SEVEN-UP FOR LILYWHITES

RHYL 7 (Leah 16, 44 & 76, Connolly 32 & 60, Turner 52, Kirk 70)
PONTARDAWE TOWN 0
WELSH CUP ROUND FOUR - JANUARY 30, 2010
THE opposition may not have been the strongest but Rhyl still produced a performance of true class at Belle Vue today to coast into the Welsh Cup quarter-finals.
Leading the way was midfield magician John Leah, who netted a magnificent hat-trick in the week a deal was reached to keep him at Rhyl for the rest of the season.
Pontardawe showed plenty of spirit and almost took a shock lead in the first minute when a Dale Otten corner from the left was fed to Mark Nappieralla just outside the area, but his fierce shot cleared the bar by inches.
Soon after Rhyl's Phil Doran broke down the left and sent in a low cross which Rob Turner was just unable to convert.
The Welsh League Division One side caused further concern when Carl Owen broke to the byeline and Andrew Stokes came so close to finishing off his centre with keeper Paul Pritchard struggling to reach the ball.
But the home nerves were settled in the 16th minute when Leah broke into the box and from the left-hand side scored with a sublime strike into the far corner.
Two minutes later Tyrone Kirk left three Pont defenders for dead but his left-foot strike was straight down keeper Ben Hopkins' throat. Another mazy run from Doran resulted in a shot which Hopkins dealt with comfortably.
Rhyl then had another scare when Stokes stole a march on George Horan and was in on goal, but Pritchard saved with his legs.
Home striker Matthew Williams had to come off in the 28th minute with a dead leg and was replaced by Mark Connolly.
And within four minutes of coming on for what was expected to be his last appearance for the Lilies, Connolly headed home his 20th goal of the season following a fantastic run and cross down the left by confirmed departee Greg Stones.
Doran was denied by the keeper before a delicate Connolly chip was tipped on to the bar by a back-pedalling Hopkins.
On 44 minutes, however, a lovely pass by Doran found Leah who turned and scored with another rasper from 20 yards.
HALF-TIME: 3-0.
Seven minutes after the break it was 4-0 when Martyn Naylor's quickly-taken free-kick was headed in by a stooping Turner, who made it three goals in four starts.
On the hour, Connolly added a fifth when his firm shot from just outside the area could only be parried into the net by Hopkins.
Rhyl were converting almost every chance that came their way - a marked contrast to their form in some league matches this term.
In the 70th minute Stones' cracking ball from the left put Turner in on goal and the striker unselfishly squared for Kirk to find an empty net.
And six minutes later Stones was again the pass provider for Leah who thumped in his hat-trick goal from an acute angle.
Pont applied some late pressure and perhaps deserved a goal for their efforts, but Rhyl held firm and comfortably took their place in the last eight.

RHYL: Pritchard, Naylor, Stones, Horan, Dowling, Leah (T Williams 80), Owen (Heenan 64), Doran, Turner, M Williams (Connolly 28), Kirk. Unused subs: Hunt, Strong.

MATCH FACTS
GOALS - Rhyl 7 Pontardawe 0
ATTEMPTS - Rhyl 17 Pontardawe 9
ON TARGET - Rhyl 15 Pontardawe 4
CORNERS - Rhyl 6 Pontardawe 3
YELLOW CARDS - Rhyl 0 Pontardawe 2
RED CARDS - Rhyl 0 Pontardawe 0
ATTENDANCE - 376
LO MAN OF THE MATCH
John Leah (Rhyl)
A goalscoring midfielder's masterclass.

RHYL FC RESULTS 2009/10
Aug 15 - Carmarthen Town (WPL - home) 2-1 (Strong, M Williams)
Aug 21 - Airbus UK Broughton (WPL - away) 2-2 (Hunt 2)
Aug 25 - Airbus UK Broughton (LC - a) 2-1 (Hunt, Owen)
Aug 29 - Port Talbot (WPL - h) 2-0 (M Williams, Hunt)
Sep 1 - Prestatyn Town (LC - h) 2-1 (Naylor, Connolly)
Sep 5 - Gap Connah's Quay (WPL - a) 2-0 (M Williams, Connolly)
Sep 11 - Bangor City (WPL - h) 5-1 (Hunt 2, M Williams pen, C Williams, Connolly)
Sep 19 - Newtown (WPL - a) 4-2 (M Williams 2, Strong, Connolly)
Sep 22 - Airbus (LC - h) 4-0 (Connolly 2, Kirk, Doran)
Sep 26 - Porthmadog (WPL - h) 4-0 (Connolly 3, Kirk)
Oct 3 - Llanfairpwll (WC-a) 3-1 (Connolly 2, Smith)
Oct 6 - Prestatyn Town (LC-a) 3-0 (Connolly, Hunt, C Williams)
Oct 9 - Bala Town (WPL-a) 4-0 (Smith, Doran, Horan, Hunt)
Oct 17 - Neath (WPL-a) 0-2
Oct 23 - Elements Cefn Druids (WPL-a) 1-1 (M Williams)
Oct 27 - Porthmadog (LCQF-a) 4-1 (Connolly 2, M Williams 2)
Oct 31 - Bridgend Town (WC-h) 4-2 (Connolly, M Williams, Strong, C Williams)
Nov 7 - Llanelli (WPL-h) 0-0
Nov 10 - Gap Connah's Quay (a-LCSF 1st leg) 1-2 (Connolly)
Nov 14 - Caersws (WPL-h) 3-1 (Connolly, Hunt 2)
Nov 17 - Gap Connah's Quay (h-LCSF 2nd leg) 4-0 (Connolly, Hunt, Smith 2)
Nov 22 - The New Saints (a-WPL) 0-4
Nov 29 - Haverfordwest County (a-WPL) 1-2 (Strong)
Dec 5 - Aberystwyth Town (a-WPL) 2-2 (Leah, Hunt)
Dec 12 - Technogroup Welshpool (h-WPL) 4-1 (Leah, C Williams, Hunt, Owen)
Dec 16 - Colwyn Bay (a-NWCC) 1-0 (Stones)
Dec 26 - Prestatyn Town (a-WPL) 0-0
Jan 2 - Prestatyn Town (h-WPL) 1-1 (Leah)
Jan 16 - Port Talbot (a-WPL) 1-2 (Turner)
Jan 23 - Gap Connah's Quay (h-WPL) 4-1 (Connolly, Horan, M Williams 2)
Jan 26 - Airbus UK Broughton (h-WPL) 2-1 (M Williams pen, Turner)
Jan 30 - Pontardawe Town (h-WCR4) 7-0 (Leah 3, Connolly 2, Turner, Kirk)

GOALS (79): 21 - Mark Connolly; 13 - Lee Hunt, Matthew Williams; 6 - John Leah; 4 - Paul Smith, Greg Strong, Chris Williams; 3 - Rob Turner, Tyrone Kirk; 2 - George Horan, Phil Doran, Gareth Owen; 1 - Martyn Naylor, Greg Stones.