Rhyl 1879 grab dramatic late equaliser – but visitors angry over amount of added time

GENERO ADRAN NORTH – MARCH 26, 2023

CPD Y Rhyl 1879 3 (Hargreaves 11, Bannister 75, R Thomas 90+9)
CPDM Y Felinheli 3 (K Jones 10, J Cain 32, Y Williams 38)

Rhyl 1879 captain Rachael Thomas rescued a point for her side with a 99th minute equaliser at Belle Vue.

Frustrated visitors Felinheli led 3-1 at the interval and were angry after the game at the amount of time added on.

Nonetheless, the draw clinched fourth place for Felin, who now have a NWCFA Challenge Cup final against Llandudno to look forward to at Nantlle Vale on April 16.

The away side had to travel without a known goalkeeper as Catrin Beech was away with the North Wales hockey team, so outfield player Beca Williams stepped in on her return from a long-term injury.

Felin were also without the in-form Jordanne Greenough, star defender Llio Henshaw and midfield lynchpin Fflur Williams.

Despite this Felinheli took the lead on 10 minutes thanks to a headed goal from club captain Kelly Jones.

Ffion Williams whipped in a delicious free kick from the right and Jones was on hand to power in the opener.

Just a minute later it was 1-1. Rhyl hit a shot wide of the target which Beca Williams collected after she was confident it had crossed the line and rolled the ball out to take the goal kick.

Rhyl striker Kayla Hargreaves proceeded to put the ball in the back of the net while the Felinheli players looked on aghast, but the referee decided it was a goal.

The visitors settled into the game again and started creating chances. In the 32nd minute some lovely play between Nel Huws, Jody Cain and Shannon Jones in the final third led to a second goal for Felin.

Left-back Cain showed great composure, placing her shot to the keeper’s right and into the bottom corner.

A few minutes later Ffion Williams won a free kick 30 yards out and Yasmin Williams stepped up to take it. Not only did she take it, she rifled it into the back of the net leaving the keeper no chance.

Felin kept creating, Shannon Jones blasting over the bar with the goal at her mercy and Ffion Williams forcing three good saves from Bethan Thomas.

The Gwynedd side started the second half brightly again, testing Thomas on several occasions with Ffion Williams twice denied in one-on-one situations.

In the 75th minute Rhyl pulled one back. Tegan Crockett fed the ball from out wide to Becca Bannister, who took a long range shot that whizzed in over the head of the keeper.

Play became quite intense and physical in the closing stages, but Rhyl kept chasing an equaliser.

In the 99th minute Cain was deemed to have committed a foul on the touch-line around 30 yards out.

Felinheli disputed the award of a free kick and then protested at where the set-piece was taken from, but skipper Thomas beat the keeper with a typical strike to make it 3-3.

After the game, Felin coach Aaron Jones-Evans said: “Player of the match for Felinheli was Beca Williams in goal, who did terrific, especially as she has never played in that position before.

“A very spirited performance from Felinheli and a dogged performance from Rhyl with both teams fighting for the points only for the game to be ruined by some very poor refereeing.

“Regarding the team’s performance, again, absolutely superb, with four under-19 players coming in, no known goalkeeper and a very poorly Shannon Jones.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from them, very proud of everyone in the squad. We can now fully focus and look forward to the cup final against Llandudno on the 16th of April.”