December 2009 Archives

LEE HUNT'S latest sending off in a Rhyl shirt - his sixth in six seasons - has cost him a four-match ban.
The striker's dismissal for violent conduct in the 0-0 Boxing Day draw with Prestatyn Town means he will not be eligible to play for the Lilywhites again until the Welsh Cup fourth round tie against Pontardawe Town on January 30.
Hunt will miss home league matches against Prestatyn Town, Airbus UK Broughton and Gap Connah's Quay, as well as the away game at Port Talbot.

RHYL have signed winger Tyrone Kirk on a permanent basis from Football League Two club Macclesfield Town.
Kirk, 23, joined the Lilywhites on loan from the Moss Rose outfit in August and has made 11 Welsh Premier appearances to date for the champions, his speedy wing play making him a big hit with the Belle Vue faithful.
"Both clubs have now agreed on a permanent deal which is great news for Rhyl FC," said Lilies managing director Dave Milner.
Kirk is a former Manchester City and Scunthorpe trainee who was a national award winner in the Nike Freestyle Soccer tournament in 2003.
Following a spell with Boston United he spent 2008/09 with Unibond Division One club Stamford FC where he was named player of the year.
After attracting the attention of Sheffield United he joined Macclesfield, making his debut in a Carling Cup tie against Leicester City, but he was allowed to leave the Silkmen for Rhyl in August 2009.
With the signing of goalkeeper Jack Cudworth from Technogroup Welshpool already in the bag, Rhyl hope to bring in a midfielder and striker over the weekend although one current squad member may be on his way.

RHYL are set to sign goalkeeper Jack Cudworth from Technogroup Welshpool as a replacement for James Coates, whose loan spell ended today.
Cudworth, 19, has made 16 appearances in the Welsh Premier for the mid-Wales Lilywhites this season.
Originally spotted by Preston North End while undergoing a trial at Manchester United, he played for the Deepdale outfit's youth and reserve teams before being released in the summer of 2009 and joining the Maesydre club.
Lilywhites manager Greg Strong said: "He's a great prospect and a very good signing for us."
Strong hopes to bring in a couple more players to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.
Confirmation is also awaited on whether winger Tyrone Kirk's on-loan transfer from Macclesfield will become permanent.

PRESTATYN TOWN 0
RHYL 0
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE - DEC 26, 2009
THERE are two sides to Rhyl striker Lee Hunt - the one which scores umpteen goals and runs his heart out for the cause and the other which constantly falls foul of referees.
Today, Lilywhites fans witnessed the latter version as the robust front-man received his second red card of the season just before half time of a goal-less draw at Prestatyn watched by a disappointing Boxing Day crowd of 762.
Proceedings were beginning to warm-up when in the 43rd minute, during a goalmouth skirmish, Hunt swung a retaliatory arm at Town defender Dave Hayes and received his marching orders from referee Mark Petch.
Ironically, after that Rhyl upped their game and had the best of the second half chances, but were unable to grab the win which would have kept them close to top two Llanelli and TNS.
If ever there was a fair result today was it. Neither side really deserved to win or lose with the match stats uncannily even.
Prestatyn claimed their first Welsh Premier point against Rhyl and could have taken all three but for the heroics of Lilies keeper Paul Pritchard.
Although James Coates' loan spell ended with the champions today, Rhyl are set to bring in Jack Cudworth from Welshpool as his replacement, which puts Pritchard's aspirations of claiming the No1 jersey as his own in jeopardy.
On today's showing, however, Pritch will be hard to dislodge from the between the sticks position.
Rhyl threatened twice early through Mark Connolly before the Seasiders had a brilliant chance on 14 minutes when a superb turn by Steve Rogers put him in on goal, but Pritchard produced a superb block from point blank range.
Pritchard was the hero again soon after when tipping over a fierce strike by Rogers from the edge of the penalty box, the Prestatyn striker having left Greg Strong and Greg Stones standing.
The visitors thought they had won a penalty in the 34th minute when Phil Doran went down under challenge from Russ Jones in the area, but referee Petch instead booked the Rhyl player for diving. A contentious call, but Mr Petch was generally spot on throughout the afternoon.
Despite being a player short for the second period the Lilywhites looked more threatening, although it was Pritchard once more who came to their rescue when Andy Moran's effort ballooned up off George Horan and had the keeper back-pedalling desperately to push the ball away for a corner.
Rhyl came the closest of either sides to a goal, however, on 75 minutes when Doran's neat back-heel found substitute Matthew Williams whose deflected 20-yard strike came back off the post.
Lilies player-manager Greg Strong then looked set to score at the back stick from a Gareth Owen corner, but his header was blocked.
The champions were now looking like pinching the points and it took a tremendous low save from Jon Dunt to deny Horan from 15 yards.
Pritchard fittingly had the last word, doing well to hold a late Moran left-footer.
Certainly on today's evidence Prestatyn are a much improved side on last season while Rhyl may have slipped back, but there is still a long way to go in the campaign.
Now it's on to January 2 and the much-awaited return at Belle Vue.

