SOBERING VICTORY OVER DISTILLERY

LISBURN DISTILLERY 0
RHYL 1 (Roose 6)
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY - JUNE 7, 2008

MIKE Roose's sixth minute goal was enough to secure Rhyl a very encouraging victory in today's Inter-Toto Cup warm-up against Carnegie Irish Premier League outfit Distillery.
Despite fielding a mixture of first teamers and reserves at Ashfield High School, East Belfast, the Lilywhites picked up a morale boosting win over a young and talented home team.
Temporary senior coach Allan Bickerstaff included in his line up Daniel Knight, a Wales youth international from Abergele who has been on Oldham's books.
Ireland's oldest professional club whose former players include Martin O'Neill, Derek Dougan and the great Sir Tom Finney, Distillery are, like Rhyl, in this season's Inter Toto where they will meet Finnish club TPS Turku on June 21 and 28.
Nicknamed the Whites, Distillery had the first chance when Lee Kendall's poor goal-kick only found the home centre-forward who fired over a virtually open net.
Rhyl made the hosts pay when Mark Connolly picked out Roose who had made an intelligent run across the defence. Last season's reserves top scorer then let fly with a left foot strike which beat the keeper at the near post.
Connolly hit a 25-yard drive just wide, but the rest of the half was mainly all about the Irish side.
Kendall made a fine stop, a couple of long range efforts went desperately close and only great blocks by James Brewerton and Chris Roberts denied Distillery an equaliser.
Brilliant work by Connolly released Roose who looked a decent bet to score a second but the keeper just intervened in time to rob him.
In the second half Kendall produced three more very good saves while at the other end Roose was again thwarted by the keeper.
Had Distillery's finishing been better it could have been a different story, but all credit to the Lilywhites as considering the side they had out it was an excellent result.
RHYL: Lee Kendall, Chris Roberts (Adam France 83), Matthew Holt, James Brewerton, Paul O'Neill, Mark Connolly, Daniel Knight (Tom Roberts 78), Joe Ahern (Aaron Wright 45), Craig Jones, Gary Powell, Mike Roose. Att: 60.