Ardal North West – Robbo’s return in Rhyl shirt has proved eventful!
ARDAL NORTH WEST – REPORTS AUG 12-13
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 4 CPD Pwllheli 0
One of the most interesting stories of the season in North Wales football so far has been the return from retirement of new CPD Y Rhyl striker Mark Roberts.
After initially hanging up his boots a year ago, the 37-year-old recently announced a comeback with tier three side the Lilywhites.
And the Denbigh man has had a colourful start to life at Bellevue, being somewhat unfortunately sent off on his debut at Llanrwst only to bounce back with two goals after coming on as a sub in Saturday’s 4-0 home triumph against Pwllheli.
He told Grassroots North Wales: “It’s good to be back! I was just missing the game and still felt I could offer something. Injury wise (touch wood) I’m feeling great.
“I did break my metatarsal during my last season with Denbigh, but there are no ongoing issues.
“It will be match sharpness I will be lacking, having joined the Rhyl squad very late on in pre-season, but hopefully that will come relatively quickly with the frequency of games this time of year.”
While best known for his long service and prolific goal-scoring feats for Denbigh Town, “Robbo” has also worn the colours of Llandyrnog United, Buckley Town, Caernarfon Town and Corwen during a 21-year senior career.
His time at Central Park provided most of his footballing highlights, none more so than when Town defied the odds to reach the Word Cup Final in 2015/16.
Knocking out three Welsh Premier teams en route in Rhyl, Airbus and Connah’s Quay, the Cymru Alliance underdogs eventually lost 2-0 to full-timers The New Saints in the final.
Mark was also a member of the 2013/14 Denbigh Town invincibles which landed the Welsh Alliance League title under Richard Williams-Cooke.
Saturday’s meeting with Pwllheli saw the Lilywhites determined to wipe out the memory of a painful 4-1 home loss to Flint Mountain on Wednesday.
And they did just that, taking a seventh-minute lead through Kieran Ellis, back from injury after missing the Mountain game.
Ellis was replaced at half time by Mark Roberts.
Rhyl went two-up on 50 minutes when Adam Hold found the net, James Jones with a second assist.
Roberts then came into his own, netting on 52 and 60 minutes, Macauley Taylor and Aaron White providing the assists.
Llay Welfare 2 Holyhead Hotspur 0
Mike Gadie and Steven Halliwell’s Llay Welfare side continued their excellent start to the season by ending Holyhead Hotspur’s 100 per cent record at The Ring on Sunday.
Having lost narrowly 2-1 at Flint Mountain in their opening game, Welfare bounced back a 3-0 midweek victory over Brickfield Rangers and followed up with an impressive result against the Hotspur, who were in the tier 2 Cymru North last season.
After a goalless first half, Llay took a 50th minute lead when Dan Lloyd made it 1-0 from a Jon Collo assist.
Sub Rhys Lloyd doubled the home score just a minute after coming on as a 69th minute substitute, finding the net after Dan Lloyd set him up.
Max Peate was named man of the match for the home team.
CPD Y Felinheli 1 Hawarden Rangers 0
Cal Macdonald’s 28th minute goal was enough to ensure Felinheli registered their first league success of the campaign.
Hawarden Rangers, who suffered a third straight loss, completed a miserable afternoon with the 88th minute dismissal of Joshua Robertson for a second yellow card.
Llangefni Town 0 Flint Mountain 0
Two sides who have started the season in excellent fashion could not be separated after a fiercely-contested 90 minutes at Cae Bob Parry.
Mountain recorded a highly impressive 4-1 result at Rhyl 1879 on Wednesday, but they could not get past Cefni keeper Stephen Sinclair, who made some fantastic stops, especially in the opening half, Mike Hayes among the visiting players frustrated.
The nearest the visitors went to breaking the deadlock was a Sam Henry free kick which came back off the bar.
Llangefni had their chances too, especially in the second half when they piled on periods of pressure, but there was to be no breakthrough.
Both teams remain unbeaten with seven points out of a possible nine.
Nantlle Vale 4 Brickfield Rangers 0
Cai Morgan was a hat-trick hero for a Nantlle Vale side which leads the table and is now the only remaining team with a 100 percent record.
Morgan’s treble was registered with goals on 14, 45+3 and 67 minutes, while Jamie Jones also struck after 51.
St Asaph City 4 Conwy Borough 3
Substitute Callum Murphy’s 96th minute decider clinched St Asaph their first win of the season in Ardal North West.
Toby Jones edged Boro in front on four minutes, but James Williams equalised on 25.
The visitors regained the advantage just before half time when Toby Jones added his second.
Alex Hall made it two-apiece on 47 and the game looked to be heading for a draw until sub Alfie Vaughan gave Saints an 85th minute lead.
The drama was far from over. City’s Josh Brown was shown a second yellow on 87, then three minutes into added time Isaac Carey made it three apiece.
One last twist…..Vaughan set up Murphy for the last-gasp winner.
Saltney Town 1 Llanrwst United 3
Conor Davies (2) and Cal Parry banked three points for Llanrwst, who trailed 1-0 at half time to a James Stevens goal.
This match was reported in depth by Grassroots North Wales on Saturday.