Football: Barmouth battered but Rhyl can’t finish job

Aug 20 2008 by Dave Jones, Rhyl Visitor

BARMOUTH AND DYFFRYN 2 RHYL RESERVES 2

WELSH ALLIANCE LEAGUE

MANAGER Jon Stazicker could not believe how his Rhyl side failed to win a game they dominated against their newly-promoted opponents.

“We battered them,” said Stazicker after his team’s Welsh Alliance curtain-raiser at Wern Mynach.

“We should have been 3-0 up at half time and outclassed Barmouth with our overall play – they couldn’t keep up with us.

“They had two chances and scored two goals. In my eyes this was definitely a case of two points lost.”

The Lilywhites started well, James Hay from the right playing in Joe Ahern whose low shot finished just wide.

Good hold up play from new signing Gareth Hughes saw him lay off to Hay who fired just over.

Rhyl were a constant threat and great skill from Jack Roberts set up Mike Roose whose left foot stinger on the turn rattled the crossbar.

Against the run of play Barmouth took a 28th minute lead when a long ball from the back released Bobby Griffiths who drove past Jamie Jones.

Just before the break Keiron Evans showed good strength to get past his man but the resultant shot was well saved, making it 1-0 at the turnaround.

After a good start to the second half Rhyl deservedly equalised on 61 minutes when Sean Morgan smartly found Keiron Evans who neatly chipped over the advancing keeper.

Two minutes later a tremendous pass from Hay picked out Ahern who cut inside and sent a low drive into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 to the Lilies.

The visitors were denied a blatant penalty when Jack Roberts played in Roose who was tackled from behind, but the referee somehow saw no offence.

Rhyl were attacking when a corner move broke down; Barmouth launched a counter and Shaun Jones was found in space to fire through the legs of Jamie Jones and make it 2-2 on 67 minutes.

Still Stazicker’s side refused to be denied and they went close to winning it when Ahern switched in from the right but saw his attempt smack the outside of the post.

Rhyl: Jamie Jones, Ben Bucknall, Tom Roberts, Adam France, Sean Morgan, Keiron Evans, James Hay, Jack Roberts, Joe Ahern, Gareth Hughes, Mike Roose. Subs: Sam Brewerton, Chris Evans, Owen Jones.