TIME TO BOUNCE BACK

NEWTOWN v RHYL
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 2.30pm
RHYL'S senior coach Allan Bickerstaff believes his Welsh Premier leaders can bounce back from last weekend's disappointing loss to Druids by winning at Latham Park this afternoon.
Following last month's shock home defeat at the hands of Port Talbot, the Lilywhites responded in the style of champions by winning their next three games emphatically.
Now Bickerstaff wants more of the same at Newtown after last Friday's stunning Belle Vue reverse against the struggling but enterprising Druids.
"I'm confident we'll bounce back at Newtown with another tremendous performance," said the senior coach.
"We're going to have a blip every now and then but we're top of the league; every other club in the league would like to be where we are."
The form book certainly favours the Lilies who are unbeaten in their last 12 league meetings with Newtown and have taken three points on each of their last six trips to Latham Park.
And despite the Druids setback Rhyl remain top of the WPL after last weekend threw up some shock results, TNS going down 1-0 at Airbus and Llanelli, who could have gone level with Rhyl on points with a game in hand, crashing 3-1 at Connah's Quay.
"With the other top three sides also losing, luckily for us nothing has altered," said Bickerstaff.
Turning to the Druids performance, he added: "It still doesn't take away the fact it was a very disappointing result for us, though, after such a fantastic performance at TNS the previous week.
"I can't fault the effort of the players; if you take into account attempts on goal it could have ended up 20-4 to us.
"We did give away bad goals, but I can't fault the defence over the season; we were due a blip and I'm hoping this was a one-off. Credit also to Druids, they've come here and set up well, attacked well and taken their chances when they came."
Midfielder Danny Williams, a late withdrawal against Druids through injury, trained at Wrexham during the week and will hopefully be in contention today.
The versatile Jamie Reed, who missed last Friday's game due to work commitments, is also expected to return to the fold.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
2008/9 - Rhyl 3 Newtown 0
2007/8 - Rhyl 2 Newtown 1; Newtown 0 Rhyl 2
2006/7 - Newtown 0 Rhyl 6; Rhyl 2 Newtown 2
2005/6 - Newtown 1 Rhyl 4, Rhyl 3 Newtown 1
2004/5 - Rhyl 3 Newtown 0, Newtown 0 Rhyl 1
2003/4 - Newtown 0 Rhyl 2, Rhyl 1 Newtown 1
2002/3 - Rhyl 1 Newtown 2, Newtown 0 Rhyl 2
2001/2 - Rhyl 1 Newtown 0, Newtown 2 Rhyl 2
2000/1 - Rhyl 0 Newtown 0, Newtown 2 Rhyl 0
1999/0 - Rhyl 2 Newtown 3, Newtown 1 Rhyl 0
1998/9 - Newtown 2 Rhyl 1, Rhyl 3 Newtown 3
1997/8 - Newtown 1 Rhyl 1, Rhyl 3 Newtown 2
1996/7 - Rhyl 3 Newtown 1, Newtown 1 Rhyl 1
1995/6 - Rhyl 0 Newtown 1, Newtown 3 Rhyl 0
1994/5 - Newtown 3 Rhyl 0, Rhyl 3 Newtown 2
WINS: Rhyl 14 Newtown 8; DRAWS: 7