TIME TO BOUNCE BACK

RHYL v NEWTOWN
WELSH PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 2.30pm
RHYL will have three key players suspended for Sunday's home Welsh Premier League encounter with Newtown.
Phil Doran starts a three-match ban following his dismissal in last Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Bangor City, Chris Williams completes a three-game suspension and top scorer Mark Connolly misses one fixture after accumulating five cautions.
"It will stretch the squad a bit but give others a chance to show what they can do," said Lilywhites player-manager Greg Strong.
"The positive thing is Chris will be fresh when he comes back and can provide us with some of the quality we've been missing."
Rhyl hope to welcome back Martyn Naylor, who missed the Bangor game for personal reasons, and Tyrone Kirk, who withdrew through illness on the day of the match.
Strong is challenging his players to bounce back from the loss at Farrar Road, where the champions were decidedly second best.
"It's never nice to lose to anyone and in a local derby it's not nice at all, but looking back nine of the 14 or 15 players in the squad were aged 20 and younger. It's a big ask to expect them to go out and win a game like that against a good side, but I still believe there's a lot of quality in the squad, it's just a case of getting the new players bedded in as quickly as we can."
And the Lilies boss insists spirits remain high in the Belle Vue camp despite recent squad losses caused by the club's financial difficulties.
"We've brought in some good lads who've added a bit of spark to the place again," he said. "The banter is back in training. A couple of weeks ago it was all doom and gloom here, but the mood has lifted."
Strong expects a tough test against a Newtown side no doubt buoyed by their 1-0 midweek win over full-timers Neath.
"They had a good win against Neath and I believe performed very well against Llanelli the game before (in a 2-0 defeat). They will come here and be determined and disciplined; it will be a tough game but with the quality of players we have available I'm sure we'll do fine."
Rhyl are unbeaten against Newtown in 14 Welsh Premier matches.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
2009/10 - Newtown 2 Rhyl 4
2008/9 - Rhyl 3 Newtown 0; Newtown 1 Rhyl 2
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 16 Newtown 8; DRAWS: 7