RHYL FC - REVIEW OF THE 2006/07 SEASON

Manager John Hulse had strengthened in the summer, bringing in, among others, Northern Ireland under-21 international Conall Murtagh, ex-Liverpool trainee Carl Clampitt, and former Tranmere Rovers and Rushden and Diamonds forward Alex Hay.
Perhaps the most exciting signing, though, was bustling striker Dave Cameron, a player with a wealth of Football League and Scottish League experience, who Hulse had tried to capture on three previous occasions.
Cameron was on the mark in the first game, a 3-2 win at Cwmbran, where Andy Moran also bagged a double.
Follow-up victories over Port Talbot (2-0), Aberystwyth Town (3-2) and Porthmadog (2-1) put the Lilywhites proudly on top of the table.
Disaster struck, however, when they visited Llanelli on a sunny September afternoon. With the reds strikers Rhys Griffiths and Jacob Mingorance at their lethal best, the Lilies were thrashed 6-0 at Stebonheath Park - their worst defeat under Hulse.
Rhyl had to wait another three weeks to play a league match in a bid to restore their pride, and they partly did that by earning a 1-1 draw on a minefield of a pitch at Welshpool.
The following weekend saw the Lilywhites back to their best as they romped to a 6-0 triumph at Newtown - a game which saw Mark Connolly score a rare hat-trick and star striker Lee Hunt mark his return from injury with a welcome goal.
Substitute Dylan Owen's late strike secured a 3-2 home win over bogey side Haverfordwest, then the Lilywhites racked up another half dozen at Caernarfon Town.
Things were looking good, but Rhyl then suffered a Belle Vue slip-up, allowing Cefn Druids to steal a 2-2 draw, before a disappointing show at champions TNS ended in a 2-0 defeat.
It was turning into a nightmare November, with Rhyl also crashing out of the Welsh Cup and FAW Premier Cup, but then the rot stopped with a 4-0 drubbing of Airbus UK which lifted Hulse's hopefuls back up to top spot.
During an eventful month, Hulse also proved no-one is indispensable at Belle Vue by releasing long-serving skipper Timmy Edwards, who had lifted seven trophies in the manager's four seasons in charge.
December proved a real highpoint with league wins over Bangor City (3-1), Carmarthen Town (1-0), Connah's Quay Nomads (2-1) and Cwmbran Town (1-0) which ensured Rhyl went into 2007 top of the heap and looking good for the title.
January started badly with a 3-2 setback at Port Talbot, but that was to be Rhyl's last league defeat of the campaign.
The Lilies bounced back to beat Aberystwyth (3-0) and Porthmadog (2-1) but then came almost four weeks without a league start which ultimately proved crucial to Hulse's side's title dreams.
February saw the Rhyl fizz go flat as they were held at home by Welshpool and Newtown, then Caernarfon on March 3. Boos echoed around Belle Vue at the conclusion of a 0-0 draw against the bottom side, with the fans realising the championship dream was all but over with TNS working up a big head of steam.
A massive performance was called for at Haverfordwest on March 10 and it was delivered, Rhyl playing their best football for some time in a 1-0 victory.
Despite the disappointment of a League Cup final loss to Caersws, the WPL wins kept coming.
Cefn Druids were overturned 3-2, then Rhyl proved they could compete on a par with TNS with a hard-fought 0-0 split against the champs at Belle Vue. However, after this game, such was the gap between the Lilies and the Saints, Hulse conceded the title race was over.
There was still plenty to play for, though, and the fabulous Hunt's double in a 2-0 at Airbus was followed by a gutsy and determined 3-1 beating of Bangor at home - their eighth win in a row over City.
A trip to Carmarthen brought a 1-1 outcome, but then came sweet revenge for Rhyl as they whipped League Cup conquerors Caersws 4-0 on home turf.
Just a point was needed from their final home game against Llanelli to secure second spot and the Lilywhites obliged with a 2-2 scoreline which condemned Peter Nicholas' full-timers to the Inter-Toto Cup.
The league campaign finished on a high note with a 2-0 triumph at Connah's Quay Nomads, a result which meant Rhyl had gone unbeaten against all North Wales clubs in the WPL that season.
So, was the league season a success for Rhyl?
Having lost just three matches - the least number of defeats in the league - and splitting the two full-time clubs by finishing second, one would have to say yes, things had gone well.
In the end the seven-point gap between Rhyl and TNS could have been much closer but for those three home draws in February/March, but football is full of what-ifs.
A fourth successive qualification for Europe and third in a row for the UEFA Cup left the majority of fans satisfied.

