MATCH REPORT: rousing Rhyl town derby sees 1879 come out on top

ARDAL NORTH WEST – JULY 30, 2024

CPD Y RHYL 1879 3 (Bravo 38, Faulkner 43, Parry pen 58) NFA 0

Attendance: 856

Dave Jones reports from Belle Vue

Before writing a word about the on-field action in Tuesday’s derby it has to be said how marvellous an occasion it was for the town of Rhyl.

To attract a crowd of 856 for a match between two up-and-coming teams from the town was quite a thing.

While 1879 were worthy winners, Tier 3 new boys NFA certainly showed they have potentially plenty to offer football at this level.

The visitors were holding their own until the 38th minute, when Jonny Bravo fired the hosts in front.

Another goal just before the break gave Rhyl a stranglehold on the game and a penalty close to the hour killed it as a contest.

Gareth Thomas’ Lilywhites began well, Alex Jones heading over from a corner and chipping just wide, the magnificent James Stevens involved in both moves.

NFA had a golden chance on nine minutes when Owen Herbert’s sublime pass put Archie Jones in on goal, but the striker’s too casual effort drifted wide.

Impressive away keeper Philip Scott Williams got down well to deny Bravo before Callum Parry’s lob landed on top of the net.

NFA then threatened when Herbert broke into the area, but his fierce effort was pushed away for a corner by Josh Cooke.

While Rhyl were doing the majority of the attacking, the blues were defending well, with Kai Davies and Jay Whitehouse commanding at set-pieces.

Stevens broke to the byline down the right, but Williams thwarted the ex-Saltney Town and Prestatyn Town 18-year-old with his legs.

Then, on 38 minutes, came the breakthrough. It was inevitable Stevens would be involved and so he was.

The No3 fed the ball into Sam Ashton, whose brilliant first-touch pass found Bravo and his left-foot strike found the net beyond Williams’ dive.

Ashton raced through on goal and looked set to make it two, but Williams smothered heroically to foil him.

In the 43rd minute another magnificent Rhyl goal. Stevens curled over a terrifc ball from the right and Casey Faulkner scored with a phenomenal controlled volley. If Mbappe would have scored it, it would have been replayed 1,000 times on Eurosport the same night.

HALF-TIME: Rhyl 1879 2 NFA 0

The second half saw the hosts keep the upper hand, Williams producing another standout save, tipping over Bravo’s 25-yarder.

From the resulting corner, Alex Jones was fouled and referee Michael Gray pointed to the spot.

Callum Parry converted on 58 minutes to put the game out of NFA’s reach.

The final half-hour was a little scrappy. Too many free kicks which led to official Gray, who had let play flow as much as possible to that point, issuing some yellow cards.

Things got a little feisty at times but never out of control.

Williams pulled off another couple of good stops for the visitors, but it was NFA who went closest to scoring before the end when Cammron Morris rattled the post with a left-foot rocket.

TEAMS

Rhyl 1879

Jake Cooke
Casey Faulkner (Leigh Craven 71)
James Stevens (Jordan Worthington 77)
James Jones
Reece Fairhurst (c)
Tom Kemp
Sam Ashton
Alex Jones
Jonny Bravo (Jonny Taylor 59)
Callum Parry
Ollie Staveley

NFA

Philip Scott Williams
Jack Parry-Jones
Joshua Parry
Kai Davies
Jay Whitehouse (c)
Chris Durkin
Owen Herbert (James Lloyd 75)
Daniel Hughes (Curtis Cook 75)
Archie Jones (Antonio Jacovelli 59)
Cammron Morris
Matthew Robinson (Ryan Brady 67)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rhyl 1879 – James Stevens
NFA – Owen Herbert