IRRESISTABLE RHYL IN FOUR-GOAL ROMP

AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 0
RHYL 4 (C Owen 20 & 72; C Roberts 29, Johnson 31)
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE CUP GROUP 5
SEPTEMBER 23, 2008
FOUR fabulous goals carried the Lilywhites to a convincing victory at The Airfield which put them within sight of the League Cup quarter-finals.
It was a night where players who have struggled to command a regular first team place this season put themselves very much in the frame.
And on an evening where they were so vastly superior to the opposition, it was also pleasing see three Lilies players make their debuts as second half substitutes - striker Matthew Williams plus youngsters Tom Roberts and Sam Heenan.
Airbus made a promising start as they forced a corner inside the first 30 seconds, but it came to nothing and from there on Rhyl took over.
In the eighth minute Jamie Reed put Carl Owen (pictured) in on goal but Wingmakers keeper Chris Doran blocked bravely at his feet.
Owen then blasted over from 20 yards before his close range header from a Jimmy Kelly corner narrowly missed the target.
The tall ex-Porthmadog striker was a man on a mission, though, and on 20 minutes he put the visitors in front.
The outstanding Gareth Wilson won the ball outside his own box, then carried it forward before launching a lovely pass down the left for Owen whose pace took him clear of the Airbus defence and he finished superbly from an acute angle.
Kelly had a goalbound shot deflected wide, then on 29 minutes came a fantastic goal for the Lilies.
Kelly and Josh Johnson combined to find Chris Roberts on the edge of the box and his sublime chip with the outside of his foot over Doran positively flew into the net.
Two minutes later the travelling Rhyl fans were in raptures. Mark Connolly's cross from the right was far too deep and looked to be running out of play, but Johnson kept it in on the left.
What followed was a dream left winger's goal. Trinidadian Johnson nutmegged not one, but two defenders before bursting into the box and then lashing past Doran with a tremendous finish.
Another marvellous move almost brought a fourth before the break, Owen finding Johnson whose cross to the back post was met on the volley by Reed who fired just wide.
Half-time: 0-3
There was no let up from Allan Bickerstaff's side after the interval. Johnson saw his rocket deflected over, then from Craig Jones' cross George Horan's bullet header was tipped away by Doran. From the resulting corner came a frantic scramble where the ball looked to have crossed the Airbus line but no goal was given.
The introduction of Matthew Williams, the ex-Manchester United and Notts County player who joined Rhyl in July but had not featured yet this season because of injury, was a welcome sight.
Although in need of games, Williams looked sharp and pacy up front and will certainly give the Lilywhites another dimension.
Rhyl's inevitable fourth goal arrived on 72 minutes and what a well-worked masterpiece it was.
Kelly fed Johnson on the left and his pinpoint cross was volleyed in by Owen who really on this display must be pushing hard for a starting place against Aberystwyth on Saturday.
Young Tom Roberts replaced Connolly and immediately imposed himself confidently at left-back.
Doran produced great stops from Jones and Wilson - the latter being set up by great work from Heenan on the left - before Owen looked certain to complete a hat-trick when he met a Kelly corner on the volley, but again the Airbus keeper somehow kept the ball out.
This was a very impressive Rhyl performance with of the fringe players Owen and Wilson especially excelling.
The Lilywhites' pace, movement and passing was a class above Airbus, who had already experienced a 6-1 tanking at Belle Vue in this competition.
RHYL: Paul Pritchard, Mark Connolly (Tom Roberts 72), Chris Roberts, Paul O'Neill, George Horan (c), Gareth Wilson, Jimmy Kelly, Carl Owen, Jamie Reed (Matthew Williams 52), Josh Johnson (Sam Heenan 77), Craig Jones.

MATCH FACTS
GOALS - Airbus 0 Rhyl 4
ATTEMPTS - Airbus 5 Rhyl 20
ON TARGET - Airbus 1 Rhyl 12
CORNERS - Airbus 3 Rhyl 9
YELLOW CARDS - Airbus 3 Rhyl 1
RED CARDS - Airbus 0 Rhyl 0
ATTENDANCE - 218
LILYWHITES ONLINE MAN OF THE MATCH
Gareth Wilson (Rhyl)
Several contenders tonight, but Willo was a man inspired in the centre.
RHYL FC RESULTS 2008/09
Aug 16, 2008 - Newtown (h-lge) 3-0 (Stones, N Roberts, Reed)
Aug 19, 2008 - Airbus UK Broughton (h-LC) 6-1 (C Owen 2, Jones 2, N Roberts, D Williams)
Aug 23, 2008 - Caernarfon Town (a-lge) 1-0 (Horan)
Aug 30, 2008 - Llanelli (h-lge) 5-1 (Strong, Reed, N Roberts 2, Johnson)
Sep 02, 2008 - Welshpool Town (h-LC) 1-2 (Jones)
Sep 05, 2008 - Porthmadog (a-lge) 3-0 (Reed, N Roberts, Jones)
Sep 13, 2008 - Haverfordwest County (h-lge) 2-0 (Reed 2)
Sep 21, 2008 - Neath Athletic (a-lge) 2-2 (Reed, Stones)
Sep 23, 2008 - Airbus UK Broughton (a-LC) 4-0 (C Owen 2, C Roberts, Johnson)
GOALS (27): 6 - Jamie Reed; 5 - Neil Roberts; 4 - Craig Jones, Carl Owen; 2 - Greg Stones, Josh Johnson; 1 - Danny Williams, George Horan, Greg Strong, Chris Roberts.