Archive Classics: Much-needed win for Denbigh Town puts them back on title trail (1995/96)

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

FITLOCK WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE

Halkyn United 0
Denbigh Town 2 (Hogg 14, Nixon 27)

APRIL 6, 1996

After three successive defeats this was a game Denbigh had to win to get their league title quest back on track – and they succeeded.
Having lost 3-2 at home to Halkyn seven days earlier, Town’s considerable lead at the Welsh Alliance summit was diminishing fast.
This game at Pant Newydd was a turning point as they also won their next two to finish champions.
Denbigh came out all guins blazing and in the opening 10 minutes Lee Hogg twice went close to finding the net.
Town’s much-needed change of luck arrived on 14 minutes when Peter O’Brien slotted a lovely pass into Hogg, whose low shot rolled between the legs of keeper Dave Moore and made it 1-0.
Carl Edwards headed against the bar for Halkyn on 17 minutes but that was their last serious threat of the game.
Denbigh went two-up in the 27th minute when O’Broen broke to the byline and his low cross from the left was tapped in by Adie Nixon.
The unstoppable O’Brien went close on three occasions to extending the visiting lead before the break.
There was no let up fr4om Denbigh after the break, Mike James, Vinny Hayes and Nixon all going close in the opening quarter hour.
Then on the hour, great work by Rob Jones set up O’Brien, who was desperately unlucky to see his strike cannon off the bar.
Man of the match Mike Payne was unfortunate not to earn a penalty for a home handball, then Shaun Kelly made a tremendous run down the right and O’Brien put his cross inches wide.
A magnificent move in the 73rd minute saw Hogg put it on a plate for O’Brien, who made his first error of the day when he missed a sitter.

DENBIGH TOWN

Nathan Pope, Danny Jellicoe, Mike Payne, Rob Jones, Mike James, Mark Lewis, Shaun Kelly, Vinny Hayes. Lee Hogg, Peter O’Brien, Adie Nixon: Subs used: Tim Dyer, Roger Beech, Craig Kelly,

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ALSO FEATURED SO FAR IN ARCHIVE CLASSICS……
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Glantraeth 2 Penrhyndeudraeth 1 (May 2017)
Penrhyndeudraeth 4 Glantraeth 1 (May 2016)
Holywell Town 1 Caernarfon Town 3 (9.3.2019)
Chirk AAA 2 Penlan Club 1 (8.4.2017)
Rhyl 4 Porthmadog 5 (6.1.2018)
Bala Town 2 Differdange 03 1 (9.7.2015)
Denbigh Town 1 Bangor 1876 0 (24.2.2023)
Holywell Town 4 Penrhyndeudraeth 2 (19.4.2015)
Rhyl 1 Wrexham 4 (12.5.2004)
Rhyl 5 Goytre United 2 (4.3.2006)
Prestatyn Town Reserves 2 Gwalchmai 1 (30.4.2010)
Bethesda Athletic 3 Rhyl 2 (9.2.2008)
Llanfairpwll 2 Prestatyn Town 3 (5.4.2008)