli United (Welsh League Division 3) Welsh League debuts for centre forward Dewi Frelford and winger Ross Tyler in this game. Both players usually turn out for Graig Metals in the South Wales Amateur League but helped us out due to our injury situation. Wednesday 6 February 2002 Albion Rovers 0-3 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) At last we play a match, three points, and Robert Richards returns from injury with two goals. Wednesday 30 January 2002 Yet another game (at Albion Rovers) postponed due to the weather; rearranged for 6 February. Tuesday 29 January 2002 Pontypridd Town 4-4 Bettws (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 26 January 2002 Both today’s Welsh League games at RTB Ebbw Vale (firsts) and Porthcawl Town (seconds) are postponed due to waterlogged pitches following recent torrential rain. The RTB game has already been re-arranged for Wednesday 17 April. Also Troedyrhiw (Away) re-arranged for Saturday 4 May, which will be the last game of the season. Saturday 19 January 2002 Today’s Reserve League game at Bettws was postponed due to the poor state of their pitch. Bad news as midfield transfer target Jarred Harvey has joined first division Bridgend Town instead of Ponty from Ton Pentre. Tuesday 15 January 2002 Pontypridd Town 1-5 Garw Athletic (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Revised Third Division fixtures as follows: Albion Rovers (Away) now Wednesday 30 January instead of Saturday 2 February due to a Newport County fixture. Pontlottyn (Away) now Wednesday 20 March. Dinas Powys (Home) now Tuesday 2 April. Saturday 12 January 2002 Pontypridd Town 5-0 Caerau (Welsh League Division 3) Pontyclun 2-5 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 5 January 2002 Today’s match at Troedyrhiw is postponed due to a frozen pitch. Saturday 29 December 2001 Pontyclun 1-1 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Greg Bowler, home for Christmas from USA, makes his first appearance of the season. Saturday 22 December 2001 Today’s match at Pontlottyn is postponed due to a frozen pitch. Tuesday 18 December 2001 Pontypridd Town 0-3 Pontyclun (Welsh League Reserve Division Cup) Saturday 15 December 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-1 Seven Sisters (Welsh League Division 3) Ross Lloyd, home for Christmas from USA, makes his first appearance of the season. Saturday 8 December 2001 Skewen Athletic 0-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) A potentially serious knee injury to top scorer Robert Richards is a big blow to our promotion hopes. Bettws 8-1 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division Cup) Tuesday 4 December 2001 Pontypridd Town 4-2 AFC Rhondda (Welsh League Reserve Division South) The first points since 11 September and first points under John Williams & Richard Goldsworthy. Saturday 1 December 2001 Pentwyn Dynamo’s 2-4 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Another impressive result lifts us to third place in the league table. Phil Clarke makes his debut (again), Robert Richards hits his first hat trick in Pontypridd Town colours. (Latest update dedicated to Jason of our Under 14 team) Friday 30 November 2001 Pontypridd Town tonight decided to continue in the Welsh Reserve League for at least another month. Three games are scheduled for December and the position will be reviewed after these. Saturday 24 November 2001 Pontypridd Town 4-1 Abercynon Athletic (Welsh League Division 3) Local boy Phil Clarke signed today after training with Ponty for the past few weeks. He played in the League of Wales for UWIC Inter Cardiff last season, as well as turning out for us in a few games at the end of the season, and being a first team regular with us a few seasons ago. The scheduled Reserve League game at Garw Athletic had to be called off as we had only 7 players. This was the third time this season that we were unable to field 11 players and Pontypridd Town are now seriously considering resigning from this league. Wednesday 21 November 2001 Goytre United 9-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Tuesday 20 November 2001 Pontypridd Town 4-0 RTB Ebbw Vale (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 17 November 2001 Tillery 1-6 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Richard Haig has joined and made a brilliant debut. Mark Evans also played but only because he is cup tied for Port Talbot after his recent transfer from Llanelli. Goalkeeper Leigh Morgan made his comeback after injury. Port Talbot Athletic 6-1 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Tuesday 13 November 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-3 AFC Rhondda (Welsh League Reserve Division Cup) Apparantly 2 or 3 Ton Pentre players, including prolific striker Richard Haig, are interested in joining Ponty following the arrival of Ian French. Former Ponty player Phil Clarke, who was at UWIC Inter Cardiff, may also be returning, possibly with some other former UWIC Inter players. Saturday 10 November 2001 Maesteg Park 4-1 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Cup 2) New goalkeeper Mark Emery made his debut after