Boxing Day football: Vale of Clwyd derby ends all-square after dramatic climax

JD CYMRU NORTH – DECEMBER 26, 2024

Denbigh Town 2 (Duffy 48, Brown 63)
Ruthin Town 2 (Morris 77, Evans 90+3)

Report: Ollie Beech

The biggest Boxing Day attendance in Welsh football – 1,046 – saw a stoppage time Ruthin equaliser deny Denbigh all three points at Central Park.

Denbigh led 2-0 in the second half after strikes from Sam Duffy and Nathan Brown. but two in the late stages – including a 93rd minute effort – saw the points shared.

The first chance of a scrappy contest came on 16 minutes when Iwan Roberts did well to turn on the edge of the box and fire towards goal, but his effort ran wide.

With 25 gone Brown’s corner met the head of Ben Lockley, whose attempt was glanced off-radar

Brown’s corners caused problems as another found Lockley just after the half hour mark but again the target wasn’t met.

Then Brown was set through one on one, with only the keeper to beat, but a brilliant recovery from a defender saw a last-ditch effort thwart any shot.

In the 40th minute a Brown flag-kick this time met the head of Alfie Vaughan, whose header crashed off the underside of the bar before being scrambled clear.

Half-Time: Denbigh Town 0-0 Ruthin Town

Whilst it remained goalless at the break it didn’t last for very long. With 48 minutes on the clock a corner from Brown met Duffy whose first time volley was smashed right down the middle to give Denbigh the lead in style.

Ruthin now had to fight back and tested Aaron Jones far more regularly. On 56 minutes, Jones had to be on hand to deny Harry Martin low at his near post.

Denbigh needed a cushion and it came on 63 minutes when Brown found the net with a deft touch. Duffy turned provider with an excellent run down the right before his low cross met the foot of Brown to turn it in for a second.

Ruthin rallied and forced two fabulous saves from Jones.

However, with 13 minutes to play the dark blues did have one back. Town fell asleep at the back before a ball was pulled across the face of goal and Llyr Morris was on hand to tap home.

Morris almost had a leveller when his one on one was matched by Aaron Jones.

However, Denbigh faltered in the third minute of stoppage time when a cross from substitute Josh Evans flew across the box and crept into the back of the net to level things up.

Attendance: 1,046