Midweek football: Ardal North West – Rhyl 1879 move six clear, Cymru North – Mountain victory at Denbigh
ARDAL NORTH WEST LEAGUE – WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Conwy Borough 0
CPD Rhyl 1879 3 (D Proctor 77 & 86, Fleming 85)
Sometimes it is just about getting the result.
Anyone looking at tonight’s scoreline at Y Morfa may surmise it was an easy win for Rhyl 1879, but that was far from the case.
It took the Lilywhites until the 77th minute to make the breakthrough before a couple of late goals gave the final scoreline a more comfortable look.
Going into the game, it looked like there could only be one winner. Bottom side Conwy had lost 13 on the bounce, while top-of-the-table 1879 were undefeated in 12.
However, Conwy fought hard, did not perform like a basement team, and never made life easy for their visitors in difficult conditions.
Rhyl hit the bar in the first half and forced Josh Cooke into some fine stops, while away keeper Adam Reid produced a good save.
The wind caused difficulties for Paul Moore’s side in the second half, but they persevered and finally ended the stalemate on 77 minutes, Dylan Proctor getting free in the box and hitting the upright before netting the rebound.
Five minutes from the 90, the lead was doubled when Paul Fleming found the net following a goalmouth scramble.
Good work down the right involving sub Calum Proctor and substitute Jonny Bravo Pinto led to goal number three.
A cross into the box bobbled around before Dylan Proctor lashed home.
That was goal number 22 of the season in 19 matches across all competitions for the 21-year-old Proctor, who is league leading marksman on 19.
Rhyl are now six points clear at the summit, but as they discovered this evening, no-one is going to roll over and hand them the title.
NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE – CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
Cefn Druids 2 (Jamie Roberts pen 61, Mthulisi Ndlovu 84) Holywell United 0
Two second-half goals won this one for Druids, who were reduced to 10 men after just 16 minutes when Josh Williams was shown a straight red.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18
JD CYMRU NORTH
Denbigh Town 0
Flint Mountain 2 (Parry 61, Sconce 67)
Playing just three days after an epic Welsh Cup quarter-final they were unlucky to lose to a last-gasp winner took its toll on Denbigh on Tuesday night.
Flint Mountain are certainly not the easiest of opponents to face so soon after such a tough encounter against Llanelli Town, and Aden Shannon’s side took the honours at a freezing Central Park thanks to two second-half goals.
After a promising first half from Town, their fortunes changed in the second 45, with the visitors taking command.
Manager Dewi Llion Jones made one change for Saturday’s starting 11, Elijah Beattie going between the sticks with Aaron Jones unavailable due to work commitments.
Denbigh started well, Bobby Beaumont’s long shot just clearing the bar. Mountain keeper John Danby then twice denied Owen Davies.
At the other end, Flint went close when Beattie was forced to push a shot around the post.
Mountain started the second half with more purpose and had increased possession and a better-organised defence.
With more pressure on the Denbigh goal, it was Jack Parry who pounced on a ball from Aaron Simpson to fire past an unguarded Beattie goal on 61 minutes.
Six minutes later it was 2-0 when ex-Denbigh midfielder Ryan Kershaw laid on a ball for Jack Sconce to slot home the away side’s second.
Denbigh made a double substitution with Dan Clarke and Alfie Vaughan coming on for Keiron Roberts and Sam Duffy, but still Flint continued to pressurise and should have had a third when Parry blasted over from point blank range.
Late on, Denbigh’s Owen Davies netted from close range only for his effort to be adjudged offside by the referee’s assistant.