MAGNIFICENT SEVEN FOR RESERVES

By Dave Jones on Dec 22, 07 06:36 PM

RHYL RESERVES 7 (Booth 2 pens, 24, 36; Roose 30, 48; Booker 39, 68; Morgan 51)
HALKYN UNITED 3 (Abraham 45, 76; Connolly 90)
THERE was a tremendous pre-Christmas goals fest for the sparse crowd at Belle Vue, and although Rhyl got the better of it full credit to 10-man Halkyn for giving their all.
The game ended as a contest on 35 minutes when with the Lilywhites 2-0 up, United keeper Tony Gandy was red carded for hacking down Mitchell Booth when he was through on goal.

Stand-in keeper Bryn Davies actually proved a capable deputy, but the hosts ran out convincing winners, although on chances created they should have had double figures.
Bottom side Halkyn had defended quite well until on 23 minutes Mike Roose was tripped by Daniel Edwards just inside the area and a penalty was awarded, Booth making no mistake from the spot.
On the half hour a fantastic run from just outside his own box by man of the match Joe Ahern saw him then pick out Roose in space, and Rhyl's top marksman sidefooted home.
After Gandy was dismissed, Davies' first job was to pick the ball out of the net as Booth put away his second penalty, awarded for the departed keeper's foul.
From a Scott Millington free-kick on 39 minutes, Andy Booker fired the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.
Full marks to Halkyn for not folding at this point; indeed in the final minute of the half they pulled one back when their best player, Jack Abraham, beat the offside trap to score.
Half-time: 4-1.
Three minutes after the break, Millington's pinpoint free-kick from the left was headed in by Roose, who made it 14 goals this season.
The best goal arrived on 51 minutes. Alec Williams laid the ball back nicely into the path of Sean Morgan who netted with a 25-yard blockbuster which the makeshift keeper could only help into the net via the crossbar.
When Ahern's centre from the right was headed in by Booker on 68 minutes - making it 10 goals in nine starts for the young striker - a cricket score was on the cards.
But from here Halkyn rallied. Abraham took advantage of slack defending to make it 7-2 and right on the final whistle John Connolly volleyed in his team's third from a corner.
In between United's second and third goals, Rhyl wasted a host of chances, Booker blazing over from two yards and also clipping the post.
It was like shooting practice for the Lilywhites, but they were either off target or Davies produced some good stops.
Nonetheless, a very positive way to enter the Christmas period for second-placed Rhyl.
RHYL: Jones, Morgan, Millington, France, T Roberts, S Brewerton, AHERN, Booth, Booker, Roose, Williams. Unused sub: J Roberts. Attendance: 50.