Football: Llandyrnog United FC beaten at Flint

Dec 3 2008 By Dave Jones

FLINT TOWN UNITED 3 LLANDYRNOG UNITED 1

CYMRU ALLIANCE

DESPITE Endaf Jones put them a goal up inside three minutes, Llandyrnog ended up gallant losers at Cae Castell.

Flint equalised on 11 minutes through Alan Hooley and Shaun Beck soon added a second for the Silkmen.

Dyrny recovered well, hitting the post and crossbar, but it was the same old story this season of missed opportunities. The visitors even fluffed a penalty as Rhys Llwyd struck a post and no-one was able to score from the rebound.

Beck made it 3-1 on the hour to clinch the points. To be fair to Llandyrnog, chances come their way most matches but they are unable to convert them.

Bottom of the table with no wins in 14 starts, new manager Neil Davies and his assistant/coach Andrew Lewis face a tough task to turn things around at Cae Nant.

ONE of North Wales’ most popular and well-respected football figures has stepped down as manager of the village club he led for seven years.

John James resigned as boss of Llandyrnog United last week. He has been replaced by Neil Davies, the former Rhyl, Holywell Town and Bala Town player whose assistant/coach will be Andrew Lewis.

James will go down as Llandyrnog’s most successful boss having taken them from the Clwyd League up to the Cymru Alliance – the highest level they reached in their 33-year history.

The club has held its own in Welsh soccer’s joint second highest tier for several seasons, but this term things had not been going so well for Dyrny who lie bottom of the table without a win in 14 matches and James decided it was time to step aside.

“John has done sterling work with young players at the club only to see them go to bigger clubs in the Cymru Alliance or Welsh Premier League,” said Llandyrnog secretary Elis Jones.

“To John we say ‘diolch yn fawr am yr holl waith’ (thanks for everything). It has been a family connection with his sons Ceri and Shon playing for the club and wife Jane always supporting in the background.”

James will remain involved with Llandyrnog although he is taking a break until the new year.