RHYL FC - WELSH PREMIER RESULTS 2006/07 SEASON
Aug 19 - Cwmbran Town (a) 3-2 (Cameron, Moran 2)
Aug 26 - Port Talbot Town (h) 2-0 (Cameron, Hay)
Sep 02 - Aberystwyth Town (a) 3-2 (Moran 2, Wilson)
Sep 09 - Porthmadog (h) 2-1 (Moran pen, Wilson)
Sep 16 - Llanelli (a) 0-6
Oct 08 - Welshpool Town (a) 1-1 (Horan)
Oct 14 - Newtown (a) 6-0 (Hay 2, Connolly 3, Hunt)
Oct 21 - Haverfordwest County (h) 3-2 (Clampitt, Horan, Owen)
Oct 28 - Caernarfon Town (a) 6-2 (Hunt 2, Hay 2, Edwards, Horan)
Nov 10 - Newi Cefn Druids (h) 2-2 (Hunt, Cameron)
Nov 19 - The New Saints (a) 0-2
Nov 25 - Airbus UK (h) 4-0 (Moran, Hunt, Cameron, Phillips og)
Dec 02 - Bangor City (a) 3-1 (Murtagh, Moran, Hunt)
Dec 09 - Carmarthen Town (h) 1-0 (Cameron)
Dec 16 - Caersws (a) 1-1 (Hunt pen)
Dec 26 - Connah's Quay Nomads (h) 2-1 (M Powell, Hunt)
Dec 30 - Cwmbran Town (h) 1-0 (Collins og)
Jan 06 - Port Talbot Town (a) 2-3 (Cameron 2)
Jan 13 - Aberystwyth Town (h) 3-0 (Cameron, Stephens 2)
Jan 20 - Porthmadog (a) 2-1 (Hunt, Hay)
Feb 17 - Welshpool Town (h) 0-0
Feb 24 - Newtown (h) 2-2 (Horan, Moody)
Mar 03 - Caernarfon Town (h) 0-0
Mar 10 - Haverfordwest County (a) 1-0 (Moran pen)
Mar 23 - Newi Cefn Druids (a) 3-2 (Hunt 2, C Roberts)
Mar 31 - The New Saints (h) 0-0
Apr 06 - Airbus UK (a) 2-0 (Hunt 2)
Apr 09 - Bangor City (h) 3-1 (Hunt, Connolly 2, 1 pen)
Apr 14 - Carmarthen Town (a) 1-1 (Cameron)
Apr 21 - Caersws (h) 4-0 (Hunt 3, P Roberts)
Apr 24 - Llanelli (h) 2-2 (Connolly, Cameron)
Apr 27 - Connah's Quay Nomads (a) 2-0 (Moran, Swanick og)

PLAYED: 32
WON: 20
DRAWN: 9
LOST: 3
GOALS FOR: 67
GOALS AGAINST: 35
POINTS: 69
POSITION: 2ND

GOALSCORERS:
Lee Hunt 17
Dave Cameron 10
Andy Moran 9
Alex Hay 6
Mark Connolly 6
George Horan 4
Gareth Wilson 2
Ross Stephens 2
Paul Roberts 1
Chris Roberts 1
Adie Moody 1
Mark Powell 1
Conall Murtagh 1
Dylan Owen 1
Carl Clampitt 1
Tim Edwards 1
own goals 3