VALE OF CLWYD DERBY: Dramatic equaliser earns hosts draw – plus all-time Denbigh v Ruthin Tier 2 head-to-head stats

JD CYMRU NORTH – OCTOBER 24, 2025

Denbigh Town 2 (Dafydd 73, Brown 90+4)
Ruthin Town 2 (Martin 27, Morris 40)

Match action courtesy of Ollie Beech

Nathan Brown’s 81st goal in 125 appearances for Denbigh was one of his most important yet.

The 27-year-old former Airbus UK Broughton and Flint Town United forward, now in his fourth season at Central Park, rescued a point for Dewi Llion’s side with a 94th minute equaliser in Friday’s Vale of Clwyd derby.

While five places and nine points ahead of their local rivals in Cymru North, Denbigh were second-best for much of this 29th Tier 2 meeting between the teams, which saw Ruthin being good value for their two-goal lead before the hosts’ late recovery.

Ruthin will be agonising over not securing their first win at Central Park in eight years after cruising to a 2-0 advantage in the first half. Denbigh were in truth second best for the vast majority but Gwion Dafydd offered hope with 17 minutes to play before turning provider in the 94th for Brown to smash home a famous equaliser.

Manager Dewi Llion made two changes to the side that lost at Guilsfield two weeks previous with keeper Luke Wilmot coming in for Elijah Beattie and Brown returning to the XI.

Ruthin took a 27th minute lead after some neat build up led to Harry Martin drilling into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.

The goal woke Denbigh up briefly, with a succession of chances including a half clearance finding Scott McHarrie, who drove the ball back at goal, taking a deflection before dropping just the wrong side of the bar. Bobby Beaumont then had the ball taken off his head at the back post from a corner.

Beaumont was involved again on 36 minutes when he drove down the right and crossed for Dafydd whose header only found the arms of Dan Goldston

The home response was for nothing as on 40 minutes, Llyr Morris was allowed freedom of the box to slot home as Denbigh slept from a set-piece

Beaumont twice went close before the break.

Half-Time: Denbigh Town 0-2 Ruthin Town

Dewi Llion made two changes at the break, introducing Brad Barnes and Alfie Vaughan for Beaumont and Sam Duffy, but much like the previous 45, it took Town a while to get going.

Finally, however, in the 73rd minute Lockley was superb to find Dafydd in the box who swept the ball home at the near post to halve the deficit.

With seconds to play of the 90 it looked like it wouldn’t be Denbigh’s day as Brown smashed the crossbar before then missing the target when Danny Clarke was better placed for the shot.

Many in the ground felt that was the chance, but there was one final opportunity for the near 700 crowd to agonise over with a different end product. A ball into the box found Dafydd at the back stick who squared it for Brown to smash home for yet another dramatic end to the Derby.

Both sides pressed for a winner and Lockley had to make an incredible last-ditch challenge to deny a Ruthin break, and the whistle went as the points were shared.

Denbigh Town: Luke Wilmot, Dan Flanders, Ben Lockley (c), Max Cooke, Nathan Doforo, Bobby Beaumont, Scott McHarrie, Luke Johnston, Nathan Brown, San Duffy, Gwion Dafydd.
Subs used: Harry Lockley, Danny Clarke, Bradley Barnes, Alfie Vaughan

Ruthin Town: Daniel Goldston, Ethan Davies, Dan Cox, Alex Webster, Thomas Dougherty, Osian Davies (c), Jamie Nash, Joshua Evans, Llyr Morris, Harry Martin, Joel Giblin.
Subs used: Izaack Lambert, Daniel Holland, Joshua High, Dave Forbes.

Attendance: 692

DENBIGH TOWN v RUTHIN TOWN – CYMRU ALLIANCE/NORTH HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY

1996/97
Aug 29, 1996: Denbigh Town 1 Ruthin Town 0
Oct 19, 1996: Ruthin Town 0 Denbigh Town 1
1997/98
Sep 3, 1997: Ruthin Town 0 Denbigh Town 2
Apr 8, 1998: Denbigh Town 3 Ruthin Town 2
1998/99
Oct 3, 1998: Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 0
Apr 24, 1999: Ruthin Town 1 Denbigh Town 1
1999-2000
Ruthin Town 3 Denbigh Town 0; Denbigh Town 0 Ruthin Town 4
2000-01
Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 0; Ruthin Town 4 Denbigh Town 2
2001-02
Ruthin Town 2 Denbigh Town 1; Denbigh Town 0 Ruthin Town 2
Denbigh Town relegated end of 2001-02
2007-08
Denbigh Town 1 Ruthin Town 1; Ruthin Town 2 Denbigh Town 2
2008-09
Ruthin Town 0 Denbigh Town 0; Denbigh Town 0 Ruthin Town 1
2009-10
Ruthin Town 1 Denbigh Town 0; Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 2
Denbigh Town relegated to Welsh Alliance end of 2009-10
2016-17
Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 1; Ruthin Town 1 Denbigh Town 1
2017-18
Denbigh Town 1 Ruthin Town 2; Ruthin Town 3 Denbigh Town 1
2018-19
Denbigh Town 3 Ruthin Town 0; Ruthin Town 2 Denbigh Town 1
2023-24
Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 1; Ruthin Town 4 Denbigh Town 0
2024-25
Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 2; Ruthin Town 1 Denbigh Town 1
2025-26
Denbigh Town 2 Ruthin Town 2

PLAYED 29

WINS
Denbigh Town 9
Ruthin Town 11
DRAWS 9

GOALS
Denbigh Town 36
Ruthin Town 44