Match of the Night: NFA 0 Prestatyn Town 1

ARDAL NORTH WEST – FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026

NFA 0 PRESTATYN TOWN 1 (James Jones 43)

Report: Mason Houldsworth

Unbeaten Prestatyn Town took over top spot in the Tier 3 Ardal North West with a narrow win in a dour clash at Ffordd Derwen, Rhyl, on Friday evening.

James Jones’ first-half header close to the interval proved enough to secure all three points at the end of a closely contested affair.

The local derby got off to a fairly slow start, with both sides taking time to settle into the game. Prestatyn looked to threaten from wide areas, with Tom Kemp causing problems with his deliveries, although neither created an opportunity that tested the NFA goalkeeper.

NFA won a number of free kicks high up the pitch during the early stages, while Prestatyn continued to look for openings out wide.

The first real opportunity eventually arrived through a quick counter-attack, as Macauley Taylor cut the ball back to Joe Holt inside the box, but his effort failed to trouble the NFA goalkeeper.

NFA stuck firmly to their game plan, slowing the tempo, winning free kicks and frustrating Prestatyn whenever possible.

However, Prestatyn’s threat from wide areas eventually paid off. A corner was won and Ryan Kershaw stepped up to deliver, finding James Jones, who rose highest to power his header home and give Town the lead.

HT: NFA 0-1 Prestatyn Town

Aaron White replaced Tom Hilditch at half-time as Prestatyn looked to maintain their control of the contest.

The visitors continued to threaten early in the second half, with the energy of Jordan Worthington and White causing problems, although the lack of clear-cut chances remained a theme throughout the evening.

Both sides defended impressively, particularly when dealing with aerial balls, with the defensive units on either side producing a strong display.

Callum Hardy and Rob Hughes were introduced as Prestatyn looked to gain further command. Hughes immediately won a free kick, although Kershaw’s resulting effort was fired over the bar.

Hughes would soon have a golden opportunity to double Town’s advantage.

A ball was played over the top and, with everyone seemingly expecting an offside flag, Hughes was in fact onside and through on goal. With plenty of time to pick his spot, he attempted to wrap his effort into the bottom corner, only to see the NFA goalkeeper make a good save.

The rebound fell back to Hughes, but the ball bobbled awkwardly and ultimately fell wide of the target.

As the game entered its latter stages, NFA began to believe more and pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Despite the increased pressure, Prestatyn’s defence remained watertight, with Adam Reid making a number of important clearances when required.

NFA’s frustration grew as the final stages ticked away, with Prestatyn winning a number of free kicks that allowed Town to slow the game down and play it at their own pace.

The full-time whistle soon followed, confirming a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Prestatyn Town and three valuable points.

It certainly wasn’t the prettiest victory, but it was an important one against their nearest local rivals, who competed and battled throughout the evening.

Man of the Match- Lewis Evans (Prestatyn Town)

Another stellar defensive performance from Evans against his former club. He was composed throughout and played a key role in keeping NFA at bay.

In truth, the entire defensive unit could have taken home the honour after an excellent collective display at the back.