Prestatyn: Dunt, Jones (A Davies 78), Lewis, Hayes, O'Neill, Wilson, Parker, Gibson (Hoult 71), Moran, Rogers (Harris 82), Griffiths.
Rhyl: Pritchard, Dowling, Stones, Horan, Strong, Leah, C Williams (M Williams 61), Owen, Hunt, Connolly, Doran.

MATCH FACTS
Goals: Prestatyn 0 Rhyl 0
Attempts: Prestatyn 9 Rhyl 9
On Target: Prestatyn 5 Rhyl 4
Corners; Prestatyn 3 Rhyl 4
Yellow cards: Prestatyn 4 Rhyl 2
Red cards: Prestatyn 0 Rhyl 1
Attendance: 762
LO Players of the Match:
Prestatyn - Gareth Wilson
Rhyl - Paul Pritchard

PRESTATYN TOWN v RHYL
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
BOXING DAY 2.30pm
TOMORROW'S all-Denbighshire clash at Bastion Gardens between Prestatyn Town and Rhyl has all the makings of a very interesting encounter indeed.
The Lilywhites should have close to a full squad available with defender Martyn Naylor expected to have recovered from injury.
Prestatyn will be hoping midfielder Michael Parker and striker Steve Rogers are on call after both left the field with head injuries in last week's 1-0 defeat against TNS.
Last season, when Town were newcomers to the Welsh Premier, Rhyl won both league clashes comfortably, but this term things are a bit different.
The Seasiders are much improved, currently lying seventh in the table and with as many victories already this season as they managed in the whole of the last campaign. They are in the middle of a tough run of games, though, having already lost to Llanelli and TNS in the past fortnight.
Rhyl are not quite looking the force they were last season, when it was obvious from a very early stage that they were the best team in the league.
Although Greg Strong's men made a stunning start to 2009/10, they have won just two of their last eight league games and occupy third spot in the table.
If the Lilies are to retain their title, they will have to go on a very strong run with TNS, Llanelli and Neath all looking very capable of sustaining a championship challenge.
Rhyl and Prestatyn have met twice this season in the League Cup.
In the first clash, at Belle Vue, the Lilywhites edged a very close fought encounter 2-1 thanks to a late goal, but at Bastion Gardens, Rhyl were very easy 3-0 winners.
Tomorrow's match is hard to call, but certainly has the potential to be the tightest tussle yet between these local rivals since Prestatyn entered the Welsh Premier.

