PORTHMADOG followed up an emphatic 9-2 spree against Cymru Alliance visitors Queen’s Park the previous week by going one better, with a double-figure 10-0 tally against hapless Welsh Cup first round opponents FC Penley.

The Wrexham area side, who had never appeared in the second round of the national knockout, resisted Porthmadog’s advances for the first quarter-of-an-hour but then their defences were breached by the flood of home goals.

Penley were punished by four netted efforts in the first half and six more after the change-around - and they escaped another home effort against the woodwork and a fistful of spurned chances by several Porthmadog players.

Craig Papirnyk’s team accumulated their huge haul with hat-tricks from both Sion Bradley and Meilir Williams, a double from Julian Williams, one goal by Josh Banks and an own-goal.

The draw had initially offered Penley home advantage for the tie, after they scraped through their two previous games via penalty shoot-outs, but they opted to switch the tie to The Traeth.

For them, this was their cup final and they were looking forward to the experience of playing in Cymru Alliance/Welsh Premier standard surroundings.

Penley’s tactics from the outset were based on deploying a packed defence, with virtually all their players behind the ball – and it worked for 20 minutes.

Porthmadog then achieved the breakthrough by means of an exchange of passes between Cai Jones and Bradley, taking the ball into the visitors’ penalty box, where Bradley shot past keeper Adam Thomas from close range.

The home lead was doubled inside 60 seconds when a Penley defender turned in a cross from the right, after Cai Jones had linked up with Tomos Emlyn.

Porth’s third goal on 36 minutes came from Meilir Williams, with a finish from a few yards, after Ifan Emlyn’s free-kick, and the next goal on 40 minutes was Banks’s header at the near post, from Bradley’s corner from the left.

The one and only time Penley threatened in the first half occurred on 42 minutes, when David Ward rushed forward, looking dangerous, but home defender Tomos Emlyn lunged into a vital tackle at the very last second.

More Porthmadog pressure followed relentlessly in the second period and the goals flowed from Julian Williams on the hour, Meilir Williams a minute later and then Williams again on 77.

Porthmadog experienced one jittery moment, when keeper Richard Harvey misjudged a free-kick from 30 yards by the visitors’ Craig Salisbury, but he recovered to atone for the fumble by grabbing the ball at the second attempt.

Porth collected goals numbered eight, nine and 10 in the concluding stages, from Bradley on 82 minutes, the same player from a penalty on 87, after he had been fouled, and Julian Williams also from the spot in added time.

News was later received this week of FC Penley’s decision to call it a day and fold the club with immediate effect.

Porth will host Panteg, of the southern Welsh League division three in round three on Saturday, 2 December.

PORTHMADOG: R Harvey, T Emlyn, J Banks, D Roberts, S Bratt (L Doran 46’), I Price, I Emlyn (C James 64’), S Bradley, C Jones (J Williams 46’), M Williams, J Jones. Unused subs: R Evans, J Chaplin.

FC PENLEY: A Thomas, C Davies (G Williams 76’), J Bell, L Salisbury (J Hughes 87’), A Williams, M Emery, S McDermott (C Salisbury 56’), R Ward, I Dobson, S Williams, D Ward. Ref: D Fogarty. Att: 169.