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DRAW SEALS LILYWHITES UEFA CUP SPOT

By Dave Jones on Apr 25, 07 10:28 AM

RHYL 2 (Connolly 34, Cameron 63)
LLANELLI 2 (Griffiths 24, Mingorance 35)
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
Rhyl players celebrate their first half equaliser
THE Lilywhites twice came from behind to secure the point needed for UEFA Cup qualification on an emotional night at Belle Vue.
A well deserved draw against full-timers Llanelli also ensured Rhyl went the whole season unbeaten in the league at home - indeed they have not lost at BV in the WPL since November 2005.

The fact Manchester United were playing live on ITV 1 in the UEFA Champions League semi finals probably did not help the crowd figure, but the 333 inside the ground still made ample noise.
Llanelli started on the attack, but the hosts created most of the early chances, Ross Stephens blasting way over before George Horan sent a glancing header wide from a Mark Connolly corner.
Stephens then found Dave Cameron who chested the ball down, but Conall Murtagh lashed well over the top.
Against the run of play the visitors notched a 24th minute lead when top scorer Rhys Griffiths managed to head home a Lee Phillips free-kick despite the attentions of three defenders.
Stuart Jones had an effort cleared off the line by Horan as Peter Nicholas' men turned the screw.
Rhyl's skipper then received a head injury after a nasty collision with Antonio Corbisiero. He soldiered on to half-time, but then had to be replaced by young Matthew Holt who went on to have an excellent game in the centre of defence.
Rhyl levelled on 34 minutes when an indirect free-kick was awarded in the box for dangerous play (a penalty offence surely?). With Llanelli players amassed on the goal-line, Connolly thundered it through them all for 1-1.
Teams are often at their most vulnerable when they have scored, though, and this was the case with Rhyl as straight from the restart Spanish striker Jacob Mingorance was allowed time and space to fire past Paul Whitfield from the edge of the area.
To compound the Lilywhites' woes, 24-goal top scorer Lee Hunt had to depart the action at half-time with a back injury.
With their skipper and leading marksman out of the frame, it could easily have gone pear-shaped for John Hulse's men after the break, but the Lilies are made of stern stuff.
Llanelli's Andrew Mumford had a shot saved by Whitfield, then on 53 minutes Stephens drove wide after neat build-up between substitute Andy Moran and Cameron.
The equaliser arrived in the 63rd minute when a Stephens free-kick was met by the deftest of glancing headers by Cameron, bringing the scot his 15th goal of the campaign.
There was a scare at the other end on 74 minutes when Nicky Palmer's attempt was nearly sliced into his own net by James Brewerton.
Mumford was then very fortunate to escape unpunished for an apparent handball in the box, referee Mark Whitby waving play on.
In the 77th minute Moran hit a shot worthy of winning any match, but Llanelli keeper Duncan Roberts produced a fantastic tip-over.
Llanelli applied some late pressure, the overly-robust Cortez Belle having a couple of shots, but the final whistle blew on another joyous night at Belle Vue.
Rhyl have split the WPL's two full-time teams and made second place their own - a brilliant achievement.
RHYL: Paul Whitfield, Mark Powell, Ross Stephens, Mark Connolly, George Horan (Matthew Holt 45), James Brewerton, Gareth Wilson, Dave Cameron, Lee Hunt (Andy Moran 45), Conall Murtagh, Alex Hay. Sub not used: Paul Roberts.

4 Comments

belle vue boy said:

Dave, wasnt it a Ross Stephens free kick for our second goal?

Could well have been Jon, I'm on holiday so was relying on someone else's information. I'll change it to Ross, you're always spot on.
That's the beauty of a web-blog, it's not like a newspaper where if you make a cock-up you're stuck with it, you can change it afterwards on the internet :-)

Amberlee said:

This aritlce went ahead and made my day.

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Dave Jones

Dave Jones - For all the latest news from Rhyl Football Club, including match reports, news, views and features log on to Lilywhites On-Line hosted by Visitor sports editor Dave Jones.

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