TRUE GRIT SEES RHYL TO VICTORY

RHYL 2 (M Williams 35 pen, Turner 78)
AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON 1 (Edwards 22 pen)
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE - JANUARY 26, 2010
SO many of Rhyl's wins in recent seasons have featured classy, dynamic football but tonight's victory was all about grit, determination and team spirit.
The Lilywhites looked totally up against it after being outclassed in the first half hour by a lively Airbus who were more than worthy of a 1-0 lead.
Things got a lot worse when substitute Chris Williams got himself needlessly sent off, but going down to 10 men seemed to galvanise the Lilies.
They equalised a minute later and then went on to produce a fantastic defensive second half performance which was topped off with a winning goal.
If some of these players were playing their last game for the champions they certainly went out on a high note.
To say Rhyl were slow out of the blocks, though, was an understatement.
With keeper Jack Cudworth, later to prove a hero, seeming to have forgotten how to kick a ball any distance, and the hosts showing remarkable generosity in giving away possession, Airbus totally dominated.
Cudworth did well to gather Gio Feliciello's second minute free-kick at the second attempt.
Rhyl's keeper then made a poor clearance which fell to Marc Lloyd Williams who fortunately found Tom Rowlands in space.
Rowlands looked to be offside, but was allowed to play on and was only denied a certain goal by a superb Cudworth stop.
A fine ball from Rowlands then released Lloyd Williams. Cudworth went down at the striker's feet, but the ball went loose and Lloyd Williams netted only for the referee to decide the WPL's record marksman had gained possession illegally.
It was no surprise when on 21 minutes Lloyd Williams was tripped in the area and official Matt Bridges pointed to the penalty spot, Ryan Edwards making no mistake in putting the Airmen ahead.
Soon after Rhyl's Tyrone Kirk went off injured to be replaced by Chris Williams.
Just seven minutes after taking the field, Williams viciously kicked out at Feliciello by the right touchline and was rightly red-carded. An idiotic act by Williams who let the team down.
Nonetheless, just a minute after his dismissal Matthew Williams was felled from behind in the box by Ashley Williams and Bridges awarded a second penalty - debateable, but welcome.
Williams scored to make it 1-1 after 35 minutes from Rhyl's first on-target effort of the half.
Airbus were playing some dazzling one-touch stuff and in the 41st minute Rowlands and Lloyd Williams combined to find Desormeaux whose fierce shot was brilliantly kept out by Cudworth.
Just before the break Rhyl went desperately close when Rob Turner's back header from a Mark Connolly long throw missed the goal by inches.
HALF-TIME: 1-1.
The second half saw the 10-man Lilywhites show tremendous defensive resilience, limiting the Wingmakers to very few clear chances.
Rhyl were productive with the possession they secured, Gareth Owen lashing just over after good work by Shaun Dowling and Matthew Williams.
Connolly was not too far away with a free-kick either as the hosts threatened a second.
Airbus' best chance came on 76 minutes when Rowlands was allowed to break down the left despite committing an obvious foul and squared to Lloyd Williams who amazingly totally miscued with his trusty left foot from eight yards.
The visitors paid two minutes later when John Leah's precision pass found Turner (PICTURED) whose left foot strike beat Kristian Rogers and put Rhyl 2-1 up.
The closing stages saw Rhyl defending frantically as Airbus turned up the pressure.
Bridges for some reason played five minutes of added time and in this spell Cudworth, who grew in stature during the half, made a remarkable save from a Desormeaux rocket.
A great win for Rhyl which gives them daylight in third spot and all the players - apart from Chris Williams - deserve all the praise in the world for their effort.
Although the crowd of 284 was poor, those present supporting the hosts made plenty of noise, with the encouragement from the dressing room side stand every time a Rhyl player did something good in the second half heartening to hear.

RHYL: Cudworth, Connolly, Stones, Horan, Dowling, Leah, Doran, Owen, Turner, M Williams, Kirk (C Williams 26). Unused subs: Naylor, Strong, Heenan.

MATCH FACTS
GOALS - Rhyl 2 Airbus 1
ATTEMPTS - Rhyl 10 Airbus 14
ON TARGET - Rhyl 2 Airbus 6
CORNERS - Rhyl 2 Airbus 10
YELLOW CARDS - Rhyl 1 Airbus 2
RED CARDS - Rhyl 1 Airbus 0
ATTENDANCE - 284
LO MAN OF THE MATCH
Rob Turner (Rhyl)
Fantastic performance up front, won plenty in the air, never stopped running and took his goal so well.

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)

GOALS (72): 19 - Mark Connolly; 13 - Lee Hunt, Matthew Williams; 4 - Paul Smith, Greg Strong, Chris Williams; 3 - John Leah; 2 - Rob Turner, George Horan, Tyrone Kirk, Phil Doran, Gareth Owen; 1 - Martyn Naylor, Greg Stones.