PORTHMADOG turned on the style when it really mattered to achieve a huge morale-boosting 2-1 win over Cymru Alliance top team Airbus Broughton.

As Craig Papirnyk’s men atoned for their mid-week woes at Holyhead Hotspur, Joe Chaplin bagged a precious brace in the first half, to raise his tally to nine in as many outings and book the points.

Chaplin’s delight was shattered just before half-time, when the goal ace sustained a pulled hamstring injury and had to withdraw - and he now faces the prospect of several weeks out of action.

Porthmadog had another match star in goalkeeper Richard Harvey, who excelled in all situations, notably dealing with a series of awkward Airbus corners and making a few decent saves when needed.

Harvey was at his best right at the end, when, with Porthmadog defending that slender 2-1 lead, Airbus’ Aaron Bowen hammered a shot which was deflected at the last split-second and required the goalkeeper’s reflex save for a corner.

Even in stoppage-time, Harvey was called on to provide a decisive punch clear, after another Airbus flag-kick had threatened to produce a late leveller.

The Deesiders, relegated from the Welsh Premier League last season and targeting a quick return, started off at a whirlwind pace and they had nearly scored on 10 minutes, when Bowen shot just wide.

With 24 minutes played, Bowen looked likely again, this time with a header, which Harvey acrobatically tipped over the bar - and it was from that escape that the hosts swept upfield to gain the lead.

Chaplin seized possession around the half-way line, sent Sion Bradley clear on the left and, when the cross came in, he got in behind the defence to score.

Airbus were back on level terms on 29 minutes, when Bowen headed down a cross for Mark Jones to crash an unstoppable 18-yarder past goalkeeper Harvey.

It was Chaplin’s turn again on 35 minutes with what proved to be the winner, following Julian Williams’ right-wing run and cross, which the forward latched on to, drawing visiting keeper Andy Coughlin and finishing off from five yards out.

At other times in this end-to-end spectacular, both teams served up several chances, with Porthmadog featuring midfielder Ifan Emlyn, who had one free-kick blocked, sent another inches over and also saw a 20-yarder go just off target.

Substitute Meilir Williams, called on as Chaplin’s replacement, was denied by the Airbus keeper, while late on Julian Williams worked free, only to drive wide.

PORTHMADOG: R Harvey, R Evans, J Banks, C James (I Price 66 minutes), D Roberts, T Taylor (L Doran 68 minutes), I Emlyn, J Williams, J Chaplin (M Williams 43) C Jones, S Bradley. Unused subs: G J Evans, T French.

AIRBUS: A Coughlin, W Baines (B Jackson 81) S Edwards, S Tomassen, M Jones (J Crowther 68), K Platt, R Edwards, A Williams, A Bowen, A Fosu-Mensah, P Vieira (L Riley 55).Unused subs: G Lloyd, R Song. Ref: M Gray. Att: 239.