August 2009 Archives

RHYL have just signed a midfielder who has Football League experience with Chester City.
Liverpool born Paul Smith, 18, is product of Chester's youth policy who made his debut in the Football League as a 17 year old substitute against Rochdale on February 3, 2009.
He went on to make four further substitute appearances for the club during their relegation season from Football League Two.
Smith, who comes highly recommended by Chester youth team and former first team boss Simon Davies, joins Rhyl on a non-contract basis and could be in contention for an appearance against Prestatyn Town tomorrow.

RHYL are the early leaders of the Black Dragon Badges Reserve Premier League on goal difference following Saturday's 8-0 thrashing of Halkyn United.
Seb Walker grabbed a hat-trick, Jack Higgins struck twice and there were singles from Alex Nattrass, Dave Evans and Danny Parsonage.
The Lilywhites led 2-0 at half time at Pant Newydd courtesy of Nattrass and Evans.
Rhyl's next game is at Belle Vue against Gap Connah's Quay this Friday (7.30pm).
* Apologies for initially reporting the wrong scorer of Rhyl's hat-trick.
The scorers names were provided by the Clwyd League but was probably down to Halkyn giving out duff information.

A FORMER Scottish Premier League striker has joined Rhyl today.
Nathan Taylor, 19, joins the Lilywhites from amateur club Rochdale Town, having been recommended to Rhyl manager Greg Strong by a footballing contact from that area.
Taylor was signed by Hamilton Academical from Rochdale in 2006. He made his debut for Hamilton in January 2007 against Livingston in the Scottish Cup, but was released in July of that year.
After Hamilton, Taylor emerged at Scottish Premier League club Gretna.
He made his debut for the side against Aberdeen in March 2008, after many of the club's senior players resigned following the Weddingmakers entering administration.
In May 2008, Taylor was part of the remaining 40 staff members who were released by Gretna, having made six first team appearances for the club.
The promising front man has also had a short spell with Celtic.
Taylor has signed initially on a non contract basis and could be involved in tomorrow night's Loosemores Cup tie against Prestatyn.

WELSH Premier League champions Rhyl have signed left-sided defender/midfielder Phil Doran from Witton Albion.
Doran, 20, is a former Blackpool youth who had a trial at Barrow before joining Caernarfon Town at the start of the 2007/08 season.
He made 31 appearances for the Canaries during that campaign, but he followed twin brother Peter and former boss Steve O'Shaughnessy to Gap Connah's Quay early in 2008/09.
Phil went on to make 26 starts for the Nomads last term, but this year left for Witton Albion.
Doran can operate in defence or midfield down the left and excels in dead-ball situations.
He did feature in a pre-season friendly for Rhyl at Colwyn Bay in July and has now become Greg Strong's third signing for the champions.

ON his excellent www.welsh-premier.com site, webmaster Andrew Lincoln published what I consider unfair criticism about my Welsh Premier League column in Friday's Daily Post.
In a shortish piece in the column, which focuses mainly on North Wales clubs, I praised the development of young talent at Bangor City and said it is a pity the situation is not as encouraging at many other clubs.
Although I didn't name any clubs where I feel youth development has been lacking, Mr Lincoln felt it was a slight on the whole league which was not my intention at all.
I fully appreciate the work going on at other clubs to nurture youth football, Porthmadog for one, whose successful academy I featured in the Herald on a few occasions last season. No doubt I will be mentioning them in my WPL column at some stage too.
But in my opinion some other clubs are not bringing through impactive young players in the way Bangor are.
Mr Lincoln goes on to highlight the efforts being made at Newtown, Haverfordwest and TNS to give home-grown prospects their opportunity, but these clubs are not generally covered in any depth in the Daily Post which mainly focuses on North Wales, which was the target area for my article.
I also felt Mr Lincoln's comment that my research powers ended 10 miles outside Rhyl - when Bangor is considerably further - was personal, inaccurate and unjust.
Thankfully such crossfire between myself and Mr Lincoln is a rare event.
In the past we have always worked well together, sharing information and pictures on a fairly regular basis.
On this occasion I felt the need to respond to what I considered a personal attack although Mr Lincoln insists this was not the case.
Disagreements happen in this game, it's the nature of the beast.
Despite this recent dispute, I remain a respecter and admirer of Mr Lincoln's outstanding site, which is a credit to the Welsh Premier League.
An earlier, more caustic response to his Daily Post views published on this blog was largely a heat of the moment reaction.

RHYL 2 (Williams 32, Hunt 42)
PORT TALBOT TOWN 0
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE - AUG 29, 2009
RIGHT-WINGER Tyrone Kirk had a sparkling debut for a Rhyl side which gained sweet revenge for last season's 3-2 loss to Port Talbot at Belle Vue.
Kirk, a loan signing from Macclesfield, terrorised the Steelmen's defence, laying on the Lilywhites second goal and creating numerous other scoring chances.
The match also saw an unhappy return to Belle Vue for goalkeeper Lee Kendall, who signed for Port Talbot earlier this month.
Kirk, whose planned midweek debut was postponed due to a registration delay caused by the English FA, came straight into a Rhyl line-up deprived of the services of Neil Roberts through a knee injury.
The Steelmen threatened first when Danny Thomas found Martin Rose in the box, but the striker's shot lost its sting thanks to a timely George Horan challenge.
Soon after Rhyl full-back Greg Stones made a good break from his own half and picked out Luke Holden whose 30-yard screamer flew wide.
Kendall reminded the Lilywhites faithful of what they will be missing this season when he produced a fantastic tip over from a Holden 25-yard rocket on 18 minutes.
Opposite number Paul Pritchard was then called into action as he kept out a fierce right-foot drive from Danny Thomas, pushing the ball up in the air and no-one from Port was able to capitalise.
But the Lilies were steadily turning the screw and they deservedly took the lead on 32 minutes when Matthew Williams scored with a glancing header from a Holden corner.
Three minutes before the break the home side's impressive new signing Kirk taunted full-back Scott Barrow before lofting a sublime ball to the back post where Lee Hunt skilfully headed home number two.
First half injury time brought a turning point when Danny Thomas' long throw found Rose in the box, but the big striker fluffed a great chance by blasting over the bar.
Kirk hounded the Port defence again minutes after the restart but was unable to keep down the final shot.
Rhyl were denied a blatant penalty when Barrow shoved over Hunt in the box, then an instant volley from the Lilywhites striker was comfortably saved by Kendall.
It looked easier to score when on 63 minutes Kirk broke to the byeline and arrowed the ball on to the head of player manager Greg Strong who somehow missed the target.
Port Talbot's attacking threat had been non-existent in the second half until the 74th minute when a 20-yard effort from substitute Mark Jones smacked the top of the crossbar.
Eight minutes from time Mark Connolly let fly with a free-kick for the champions but Kendall was able to palm the ball away from goal.

