JD CYMRU NORTH: Late drama seals Rhyl win, cracking results for Mold and Brickfield, top two victorious

JD CYMRU NORTH TABLE AND REPORTS – FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 1

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

CPD Y Rhyl 1879 3 Ruthin Town 2

Substitute Damase Kiwanda’s 86th minute winner ensured Rhyl 1879 will enter this weekend’s huge Welsh Cup semi-final against Caernarfon Town on a positive note.
The Lilywhites trailed bottom side Ruthin twice at the Hops and Barley Community Stadium, but eventually sealed the victory which lifted them up to fifth.
The visitors started with real intent and energy, pressing and forcing early mistakes, and their positive approach was rewarded in just the fifth minute, when a sloppy challenge inside the Lilywhites’ area gifted Town a penalty which Danny Holland calmly dispatched.
Rhyl settled and bagged a deserved equaliser on 16 minutes through a fantastic team move. Confident passing cut through the Ruthin defence and Ben Lightfoot found Sam Duffy, who finished in style.
However, on 21 minutes, Tom Kemp was forced into giving away another penalty and the well-travelled Holland converted for a second time.
The remainder of the half was played in a scrappy fashion, Archie Jones going closest for Rhyl with a firm shot which forced Daniel Goldston into a save.

Half-time: Rhyl 1879 1 Ruthin Town 2
Rhyl emerged with renewed urgency after the break and levelled after 53 minutes.
Duffy drove forward down the right before squaring the ball across goal to Morgan Murray, who unselfishly teed up Archie Jones, and the number 11 drilled in his 14th goal of the season.
Sensing the opportunity to push for all three points, Rhyl made a triple substitution on 79 minutes with Kiwanda, Billy Holmes and Dan Atkins all taking the field to inject fresh legs and energy.
The decisive moment arrived on 86.
Lightfoot surged forward from midfield before slipping a perfectly-weighted pass into Murray, who danced around his defender and fired a shot that the goalkeeper could only parry, allowing Kiwanda to react quickest and slot home the decider.

Gresford Athletic 1 Holyhead Hotspur 0

Haci Ozlu’s 10th minute penalty earned Gresford a third win in four matches.
It was an 11th goal of the season for the Athletic front man, whose crucial strike helped Dave Evans’ side rise up to 10th spot.
This was a disappointing outcome for Hotspur, who had Jake Roberts sent off on 78 minutes for a second yellow.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Airbus UK Broughton 3 Buckley Town 0

Another fine result for the second-place Wingmakers as they made it 10 straight wins in all competitions with just four goals conceded in that time.
Airbus opened the scoring in first half stoppage time as Blaine Hudson brought the ball down from Jordan Evans’ corner at the back post and crossed into the six-yard box, where captain Joe Palmer tapped home.
Evans doubled the lead in style on 64 minutes as the forward received Nathan Williams’ pass, cut inside onto his favoured left foot and produced a sweetly-struck effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Mark Allen’s men continued to show their quality in front of goal and made it three just five minutes later as Evans’ cross found an unmarked George Peers, who drilled into the roof of the net for his 19th league goal of the season.

Brickfield Rangers 3 Caersws 1

Brickfield moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory over Caersws at Clywedog Park.
Andy Vale put Rangers ahead in the 28th minute before Rhys Hesden levelled early in the second half.
The Bluebirds almost held on to make it seven league games unbeaten, but Jack Edwards and Jay Richardson both found the net late in the day to give Gareth Wilson’s men a crucial three points in the fight for survival.

Guilsfield 1 Mold Alexandra 2

Mold secured their first away win since October with an impressive triumph over fifth-place Guilsfield at Clos Mytton.
Guils thought they had taken the lead inside just 12 minutes when Sam Flory finished from James Smallwood’s low cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Mold goalkeeper Joe Smith made some key saves for his side as the hosts pushed for the opening goal, but it was the Alex who found the breakthrough in the 44th minute as a defensive mix-up from the hosts allowed Owen Cordiner to tap into an empty net. Mold captain Henry Nash then quickly doubled the lead in first half stoppage time.
Guils’ frustration grew early in the second half when Adam Jenkins’ effort struck the post. Callum Bromley did give the hosts a lifeline when he fired home from a corner in the 89th minute, but Mold held on to move six points clear of the bottom two drop zone.

Penrhyncoch 2 Llandudno 3

Leaders Llandudno maintained their five-point advantage with a nervy 3-2 victory over next-to-bottom Penrhyncoch at Cae Baker
Tudno were gifted the lead in the 15th minute as Penrhyn defender Rhydian Davies touched the ball past his own goalkeeper Leigh Jenkins.
Adam Stephens doubled Llandudno’s tally before Iwan Cartwright added a third goal on the stroke of half-time with a header from a corner.
Dan Owen scored for the second game in a row to pull a goal back for the Roosters six minutes after the restart before Adam Stephens was shown a straight red card, reducing the Seasiders to 10 men. Garin Evans opened his account for Penrhyncoch in the 85th minute to set up an edgy finish for Llandudno, but the visitors held on to make it six straight league wins.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 (reports already carried on Grassroots North Wales)

Flint Mountain 0 Newtown 1
Holywell Town 5 Denbigh Town 1