joining from South Wales Amateur League leaders Llanbradach. Seth Frelford has left to pursue a career in Australia. Adrian James has decided to remain at Pontyclun for the rest of the season. AFC Llwydcoed 9-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 3 November 2001 Caldicot Town 2-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Ian French has transferred from Ton Pentre and played today. Monday 29 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-2 Troedyrhiw (Welsh League Division 3) Former Merthyr Tydfil, Barry Town and currently Ton Pentre central defender Ian French was at tonight’s game and is likely to join Ponty before Saturday’s match. Rumours abound that former captain Adrian James may be on his way back from Pontyclun. Saturday 27 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-2 Newport YMCA (Welsh League Division 3) Bridgend Town 4-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Tuesday 23 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-1 Albion Rovers (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 20 October 2001 Caerau Ely 2-2 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Tuesday 16 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-3 Pontyclun (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Saturday 13 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-3 Briton Ferry Athletic (Welsh Cup 2) Goalkeeper Barrie Fitzgerald makes his Ponty debut. AFC Rhondda 10-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Tuesday 9 October 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-1 Pontyclun (Welsh League Division 3) Goalkeeper Leigh Morgan suffered a broken bone in his foot after a late challenge in tonight’s game and will be out for a few weeks. Former Youth team manager John Williams and assistant Richard Goldsworthy are to assist in running the Reserve team alongside Gary Bowler after two recent heavy defeats. Our scheduled match against Albion Rovers on 13 October has been moved to Tuesday 23 October to accommodate our Welsh Cup game against Briton Ferry. The game at Newcastle Emlyn on 20 October has been postponed due to Emlyn’s Welsh Trophy match. Ponty will play at Caerau Ely instead in a game brought forward from January. Saturday 29 September 2001 Risca & Gelli United 1-3 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Rhys Davies made his Welsh League debut in this game but Adrian James, who started the season as our captain, has left to join our neighbours Pontyclun. Tuesday 25 September 2001 Tonight’s scheduled Reserve League South game was called off in farcical circumstances because of an internal communication breakdown between council departments which meant there was no-one available to open the changing rooms, switch on floodlights etc. Saturday 22 September 2001 Caerau 2-4 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Division 3) Gwynfi United 13-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Caerau have withdrawn from the Reserve League due to a lack of players so next week’s fixture is cancelled. Saturday 15 September 2001 Pontypridd Town 3-1 AFC Llwydcoed (Welsh Cup 1) Another cup giant-killing as the second division leaders who had previously won all their 5 matches played this season were well beaten. AFC Llwydcoed 16-0 Pontypridd Town (Welsh League Reserve Division Cup) The most embarrassing result in the club’s history. Players failed to turn up and Ponty started with 8, including the manager and several fringe players. Tuesday 11 September 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-0 Porthcawl Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) New signing Simon Lewis makes his debut in midfield. Experienced midfield general Phillip Thomas has joined Ponty but he is currently suspended. He was previously with first division AFC Rhondda and played 4 games for us in 1997/98 before his season was curtailed by injury. Saturday 8 September 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-0 Caerleon (Welsh League Cup 1) An act of giant-killing as the first division side are beaten. Defender Shane Hughes signed for Ponty after the match, he was with Abercynon last season. Stewart Summerell re-joined us following his return from coaching in USA over the summer. Tuesday 4 September 2001 Pontypridd Town 6-0 Bridgend Town (Welsh League Reserve Division Cup) Young striker Gavin Evans hit all six goals. New signings John Lewis, David Allen, Craig Ryan, Gareth Lloyd and striker Craig Evans all played. The “other” Craig Evans who plays at the back shall now be known as Craig L. Evans. Thursday 30 August 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-2 Caerau Ely (Welsh League Division 3) Saturday 25 August 2001 Treowen Stars 1-2 Pontypridd Town (friendly match) Another new signing young midfielder Rhys Davies made a big impression in this game. Sunday 19 August 2001 Pontypridd Town 4-0 Port Talbot Town (Welsh League Reserve Division South) Former Ponty player Gary Bowler has been appointed manager of the new Welsh League reserve team. The club hope to operate a squad system instead of two separate teams and first team manager Brian Gibson is