PLAYER manager Neil Gibson was none too impressed after a tale of two penalty decisions cost his Prestatyn team dearly at the GenQuip Stadium. The visitors were leading 1-0 and looking comfortable when on the stroke of half time Seasiders striker Ian Griffiths looked to be blatantly brought down in the area, but referee Dean John waved play on. To add insult to injury, Port Talbot raced upfield and although Russ Jones’ tackle in the box looked a clean one, and no home players appealed, Mr John deemed it illegal and pointed to the spot. Martin Rose gratefully took the opportunity to level the game. Although Prestatyn were far from disgraced in the second half, two bad pieces of defending led to the goals which sealed their fate. “We feel very hard done by,” said Gibson. “Had that blatant penalty been given in our favour we could have gone in 2-0 up instead of 1-1. There’s no doubt their penalty changed the game. It was a dodgy penalty to put it lightly.” Earlier the visitors had produced an impressive first half display. On 23 minutes Steve Hoult’s free-kick to the back post picked out Steve Bowes whose cross-cum-shot was tapped home by Michael Parker. The penalty dramas close to half time proved the prelude to a frustrating second stanza for Gibson’s men. James Burgin was given way too much space on the left to play a cross into the box and Rose pounced for his second on 59 minutes. Town deserved an equaliser when Bowes hit a magnificent shot but keeper Kristian Rogers produced a fantastic save. As they pressed for a leveller, the Bastion Road outfit left themselves open at the back and four minutes from time Burgin made sure of the points with a third for the Steelmen. Still Prestatyn would not give up, Bowes’ last gasp effort rattling the bar. “We’re getting punished for our mistakes at the moment,” added Gibson. “Again, had Steve Bowes’ shot gone in at 2-1 it could have been a different game, but things aren’t going our way at present.” Prestatyn: Dunt, Harris, J Lewis, Humphreys (Duffy 70), Jones, Evans (A Williams 65), Hoult (G Davies 80), Gibson, Parker, Bowes, Griffiths. Att: 145. This Saturday Prestatyn visit Newtown (2.30pm). | 
