Ruthin Town Colts still going strong – and winning

NEWFA Reserve Division 2

Castell Alun Colts Reserves 2 (Callum Edwards 21, Iwan Jones 23)

Ruthin Town Colts 4 (Gwydion Lloyd 74, Charles Jackson 84, Seth Evans 90+6, 90+8)

Football clubs come and go, some have first, reserve and third teams who emerge and vanish.

It is quite unusual, however, for a 3rd XI to retain an identity for as long as Ruthin Town Colts have done.

Ruthin Town’s third team first appeared in the former Clwyd League in the late 1970s.

Then they joined the Welsh National (Wrexham Area) League, first appearing under the name Ruthin Town Colts in 1985-86.

They continued to compete between divisions 1-3 until 2008-09, when a short-lived separate reserves/colts section was formed.

Since 2021-22, Colts have participated in the North East Wales Football League Reserve Divisions.

Saturday saw the Colts win 4-2 at Castell Alun Colts Reserves.

Here’s a match report……

Castell Alun Colts Reserves 2 Ruthin Town Colts 4

A proper winter’s day, saw the epitome of a “game of two halves.”

The hosts started the brighter, and after a mix-up at the back from the youthful Ruthin Colts, Callum Edwards capitalised and fired Castell Alun ahead.

Ruthin didn’t get time to regroup, and from a well-worked throw, Iwan Jones scored a tremendous goal, leaving Llywelyn Fitzsimon in the away goal absolutely stranded.

The hosts then saw an effort crash off the crossbar and claimed it had crossed the line, only for it to be waved away by the match official. They then hit the post and saw a terrific free kick whizz just past the post.

Half time, 2-0, and Ruthin were lucky to be still be in the game.

Ruthin Colts started the second half brightly, and played some good football, with Callum Whitehead close to pulling a goal back, but he saw his effort drag wide.

The visitors brought on Isac Gwyn, and pushed Ben Jellicoe into a more attacking position, and it seem to change the game in Colts’ favour, but despite having all the ball, they caused very few problems.

That was until the 74th minute, when a long free kick from player/coach Isaac Rasell-Edwards was spilled and Gwydion Lloyd was on hand to follow it in and reduce the deficit.

Ruthin deserved something for their hard work, and continued to push, when a Daniel Jones cross found Charlie Jackson, whose header crashed into the back of the net and the hosts were now holding on desperately for a share of the spoils.

Ruthin continued to pressure the hosts, and Daniel Jones again proved to be the provider. Seth Evans scored a spectacular overhead kick in stoppage time which was very reminiscent of the famous relegation-saving Jamie Reed goal for the 1sts last season.

Castell Alun clearly weren’t ready to allow this to end, and they forced Fitzsimon into a great save, and Ruthin defended for their lives, but managed to clear a long ball forward, which was spilled by the hosts custodian, and Seth Evans picked up the pieces, and his brace, and wrapped up all three points for Jimmy McNally’s youngsters.

NOTE: I can’t remember all the Ruthin Town Colts managers, but in my time reporting in the Vale of Clwyd, here are a few I think did lead the team at one stage or another – Gary McCloskey, Richard Hewitt, Kyle McCloskey, Brian Lloyd, Rodney (surname escapes me)…..

Also the Scottish piper Davie Robertson (also physio I think?) led the team onto the field with a tune from the bagpipes before they played in a Junior Cup tie at Holyhead in about 1989-90.