Archive Classics: Denbigh Town beat Bangor 1876 more comfortably than scoreline suggests

Having covered North Wales football for close on 40 years. I’ve attended and reported on hundreds if not thousands of games across the pyramid.

Here’s another in a series of classics from the archives

ARDAL NORTH WEST 2022-23

DENBIGH TOWN 1 (Worrall 8) BANGOR 1876 0

February 24, 2023

We go back just three years with this one, but the game stands out in the memory for the excellent flowing football Denbigh produced on the night.

Both sides had their eye on the title, lying third and fourth respectively before kick-off at Central Park on a rainy February evening.

Unfortunately, the game was marred by crowd trouble, which is the part I would rather forget.

They may have been the two highest-scoring teams in Ardal North West, but they could only produce the one goal between them on this evening.
However, the final scoreline did not tell the true story. Denbigh were worthy of a far bigger victory over a Bangor 1876 side which at the final whistle had endured back-to-back defeats.
This was a 10th straight home win for Dewi Llion Jones’ men.
A crowd of 430 – which seemed like much more – saw Denbigh get off to a flyer.
They took an eighth minute lead when Craig Rogers’ cross from the left was headed on by Jake Walker and Matty Worrall finished at the back post.
The visitors had put pressure on themselves leading up to the goal when keeper Carl Jones hashed an attempted clearance.
The outstanding Craig Pritchard lashed one just over the bar before Walker received the ball in space inside the box but could only fire straight to the keeper.
Nathan Brown had a couple of efforts on the 1876 goal, then Worrall headed off target from a great Rogers cross.
Bangor’s only chance of the half came on 43 minutes. Les Davies flicked on to release Corrig McGonigle, whose shot on the run was quite comfortably saved by Aaron Jones.

HALF-TIME: Denbigh Town 1 Bangor 1876 0

The second half was much the same as the first, mainly Denbigh attacking and 1876 trying to respond but being largely ineffective, especially in the passing department.
Town’s Brown had a shot blocked by defenders close to the goal-line, then just before the hour Walker looked to be clean through, but Tom Clarke got back well to force the home striker into shooting wide.
Brown hit a 20-yarder narrowly over, at the other end Shaun Lock’s firm drive was well dealt with by Jones, then Denbigh threatened again, Worrall’s attempt kept out by the goalkeeper’s legs.
Ben Lockley made an electric run into the Bangor box on 80 minutes, rolled the ball to Walker who looked a cert to score, but Jones concocted a great reaction stop from his left-foot shot.
Bangor produced a strong finish, yet for all their pressure they could not carve out a clear chance due to excellent Town defending.
Joe Culshaw drilled one just wide and substitute Dylan Williams failed to make the most of a great position in the box.
Man of the match Pritchard could have made it two for the hosts, but delayed his shot and was eventually smothered out by defenders.

DENBIGH TOWN

Aaron Jones
Ben Lockley
Craig Rogers (Sam Haddon 54)
Dan Parry-Jones
Billy Holmes
Keiron Roberts
Matty Worrall (Luca Bennett 70)
Sion Jones
Jake Walker
Craig Pritchard
Nathan Brown

BANGOR 1876

Carl Jones
Ben Owen
Shaun Lock
Joe Culshaw
Corey Jones
Tom Clarke
Gethin Thomas (Dylan Williams 76)
Cameron Barry
Les Davies
Corrig McGonigle

Liam Morris