FLASHBACK – 20 years ago: Bangor City defeat nine-man champions Rhyl in stormy clash

On this date 20 years ago – November 19, 2004, a late goal earned Bangor City a hard-fought victory over the then Welsh Premier League champions Rhyl FC.

Peter Davenport was in charge of Bangor and John Hulse managed the Lilywhites. It was not a game for the faint-hearted.

Mike Smith of the excellent Citizens Choice website describes the action.

Welsh Premier League

Bangor City 2 (Roberts 28, Gray 81)
Rhyl 1 (Graves 72)

Friday 19th November 2004

ATTENDANCE: 746

Former Manchester United and Wales star Clayton Blackmore was Bangor City’s standout player on a fiery night at Farrar Road which saw the Blues edge past the nine-man Whites with a late winner.

Managed by ex-Man U, Nottingham Forest and England striker Peter Davenport, the Citizens had started the campaign really well, with six wins and two draws in their opening 10 Welsh Premier matches.

Reigning title holders Rhyl were also in fine form, buoyed by the previous season’s unpredcented quadruple triumph of WPL champions, Welsh Cup, League Cup and NWCFA Challenge Cup, as well as reaching the FAW Premier Cup final.

With injured pair Phil Baker and Frank Mottram watching from the stand, it would need good displays from centre-backs Peter Hoy and Eifion Jones, plus young striker Tony Gray, if City were to overcome the Belle Vue outfit.

That was just what they delivered, with a touch of class added by the evergreen Blackmore who was head and shoulders above his energetic opponents.

City might have stolen the lead inside five minutes when Blackmore found Paul Roberts on the edge of the box but his left-footer was turned away for a corner.

With a noisy Rhyl contingent behind the St Paul’s goal the visitors forced five corners in a row and pulled the best out of City’s tall goalkeeper Richard Acton and might have resulted in a goal had Lee Hunt reacted to a ball which fizzed past him at head height.

Rhyl went close with a long range effort from Gareth Wilson which dipped and landed on the Bangor ‘bar with Acton happy to pounce on the loose ball seconds later.

On 28 minutes City had the lead. Owain Jones saw his cross from the right cleared by Timmy Edwards but the ball dropped to Blackmore, whose instant control and precision cross over the big defender left PAUL ROBERTS clear to head down and beyond the despairing Paul Smith to the delight of the home crowd in the Farrar End.

Bangor finished the half strongly with a flurry of corner kicks as both Owain Jones and Gray went close although Mark Connolly had to clear as the visitors threatened.

Simon Davies latched onto a goalline header from Brewerton to force a superb save from Smith, who leapt to his left to push the ball over his crossbar.

On the stroke of half time Owain Jones raced through the midfield and fired goalwards to force a decent save from Smith.

HALF-TIME: 1-0

The opening 10 minutes shaped the second half and ultimately decided the final outcome of the match.

It all started normally enough as Gray shot over from the right and Rhyl cleared another attack from the left.

Then Rhyl’s Wilson kicked out at Paul Friel directly in front of the old clubhouse and after brief deliberation Holyhead referee Brian Lawlor showed him the red card.

City had the initiative and went in search of a second goal. First Kevin Scott ventured forward and shot fiercely from the left but Smith held cleanly at the near post.

Rhyl struck back and Hoy was on hand to deny Peter Smith as the former Newtown striker ran in on goal.

And then a strange incident which set in action a chain of events. Peter Smith played the ball in from the right and Marc Limbert had to jump to evade a lunge from Hoy.

Referee Lawlor awarded the free kick and yellow-carded the Bangor number four.

Friel slapped at the ball Limbert was holding, waiting to take the free kick. The Rhyl midfielder reacted by throwing the ball into his opponent’s face at close range.

Referee Lawlor talked to his linesman and Limbert received the red card.

Rhyl boss Hulse reacted angrily at the linesman who promptly summoned the referee who flashed the red plastic at the disgruntled Lilywhites manager. Friel was also cautioned.

The match got underway once more with Paul Roberts going close after good approach play from Gray and then Rhyl substitute Mark Powell – who had replaced winger Kenny Burgess – fired across City’s goal.

On 67 minutes, 20-year-old Les Davies, early in his Bangor allegience, ran on to replace Friel with a mandate to hog the left touchline and stretch the nine men.

But on 72 minutes it all went horribly wrong as resurgent Rhyl, roared on by their voiciferous following, equalised as STUART GRAVES controlled a pass from Lee Hunt to fire right footed past Acton from the right.

Home fans must have feared the worst as Bangor struggled to cope with the depleted visitors, with Chris Adamson and Edwards to the fore.

In the 81st minute, however, the mood changed as City grabbed what proved to be the crucial winner.

Blackmore passed to Connolly on the right. He sent over a swirling left footed cross which Greg Stones tried to head clear but was then astonished as the ball span and bounced back over his shoulder and into the box. Roberts pounced on the loose ball to the left of goal, shot to the back post, and GRAY emerged to slide the ball home from close range.

Rhyl sent Chris McGinn on for goalscorer Graves, but despite the general feeling of anxiety it was City who carved the late chances, with the hard working Connolly going close twice,

At last the whistle blew and City fans celebrated a hard earned win over the battling visitors who were left to rue their indiscipline and gamesmanship.

FOOTNOTE

20 years on how sad that Bangor City, Rhyl FC and Farrar Road stadium are no more. Anyone who might have predicted that back in 2004 would have been told they were off their trolley.

Bangor: Richard Acton, Clayton Blackmore, Kevin Scott, Peter Hoy, Eifion Jones, Paul Friel, Mark Connolly, Owain Jones, Paul Roberts, Tony Gray, Simon Davies. Subs: Les Davies, Chris Short, Morgan Jones, Ben Ogilvy

Rhyl: Paul Smith, James Brewerton, Greg Stones, Kenny Burgess, Timmy Edwards, Stuart Graves, Gareth Wilson, Marc Limbert, Lee Hunt, Peter Smith, Chris Adamson. Subs: Chris McGinn, Mark Powell, Lee Atherton

FINISHING POSITIONS IN 2004-05

Bangor City – 3rd in Welsh Premier, qualified for Inter-Toto Cup, also won the NWCFA Challenge Cyp

Rhyl – 2nd in Welsh Premier, qualified for UEFA Cup

BANGOR CITY v RHYL MEETINGS IN 2004-05 (both in Welsh Premier League)

Nov 19, 2004: Bangor City 2 Rhyl 1
Mar 28, 2005: Rhyl 2 Bangor City 3