Denbigh Town’s 200th Tier 2 league victory has to rank as one of their very best.
Without a win in six Cymru North matches heading into Friday night’s clash with fourth-place title favourites Bala Town, few would have predicted a Denbigh success at Central Park.
Yet in their first test under new manager Eddie Maurice-Jones, the Vale of Clwyd reds produced a magnificent performance to rival anything they have managed in 18 seasons and 540 games of second-tier football.
Bala, beaten just once previously this term, endured a bad start to Friday’s encounter when Aron Williams conceded an own goal after just nine minutes.
It remained 1-0 to Denbigh up to half time before the goals flowed in the second period.
On 52 minutes the home lead was doubled when Daniel Flanders forced the ball home from a Findlay Starkey-Jones corner.
Bala replied in the 57th minute when Nathan Burke found the net via an Osebi Abadaki assist.
On the hour Denbigh were 3-1 up when Starkey-Jones delivered from deep and Elliott Orton headed home.
Facing a team of Bala’s calibre, the hosts knew they could never relax and with 64 on the clock it became 3-2 when Ollie Farebrother made a save but John Owen converted the rebound.
Four goals in 12 minutes and the game still very much up for grabs.
Denbigh’s big bonus on the night, though, was their ability to strike straight back after conceding.
After visiting assistant-manager Ryan Valentine had been ordered from the bench for two yellow cards, Bala’s troubles deepened when they conceded a penalty for a foul on Ffranc Vaughan-Evans.
Sub Vaughan-Evans took the spot-kick himself and converted to make it 4-2.
This time there was no way back for the Lakesiders as on 83 minutes sub Tom Smith did well to win the ball and set up Vaughan-Evans for his second and Denbigh’s fifth.
What a start to the Eddie Maurice-Jones second era for Denbigh Town, who will now look to build on this uplifting result.
Ollie Farebrother, Daniel Flanders, Ben :Lockley (c), Sion Jones, Alfie Vaughan, Tom Kelly, Elliott Orton, Findlay Starkey-Jones, Harry Martin, Toby Gallagher-Keenan, Luke Johnston. Subs used: Daniel Davies, Thomas Smith, Hugh Holland, Ffranc Vaughan-Evans.
La’trell Jones, Tom Kelly, Will Bell, Iwan Lewis, John Owen (c), Osebi Abadaki, Henry Evans, Okera Simmonds, Charlie Fisher. Aron Williams, Naim Arsan. Subs used: Nathan Burke, Mike Hayes, Tomas Jones, Ross White, Kyle Harrison.
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