PRESTATYN TOWN v RHYL - LAST FIVE MEETINGS
2009/10: Rhyl 2 Prestatyn Town 1 (LC); Prestatyn Town 0 Rhyl 3 (LC)
2008/09: Rhyl 7 Prestatyn Town 2 (WPL); Prestatyn Town 1 Rhyl 4 (WPL)
2006/07: Prestatyn Town 2 Rhyl 0 (NWC)

GOALKEEPER James Coates has announced he is moving on from Rhyl now that his loan deal is over.
Coates joined the Lilywhites at the start of the season and began as regular first choice, but in recent weeks has been vying for the number one shirt with Paul Pritchard.
It is believed Rhyl have now lined up another goalkeeper to sign in the January transfer window to replace the departing Coates.

THE footballing future of winger Luke Holden remains in the balance going into 2010.
The 21-year-old moved to League One promotion contenders Charlton Athletic on loan from Rhyl in August, but to date has only made one substitute appearance for the Addicks in a 2-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Southampton, when he came off the bench and set up a last-minute goal for Leon McKenzie.
Athletic boss Phil Parkinson has already made it clear he is looking to bring in new talent in the January transfer window, so where does that leave Holden?
It is believed Parkinson rates Holden but not enough to offer him regular first team football at present, therefore there is a possibility he may either end the loan deal in the new year or keep him on the books but loan him out to another club.
One of the problems facing Holden is Charlton do not have a reserve team which limits his opportunity to play regular football.
It would certainly be great for Rhyl to have him back as he has to be one of the finest crossers of a ball to play for the Lilywhites in years, but it remains to be seen what happens next.

RHYL have appointed midfielder Gareth Owen to their coaching staff to fill the void created by the recent departure of Dave Cameron.
Owen, who is currently taking his Pro Licence Qualification, will also remain a member of the first team squad at Belle Vue.
Capped eight times by Wales at Under-21 level and once for the B squad, Owen joined Rhyl in the summer of 2008 - and what an impact he made!
Owen was named Welsh Premier Player of the Season in 2008/09 and scooped the Daily Post Phil Stanley Memorial Award as the Lilywhites lifted the league title.
Formerly with Wrexham for 12 years, making 350 appearances for the Robins, Owen also played in the Football League for Doncaster Rovers before switching to the WPL with Connah's Quay Nomads and Airbus UK Broughton, where he was player-manager prior to a surprise move to Rhyl.

PRESIDENT Peter Parry is leaving Rhyl Football Club after almost 10 years at the helm - but insists it is business as usual at Belle Vue.
Although leaving the club in the new year Mr Parry has left a further financial legacy as a contribution to the end of the current season.
The club has seen unprecedented success during Mr Parry's 10 year tenure which includes two Welsh Premier titles, two Welsh Cup triumphs and two league cup wins as well as reaching European qualification on six occasions.
A club spokesman said: "What Peter has done for this club is nothing short of amazing.
"He has revitalised the club as well as making Belle Vue one of the best grounds in Wales. "
"The club, its fans and players, and the town, owe him a huge vote of thanks.
"We wish him well for the future and his contribution to the club will never be forgotten for generations to come."
Commenting on his decision Mr Parry said: "I have enjoyed the challenges within the club in my current role. The club is now on an even keel but my focus will be on other ventures outside football.
"I would like to thank everybody involved for their support in making Rhyl one of the leading clubs in Wales."
In preparation for next season anybody interested in joining the board should contact the club's Managing Director Dave Milner on 01745 338327.

PRESTATYN Town have invested in additional catering and toilet facilities for Rhyl supporters visiting Bastion Gardens for the Boxing Day derby with the Seasiders.
The licensed bar in the clubhouse will be open up to kick off time and as well as the usual indoor refreshment point there will be additional outside catering. Extra toilet facilities have also been arranged at the top (Bastion Road) end of the ground.
Admission will be via the turnstiles at both ends of the ground but there will be no parking on Bastion Gardens itself, supporters coming by car should use the nearby seafront car parks at the Nova Centre.
If anyone has any queries or wants further information they are welcome to call Mark Jones, Town's media officer, on 07753 966805.