RHYL: Pritchard, Connolly, Stones, Horan (c), Strong, Leah, Kirk, Owen, Hunt, Williams, Holden (Naylor 84). Subs: Cameron, Dowling.

MATCH FACTS
GOALS - Rhyl 2 Port Talbot 0
ATTEMPTS - Rhyl 13 Port Talbot 7
ON TARGET - Rhyl 7 Port Talbot 4
CORNERS - Rhyl 6 Port Talbot 3
YELLOW CARDS - Rhyl 0 Port Talbot 2
RED CARDS - Rhyl 0 Port Talbot 0
ATTENDANCE - 414
LILYWHITES ONLINE MAN OF THE MATCH
Tyrone Kirk (Rhyl)
Same type of stunning debut Luke Holden had last season.

RHYL have signed an experienced goalkeeper on loan 48 hours before the transfer deadline.
He is James Coates, who joins the Lilywhites from Conference North club Northwich Victoria.
Coates had signed for the Vics in July from fellow Conference North club Vauxhall Motors, for whom he was an ever present last season and was named Supporters Player of the Year.
Rhyl's new recruit is a former Mansfield Town stopper who was on the bench for the Stags play off final at the Millennium Stadium against Huddersfield Town in 2002.
He has won Welsh caps at under 17, 19 and 21 levels and has also had spells at Moor Green, Worcester City and Leigh RMI.
"He brings a lot of experience to the squad which will be vital in the months ahead," said Rhyl player manager Greg Strong.

Bangor City 0 The New Saints 2

Gap Connah's Quay 3 Porthmadog 2

Bala Town 1 Technogroup Welshpool 2

Neath 0 Carmarthen Town 0

Haverfordwest County 1 Llanelli 1

AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 1 (McManus 67)
RHYL 2 (Hunt 34, Owen 80)
LOOSEMORES LEAGUE CUP GROUP 4
RHYL are the early leaders of Group 4 following tonight's well-deserved victory at The Airfield.
Lee Hunt, who netted twice on this same ground four days previously in a 2-2 Welsh Premier draw, headed Rhyl in front on 34 minutes from a John Leah free-kick.
Airbus, who fielded a much changed line-up from the one which featured in the league game, equalised midway through the second period when Paul McManus scored with a cracking 30-yarder.
But the visitors booked the points when Matthew Williams' shot was parried by keeper Phil Palethorpe only for Gareth Owen to be on hand to put away the winner 10 minutes from time.

AFTER holding the champions to a 2-2 draw on Friday night Airbus UK Broughton manager Craig Harrison (pictured) predicted Rhyl will retain their Welsh Premier League title this season.
Harrison's new-look Wingmakers looked just as impressive against the Lilywhites as they did five days earlier in earning a 2-2 split at Llanelli.
The Broughton side will complete a trio of early fixtures against the "big three" when they travel to The New Saints on Saturday, but Harrison believes Rhyl are best equipped to finish top of the tree again.
"I think Rhyl are a stronger team than Llanelli all in all and if they can keep their first choice eleven injury-free I think they will win the league again," he said.
Harrison was delighted with his team's display against the Lilies in a game where they would have taken all three points but for Lee Hunt's 85th minute equaliser.
"I felt we were the better side in the first half while they shaded the second," he added.
"We had a couple of chances at 2-1 and if we'd have taken them I think we'd have gone on to win it, but we knew Rhyl wouldn't give up."
Meanwhile Rhyl player manager Greg Strong was disappointed with his team on Friday with only two-goal hero Hunt escaping criticism.
"He promised me after missing a few chances against Carmarthen that he'd score in the next game and he was good to his word," said Strong.
"He was a constant menace all night, but everyone else didn't perform - no excuses.
"I have no complaints at all about our attitude and commitment and it says a lot that we kept pushing for an equaliser to the end, but overall I was disappointed - we've got better players than that."
George Horan had a very rare below par game for the Lilies and it was his unfortunate error - the ball hit him on the back of the head as he attempted to duck to let it go out of play - which enabled Airbus to equalise.
"George has got us out of trouble so many times in the past I think he's entitled to a mistake - and an unlucky one at that," stressed Strong.
Strong will add new loan signing from Macclesfield Tyrone Kirk to the squad for tomorrow's League Cup return to Airbus and hopes to further swell his small squad this week.
"It's difficult as I only have a certain budget and clubs are reluctant to let players go," said Strong.
"I've always stressed I'm not prepared just to bring in players for the sake of it - they have to be quality.
"The game against Airbus will give me a chance to experiment with one or two positions; because of the shortage of players in the squad I've been restricted with formations I've been able to play."