North Wales Coast East Division One: Bow edge win and cut gap on leaders

NORTH WALES COAST DIVISION ONE

Rhos United 1 (Court 10)
Bow 2 (Parry 51, Issacs 58)

Undefeated Bow had to recover from going a goal down before fighting back to claim a vital victory at the OPS Wind Arena.

The Prestatyn side closed the gap on leaders Llandudno Amateurs to just two points with three games in hand after a 13th success in 14 outings.

A windy day at Llandudno saw Rhos start off the better team, pressing Bow with every opportunity and not allowing the visitors to play their free flowing football,

Bret Durkan and Ste Bibby were winning a lot of balls and causing problems for the Bow defence.

In the 11th minute Durkan robbed a defender and ran into the box before squaring across goal for Scott Court to tap in for 1-0.

United then sat back, putting 11 men behind the ball, which let Bow start playing a bit of their own style of football.

When the visitors did get the ball down and attack they went close to scoring through a Joe Carey free kick, Azz Boyle and Rob Parry also going for goal but not testing the Rhos keeper.

Rhos kept their game plan to a tee and went in at half time 1-0 up.

Bow made three changes at half time and two of the subs soon created a chance.

The travellers had their first shot on target when Loui O’Carroll fed a great ball to Kieran Ellis, whose strike was well saved.

In the 51st minute Bow were back in the game.

Parry picked the ball up from a Boyle pass and danced through two defenders before smashing into the bottom corner to level the contest.

Bow were a different team in the second half, closing Rhos down at every opportunity and they took the lead on 58 when an O’Carroll cross was cleared by a defender only as far as Paul Isaacs who volleyed home from 18 yards.

Rhos tried to rally, but the midfield had changed hands with Luke Smith and Boyle now dominating the middle of the park.

The last 15 minutes saw Rhos introduce a couple attackers to try and force an equaliser and overload the Bow defence. Phemmy Allison was through on goal but a fantastic tackle by Cale Kemp stopped the attack.

On 83, Court was sent through but his effort was stopped brilliantly by Richard Hillier-Evans in the Bow goal. A minute later Hillier-Evans tipped another effort around the post.

The 90th minute saw Bow nearly make it three when Adam Williams ran through the Rhos defence and found Smith, who failed to make the most of his opportunity and the ref blew for full time.

Fourteen without loss for Bow, but they were given a great test by resilient Rhos.