Stormy end to Ardal North West clash sees three sent off

ARDAL NORTH WEST – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

Prestatyn Town 1 (Hold 7)
Connah’s Quay Town 0

Report: Mason Houldsworth

Tempers flared towards the end of a fiercely-contested Ardal North West clash which saw Prestatyn Town make it five straight home league wins and edge up to fourth in the table.

The match took a dramatic turn after 80 minutes after a firm tackle from Prestatyn captain Alex Jones saw Connah’s Quay’s Desley Osakwe react angrily, confronting Jones and sparking a full-blown flashpoint.

The referee showed a straight red Osakwe for his reaction, which included appearing to kick a bottle towards the crowd and confronting Prestatyn supporters.

Shortly after, Jones was also dismissed for the original challenge. Just two minutes before the incident, visiting player Jonny Taylor, who had just been substituted, was dismissed from the dugout for a second yellow card

Prestatyn made it two wins in three days at Bastion Gardens, having knocked Rhos Aelwyd out of the FAW Trophy on Wednesday.

The Seasiders made a dream start thanks to a moment of brilliance down the right. Casey Faulkner showed great composure and awareness to deliver a dangerous ball across goal, which was cleverly left by Jake Walker, allowing Adam Hold to fire home and put the hosts 1-0 up – his third goal in just two starts at Bastion.

Connah’s Quay responded positively, pushing high and trying to unsettle the Seasiders’ rhythm, but the hosts dealt with the press well, keeping the ball moving and retaining possession confidently.

Just after the half-hour mark, Ellis Blench nodded a teasing ball across the box to Hold, who couldn’t quite keep his volley down.

Drama unfolded near the dugouts when a CQ player collided with a member of Town’s backroom staff, sparking tension on the touchline. However, Prestatyn kept their focus and composure, seeing out the remainder of the half to go into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead.

Prestatyn came out flying in the second half. Hold nearly doubled his tally early on, while Faulkner continued to impress, setting up Walker for a golden opportunity that went begging.

Home side managerial changes came just after the hour mark, with Rob Hughes and Jordan Worthington replacing Rob Parry and goalscorer Hold. Hughes nearly made an immediate impact after robbing the CQ goalkeeper but lost his footing at the crucial moment.

Then came a moment of audacity from Walker, who spotted the keeper off his line and launched a stunning effort from the halfway line, which was superbly saved.

After the aforementioned flashpoint was over, both sides were reduced to 10 men, and the game threatened to boil over. Kie Ellis replaced the booked Rob Hughes late on as Town looked to tighten things up.

Prestatyn saw out the game with resilience and discipline, managing the closing stages with maturity and determination to secure a vital three points and back-to-back victories.

Supporters’ Man of the Match: Joe Holt, whose tireless performance earned him well-deserved recognition from the fans.