expected to have a big say in who plays in each team. New signings prior to today’s game are youth players Colin John, Ashley Richards, Steven Morris, David Goldsworthy and Daniel James plus Taff Ely League players Julian Bartlett-Jones and Roger Bartlett-Jones. Manager Gary Bowler has registered as a player in case of emergency. Ponty have arranged a friendly at Treowen Stars for Saturday 25th August. Tuesday 14 August 2001 Pentwyn Dynamos, winners of the South Wales Senior League, have won their appeal to the Welsh FA to be allowed promotion into the Welsh League. Further proof that the pyramid system isn’t being run properly as a team from the South Wales Area, Troedyrhiw, had already been promoted. I have nothing against either of these teams but only one of them should have been promoted and in my opinion the South Wales FA are cheating the system by arranging for two of their “champion” clubs to win promotion. There will now be 18 teams in the Third Division, instead of the 16 sides laid down in the Welsh League’s constitution and rules. The FAW’s own rules (Regulations for the pyramid structure, para. 2 d) states that from 2002/03 all divisions must have no more than 16 teams. With 18 teams in the League of Wales, 19 in the Welsh League First Division and 18 in the Welsh League Third Division, does this mean a minimum of 6 teams relegated from the Welsh League this season? What a mess our administrators have got us in. Again. Monday 13 August 2001 Pontypridd Town 1-1 Ton Pentre (pre-season friendly) The scheduled game at Treforest on Wednesday has been cancelled at the home side’s request. New signing 20 year old Greg Bowler has won a scholarship place for soccer players in America and will be leaving later this week. Best wishes to Greg from everyone at Ponty Town. Thursday 9 August 2001 Gareth John, the new manager of Ponty’s Taff Ely League team is said to be considering his position due to other commitments. Apparantly the job takes up more time than he thought. Tuesday 7 August 2001 Pontypridd Town 7-1 Swansea City (pre-season friendly) This is NOT a typing error! Another of the best night’s in the club’s history! Another goalkeeper, Nicky Voleinik, has signed for Ponty. 19 year old Ross Lloyd today left the country to take up a coaching post at a college in America. Best wishes from everyone at the club to a Ponty boy through and through. Friday 3 August 2001 Pontypridd Town 2-5 Cardiff City (pre-season friendly) One of the best night’s in the club’s history, see reports for full details. Several new signings were confirmed prior to kick off including Jerome Jeremiah (ex-Penrhiwceiber Rangers), Greg Bowler (ex-Blaenrhondda), Robert Richards (ex-Abercynon Athletic), Lee Richards (ex-Abercynon Athletic), Craig Evans (ex-Rhydyfelin), Gavin Evans (ex-Rhydyfelin), Kristan Tyler and reserve goalkeeper Barrie Fitzgerald. Both Greg Bowler and Gavin Evans are products of Ponty’s youth set up who are returning “home”. Tuesday 24 July 2001 Former Pontypridd Town secretary Peter Chalmers has been appointed a director of the club. Tuesday 17 July 2001 Penrhiwceiber Rangers 1-1 Pontypridd Town (pre-season friendly) The friendly match against Cardiff City has been switched from Wednesday 1 August to Friday 3 August as CCFC have arranged a match against Coventry for 1 August. As a result the game against Blaenrhondda has been cancelled. Saturday 7 July 2001 AFC Llwydcoed 1-1 Pontypridd Town (pre-season friendly) Monday 2 July 2001 Gareth John has been appointed manager of Pontypridd Town’s Taff Ely League side. Gareth was a goalkeeper with First Division champions Llantrisant last season but wants to get more involved in coaching. Ponty are still looking for a manager for the new reserve team in the Welsh League Reserve Division South. Saturday 30 June 2001 At the club presentation night held at Trallwn Workingmen’s Club, Neil Daniels won Welsh League Player of the Year and Lee Jones Taff Ely League Player of the Year. The Players’ Player of the Year was Adrian James for the Welsh League and Darral Evans for the Taff Ely League. The Welsh League AGM was held today and it was announced that the third division will contain 17 clubs this season, instead of the 16 which is in the league’s constitution. Caldicot, Risca and Albion Rovers are relegated from the second division, with Bettws, AFC Llwydcoed and Treharris promoted in their place. Only Abergavenny Thursdays are relegated with Troedyrhiw and RTB Ebbw Vale being promoted. I don’t know exactly why Caerau escaped relegation, possibly friends in high places? At the AGM Ponty were accepted as founder members of the Welsh League Reserve Division South. Wednesday 20 June 2001 Ponty have announced pre-season friendly fixtures as follows: Cardiff City (home) Wed 1/8/01; Blaenrhondda (University of Glamorgan fields) Sat 4/8/01; Swansea City (home) Tue 7/8/01; Treforest (away) Wed 15/8/01. More games will probably be arranged and the above fixtures are subject to last minute changes so check with the club before travelling. The Welsh League season starts on Saturday 18/8/01 with fixtures due out at the League AGM on Saturday 30 June. |
