Ardal North West: Mountain back on winning trail, late decider puts Rhyl seven points clear
ARDAL NORTH WEST REPORTS
Wednesday, January 31
Flint Mountain 4 (Ruffer pen 48, Hayes 57, Spencer 73, Ellams 81)
Brickfield Rangers 1 (Hardy 12)
They have a lot of catching up to do where league fixtures are concerned, but Flint Mountain have done themselves a lot of good with two home wins four days apart.
After beating high-flyers Nantlle Vale 1-0 on Saturday, halting the Penygroes club’s five-match winning run, Mountain followed up by recovering from a goal down to thrash Brickfield 4-1 on Wednesday.
While down in eighth spot, Aden Shannon’s men have a number of games in hand on all above them, so a push for the league title or play-off spot is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility if they keep picking up the wins.
Iwan Hardy put Brickfield one-up at the Essity Stadium with a 12th minute finish and it remained 1-0 up to the interval.
Mountain improved much after the break and soon pulled level through a Tom Ruffer penalty awarded for handball
Mike Hayes’ 17th goal of the season put the hosts 2-1 in front on 57 minutes, Ruffer with the assist, and the points were looking safe when Calyn Spencer added a third after 73. Lloyd Ellams’ sublime ball to the edge of the area picked out Spencer, who beat the last defender, rounded the keeper and found the empty net.
Ellams, firing in from an Aaron Simpson knockdown, also made the scoresheet before the end to wrap up a good evening’s work.
Saturday, January 27
Hawarden Rangers 1 CPD Rhyl 1879 2
After three straight defeats, leaders Rhyl 1879 showed true character to bounce back at Hawarden and clinch three points with a last-gasp winner from Sion Williams.
With nearest rivals St Asaph City and Nantlle Vale both failing to win, the Lilywhites were seven points clear at the summit on Saturday evening.
While hosts Hawarden are bottom of the table, their recent form was much improved and it was never going to be a walkover for the Belle Vue men.
Rangers started well, Thomas Bridges a constant threat, but against the run of play, Rhyl took a 19th minute lead.
A great through ball by captain Reece Fairhurst sent Oliver Buckley through on goal, and he was able to drop his shoulder, send the defender the wrong way and slot into the net.
Hawarden were level in no time when Bridges fired across Ryan Woods for 1-1.
Rhyl rallied and chances came and went for Mark Roberts and Buckley, whose effort was cleared off the line. Half-time: 1-1.
Adam Hold was a big danger for the visitors early in the second half, having one effort saved before looking unluckly not to win a penalty – to add insult to injury he was yellow-carded for simulation.
On the hour, Buckley and Roberts both had strikes blocked on the line.
James Ratcliffe was through for Hawarden on 66 minutes, but keeper Woods did well to put the ball out for a corner.
With the game looking as if it would end all-square, deep into injury time Williams smashed home the winner to send the visiting contingent ecstatic.
Conwy Borough 0 Bethesda Athletic 2
A great win for Bethesda edged them out of the bottom two, Joe Todd and Daniel Hughes with the goals on 13 and 70 minutes respectively.
Flint Mountain 1 Nantlle Vale 0
Playing their first league fixture in 12 long weeks, Flint Mountain did really well to end the five-match winning run of third-place Nantlle Vale, Mike Hayes with the deciding goal in first half stoppage time.
Holyhead Hotspur 1 Y Felinheli 0
Dylan Summers-Jones’ 12th goal of the season in the 70th minute was enough to clinch another three points for Hotspur.
Llanrwst United 2 Llay Welfare 3
Goals from Sion Roberts and Math Thomas had Llanrwst 2-1 up at half time, Max Peate replying, but Llay went on to nick the spoils in the second period, Dean Bryan levelling and Dave MacIntyre providing the 85th minute winner.
Pwllheli 3 Llangefni Town 1
Magnificent Pwllheli made it four straight league wins in January and edged up to fourth place in the table.
John Littlemore handed Llangefni a 22nd minute lead, but goals from Ashley Ainsworth and Steffan Toplis had the hosts in front by the break.
Marcus Banks notched a decisive third for Pwll on 87 minutes.
St Asaph City 3 Brickfield Rangers 3
A six-goal thriller at Roe Plas Meadows represents two points dropped for title hopefuls Saints.
Noah Sumner nudged Brickfield ahead on six minutes, but James Williams made it one-apiece before the interval.
Williams’ second for the hosts on 55 minutes gave them a slender advantage, but Aiden Fox equalised after 70 before Asaph’s Alex Hall was dismissed for a second yellow with 75 gone.
Saints’ Williams completed his hat-trick on 80, then when Sumner was red-carded on 89 it looked like Brickfield’s goose was cooked, but six minutes into stoppage time Harley Steel concocted a leveller to snatch a point.