FLASHBACK – 15 YEARS AGO: Tier 3 Denbigh Town hit six at Farrar Road against under-strength Bangor City

NORTH WALES COAST CHALLENGE CUP – FEBRUARY 25, 2011

Bangor City 0
Denbigh Town 6 (Slater 4, Sharples 2)

It was quite a night for Denbigh Town of the tier 3 Welsh Alliance as they dished out a 6-0 thrashing to an admittedly much-weakened Bangor City side at Farrar Road on this date 15 years ago.

In a season where they ended up Welsh Premier champions, City understandably saw the NWCFA Challenge Cup as a lesser priority competition, but they still included a handful of first team players in their squad versus Denbigh.

By contrast, it was a big occasion for Denbigh Town at the famous old ground and they made the most of it, especially tall striker Jon Slater, who scored four goals on the evening of this hastily-arranged tie.

With half a dozen Welsh Premier players involved City might have hoped for better but Denbigh, led by the powerful figure of former Caersws striker Slater, ran out comfortable winners. The opening goal came on ten minutes when winger Eilir Edwards crossed for Ian Evans to head down for Slater to slot home.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 as Slater won an aerial duel with keeper Chris Oldfield to nod into the net.

Denbigh went close just before half time when Huw Price forced a good save from Oldfield who needed treatment after a full length dive.

On 25 minutes it was 3-0 as Slater notched his hat-trick after a free kick into the box from former Welshpool midfielder Ceri James.

HALF TIME 3-0

The second half was more of the same although Bangor kept the scorecard blank for the opening quarter of an hour, due in part to some acrobatic goalkeeping from Oldfield behind his youthful defence.

Oldfield did well to deny Eilir Edwards moments after Osian Jones fired over. But it was 4-0 on the hour mark as former Bala winger Eilir Edwards again crossed for Slater to score from close range and take his tally to four.

With 13 minutes left on the clock it got worse for Bangor as tall midfielder Tom Sharples scored from just inside the box. Soon former Ruthin man Sharples completed the scoring and grabbed his brace to keep up his fine goalscoring form that season.

BANGOR CITY

Chris Oldfield, Todd Davies, Harry Vaughan, Joe Holding, Dylan Roberts, Aaron Rickarks, Jon Jones, Henry Greenberry, Tom McPartland, Mark Smyth, Gwion Tegid. Subs: Marc Limbert, Sion Edwards, Michael Jukes.

DENBIGH TOWN

Ashley Crosthwaite, Huw Price, Rob Render, Mike Sharples, Llion Roberts, Ceri James, Dafydd Jones, Osian Jones, Ian Evans, Jon Slater, Eilir Edwards. Subs: Anthony Marshall, Tom Sharples, Kevin Evans.

ATTENDANCE: 192

• Goalkeeper Chris Oldfield made 5 first team appearances for Bangor City in 2010-11 after arriving in the January window. He featured in three Welsh Premier matches.

• Mark Smyth, Marc Limbert, Sion Edwards and Michael Jukes all featured regularly for the first team that season, either as starters or playing substitutes.