SIX-GOAL SHOW SETS BELLE VUE ALIGHT
RHYL 6 (Carl Owen 6 & 11; Danny Williams 21; Craig Jones 51 & 89; Neil Roberts 60)
AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 1 (Paul Hallows 18)
LOOSEMORE'S LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP GROUP FIVE
ALLAN Bickerstaff has selection headaches of the pleasant kind ahead of him if tonight's six-goal Belle Vue bonanza is anything to go by.
Rhyl's senior coach made six changes to the starting line-up which played Newtown on Saturday and the incomers certainly took the bull by the horns.
George Horan, Chris Roberts, Gareth Wilson, Craig Jones, Carl Owen and goalkeeper Paul Pritchard were brought in, Jamie Reed, Jimmy Kelly and Paul O'Neill were dropped to the subs bench, and Gareth Owen, Mark Connolly and Lee Kendall were rested. Greg Stones, Greg Strong, Danny Williams, Neil Roberts and Josh Johnson kept their places.
Carl Owen and Craig Jones in particular made the most of their opportunity by both scoring twice against a generally outclassed but never overawed Airbus outfit.
On this performance Rhyl cannot field a weakened side! All 18 players in the squad can shine on any given occasion.
With Neil Roberts and Reed generally thought of as the first choice strike force in many fans' eyes, Carl Owen is seen as third or fourth in the pecking order.
But the way the ex-Porthmadog front man took his opening two goals tonight suggests he is very much in the mix for a starting berth in attack.
In the sixth minute good work between Danny Williams and Craig Jones set up Stones to send in a curling cross from the right and there was Owen to score with a bullet diving header.
Five minutes later came an early contender for goal of the season. Johnson crossed low from the left and Owen turned on a sixpence before rifling in an unstoppable shot in the top corner from 18 yards.
Airbus were stunned but not destroyed and they could easily have pulled one back when a poor call from keeper Pritchard allowed Paul Hallows to latch on to a loose ball, but he hooked goalwards rather weakly and Stones was able to clear.
Owen had a great chance to make it a hat-trick when Neil Roberts knocked down a Johnson cross into his path but he drilled wide from 10 yards.
Then in the 18th minute the Wingmakers hit back when a superb ball from Tom Rowlands found Hallows in space and he fired beyond Pritchard to make it 2-1.
Three minutes later it was 3-1. Owen was fouled by Matt Woodward just outside the box and Danny Williams placed the free-kick into the bottom corner. When Connolly or Kelly are not on the pitch Rhyl now have another dead-ball specialist to call on!
Owen missed the target following a great ball from Wilson, then on the half hour Williams volleyed over a gaping goal.
Rhyl's defence was not looking too assured, though, and on 34 minutes from a Rowlands corner Hallows had a free header but failed to make a proper connection.
Wilson's fierce hit was kept out by keeper Chris Doran before in first half added time Owen was brought down in the area by Woodward but no penalty was given. Half time: 3-1.
Neil Roberts forced a good stop from Doran soon after the restart before Rhyl added a fourth in the 51st minute.
A sublime phase of passing ended up with Owen's shot being saved by Doran but Jones was quickest to the rebound and stabbed home from close range.
On the hour Neil Roberts made it 5-1 with a well deserved goal, a header from a Johnson corner.
To their credit, Airbus kept coming and Pritchard was called into action to save a Rowlands free-kick and a more difficult close range effort from substitute Leigh Craven.
But Rhyl had the last word. In the 89th minute Craig Jones cut in from the right, ghosted past two defenders and lashed in a left foot beauty from just outside the box to send the Lilies supporters home happy.
RHYL: Pritchard, Stones, C Roberts, Strong, Horan, D Williams (Kelly 59), Johnson, Wilson, N Roberts, C Owen, Jones. Unused subs: O'Neill, Reed.
MATCH FACTS
GOALS - Rhyl 6 Airbus 1
ATTEMPTS - Rhyl 17 Airbus 8
ON TARGET - Rhyl 10 Airbus 4
CORNERS - Rhyl 5 Airbus 4
YELLOW CARDS - Rhyl 0 Airbus 2
RED CARDS - Rhyl 0 Airbus 0
ATTENDANCE - 326
VISITOR MAN OF THE MATCH
Josh Johnson (Rhyl)
Endeavour, flair, goal assists, good deliveries. He excites the fans.
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From the report, it seems that it would be best to stick with the defence that kept 3 clean sheets. Loads of new options tho going forward - what has happened to Mathew Williams ?
Only concern was seeing Danny Williams limping off second half when relpaced by Jimmy Kelly.
Matty is a couple of weeks away i think ioio
His ankle keeps swelling up
Another very good performance last night, its a joy to watch at times.
Yes, very good. Good to see the squad being used and that it doesn't weaken the side to any great degree.
Josh Johnson MOM Dave? Yes he got me excited occasionly only to then either fall over the ball, take on 1 man too many or simply stop when in full flight and pass it back.
Hasn't done enough for me to merit a starting place ahead of Craig Jones
That's the danger of a formation resembling 4-3-3 - that there will be only one genuine wide man. The danger then is that the "big" signings take precedence. We need Craig in the starting 11 permanently on current form
Remember playing as kids (jumpers for goalposts) and having decided on some formation seen on Match Of The Day, kick-off resulted in both teams adopting a strict 1-0-10. I'd like to see Rhyl (in a dead LC game or maybe a WC tie) play 3 at the back and accomodate both Josh and Craig. Would be quite entertaining!
I don't think Johnson is a bad choice as MOM he created a couple of goals and made some good runs, yes a few things went wrong but they always will with a player of that nature, it's like with players like Arjen Robben and Ryan Giggs, they are ball carriers and now and again they will be dispossessed which can be frustrating. I thought it was a great performance last night and Carl Owen is really pushing Reed for a starting place now I reckon, but still prefer O'Neill to Horan on current form. Willo and Chris Robbo made good statements, but Pritch isn't ready to push Kendall for his place, too indecisive on crosses etc and doesn't command his area like Wales's No1 does.
Josh is pretty unpredictable but i thought he did ok last night to be honest especially first half. Some very good crosses but I think there is still more to come from him.
I know people moan when he does something frustrating but say if Jimmy or Robbo do it then its classed as unlucky but if Josh does it its crap.
Think he needs time and a goal would help.
Craig must start as well so its a very tricky decision who AB goes with on Saturday
And a lot of people think Jimmy Kelly is undroppable but I don't, he makes loads of mistakes and there were plenty last night, ok he is coming back gradually after a long injury but i don't think he is indispensable by any means, I'd pick Willo ahead of him any day.
Sorry but I wouldn't. Not in the same class as footballers as their respective careers show.
I'd go with Saturdays starting line up, but with Craig for Josh.
And what's this obsession with wingers. If you have attacking fullbacks and you pass the ball to feet why do we have to have 2 wingers in the side. Do Arsenal have any, do Man U, and don't say Ronaldo because he plays all over the pitch. The modern game has moved away from rigid formations to a more fluid style. That's why Spain won the Euro's and England under Maclaren didn't
sorry meant to add, 'even get there' to the end of that entry
Craig, Fair point. It was good to see Greg & Conno surging forward at the w/end. I think it would be top entertainment for 1 game that's all to unleash Josh & Craig.
As the squad has now been trimmed, my initial concerns as to keeping all the players happy, will probably be unfounded. A lot will depend on how hard the inevitable raft of injuries & suspension hit us and when - titles are won and lost on such iunjuries.
Nothing like the start of a season to ignite debate!
It was dark when I woke. This is a ray of sushnine.