League Cup Stalemate: Rhyl 1 Caernarfon 1

Rhyl's search for a win continues after Caernarfon came back from a goal behind to clinch a draw. Steve Futcher put Rhyl ahead only for Ben Harrison to score the equaliser.

Rhyl team: Southall, Brookman, Cross, Brewerton, Webster, Williams, Stannard (Wilson), Futcher (Allan Jones), Barton (Andy Jones), O'Gorman, Durnin.

Durnin's delight as Rhyl get off the mark!
Rhyl 3 Port Talbot 1

John Durnin capped an improved second half team performance to secure Rhyl's first points of the season with a tremendous free-kick from outside the box. Port Talbot had taken the spoils in a rather non-descript first half when Richard Ryan beat two defenders before firing home via the upright. Cross, Stannard and Danny Barton all had efforts to reduce the arrears but a combination of wayward finishing and the efforts of goalie Scantlebury kept the goal intact.

Rhyl came out with more conviction in the second half and were able to make the most of the space on the wings to trouble their opponents. Mathew Cross showed a sign of things to come when his header hit the crossbar from an acute angle, but he made no mistake minutes later when latching on to a ball from Brookman to fire home. The industrious John Stannard, a constant bane in the life of the Town, defence added a second when he was one of three attackers queuing up to poke the ball home. The free kick from Durnin made the points safe, and although the performance was far from meeting the standards demanded by Lee Williams and John Hulse, it is a step in the right direction.

Premier Cup fixtures announced

Tuesday 9 October: Away at Carmarthen Town
Tuesday 16 October: Away v Cwmbran (at Port Talbot)
Tuesday 23 October: HOME v CARMARTHEN TOWN
Tuesday 30 October: HOME v CWMBRAN TOWN
Monday 5 November: Away v Newport County
Tuesday 4 December: HOME v NEWPORT COUNTY

Top two from the group stage will get a guaranteed home tie against either Barry, Cardiff, Swansea or Wrexham in the quarter finals.

Welton brace seals win: Rhayader 1 Rhyl 3

Rhayader were left off the hook in this open match at the Weirglodd, escaping with a two goal deficit when Rhyl could so easily have broken into double-figures. With debutant Nick Welton (from Llansantffraid) and John Durnin combining well, and Gareth Wilson playing a blinder in the centre of the field, it was Rhyl who dominated both halves. Cross, Stannard, Whelton, Durnin and Wilson had chances to put Rhyl ahead before John Durnin eventually did so, receiving from Stannard and hitting a low shot past the keeper.

With Rhyl on fire in the second half, Nick Whelton's speed saw him cut through the home defence twice, giving Rhyl a 3-0 lead. The crossbar and upright come to Rhayader's rescue on two occasions, and when Robbie Williams was clean through, he mis-saw what he thought was the linesman's flag and caught the ball,   only for the referee to have waved play on!

Rhayader had a short spell at the end when they forced a corner which was headed home by Williams, but by that time Rhyl were home and dry.

Two wins in two games, but stern tests ahead this week with games at Belle Vue against Bangor City and TNS,Llansantffraid.

"Old firm" to clash in Welsh Cup
Rhyl have  today been drawn to play Bangor City at home in the Second Round of the Welsh Cup. The game will be played at Belle Vue on Saturday, the 13th of October at 2:30pm. It will add extra spice to tonight's dress rehearsal in the League Cup (ko 7:30pm). Lee Williams has a full squad to select from.

Cup joy at last: Rhyl 3 Bangor City 1
Rhyl registered their first league cup win of the season in last night's encounter at Belle Vue. It made for a hat-trick of 3-1 wins in the last fortnight and Lee Williams will be especially pleased with a first half performance that saw a 3-0 interval lead. A goal from Mick Jones after two minutes and two from Gareth Wilson - who has been in  terrific form recently - gave Rhyl an unassailable advantage, and although Bangor pulled one back after the break, a win was never in doubt.

Lee Williams must now rally his team for one of the sternest tests of the season when TNS,Llansantffraid visit on  Saturday. All players should be available.

Rhyl 1 TNS,Llansantffraid 1
Rhyl fell behind to an early John Toner goal but showed enough resilience to come back and equalise through a James Brewerton close-range effort in the second half. It would be fair to say that at times Rhyl swamped their visitors - who fielded full-time professionals in their ranks - and were unfortunate not to take all three points.

Rhyl: L Williams, M Jackson, G Curtis, J Brewerton (N Brookman), C Webster, R Williams, J Stannard (S Futcher), G Wilson, N Whelton, J Durnin (D O'Gorman), M Cross.
Attendance: 278

Scots steal victory: Wales 0 Scotland 2 (U-17 International)
The Welsh youngsters were left disappointed after Scotland mounted a "Smash'n'Grab" raid to take the spoils in this thrilling match. Wales were the stronger of the two teams but fell to two sucker-punches.

Time to lay the bogey to rest!
Saturday Match: Newtown v Rhyl
Rhyl hope to overturn a record of never having won a LoW match at Newtown when they face the Robins on Saturday. Lee Williams has a full squad to choose from, but will be without Danny Barton, who is on loan at Colwyn Bay, and  Wes Kinney and Chris Sharratt who have been released.  John Durnin and Nick Whelton will lead the front line.

A supporters bus leaves Belle Vue at 10:45, please contact Dave Armstrong on 01745 337434 to reserve your place.

Welsh Cup Match v Bangor
This "Match of the Round" will be all pay on the day, with no advance tickets being made available for the seated areas. Spectators are urged to arrive early as a very large gate is anticipated. Usual prices will apply.

Curse of Latham strikes again!
Newtown 2 Rhyl 2

Ten-man Newtown made the most of some disasterous Rhyl finishing, salvaging something from a game in which they were dead and burried at half-time. Rhyl started on fire, and were 1-0 up within 11 minutes when Durnin ran on to a superb Gareth Wilson ball to round Andy Mullinor and fire home. Rhyl continued to press, and were boosted on 26 minutes when Newtown's Marcus Lockier was sent off for a scything tackle on Robbie Williams as he ran for goal. Chances went begging for Welton, Stannard, Robbie Williams and John Durnin as Rhyl enjoyed total domination, but they just couldn't add to the score.

The second half started in much the same vein, with defence splitting passes putting Rhyl's attackers through, but on each occasion poor finishing let them down. A breakthrough did eventually come, and it was Nick Welton who provided the cross for the unmarked John Stannard to fire home with glee.

This seemed to spur the hosts, and some chaos in the Rhyl  defence saw McCormick pull a goal back with a header. Newtown  grew with confidence and within six minutes they had levelled. McCormick was given too much space on the right wing and he fed the ball through for Green to fire home. Rhyl tried to salvage matters in the closing stages, but it was Newtown who almost seeled victory when McCormick's shot went agonisingly wide in the closing moments.