CAERSWS 'WATERLOGGED' (2/12)
Rhyl's League of Wales fixture was called off earlier today after the Caersws officials lost their battle with the elements. The hosts had been pretty confident of the game surviving despite the horrendous weather in Mid Wales at the moment. An overnight shower put paid to these hopes however.  No firm date has been discussed for the re-match, although there is a possibility that the outstanding League Cup match will be played in the midweek prior to Christmas. 

The programme from today's ill-fated game.

TRUNDLE BEATS GIGGS IN RADIO POLL! (2/12)
Rhyl's Lee Trundle has won the "Ar y Marc" BBC Radio Cymru  (National Welsh Language Radio)  "Player of the Month" award for November. He beat stiff competition from Bangor City's Rhodri Giggs in the voting, becoming the first Rhyl player to have ever won the award. Everyone at the club is really pleased for Lee, and believe that the award is  fair recognition of his impact in the League of Wales since joining the club over the summer. Lee wins a bottle of champagne for his efforts!

The "Ar y Marc" programme can be heard on Radio Cymru  every Saturday morning at 8am for all your Welsh football chit-chat.

TUESDAY RESULT (5/12)
RHYL 1 ASTON VILLA 1
Rhyl took the game to their illustrious visitors and went ahead early on through a thunderbolt drive from Lee Trundle. Villa came back strongly, with Lee Williams and his back line having to be on top form. Only once did the homesters succumb, and this resulted in Villa equalising ten minutes from the interval through Berks.

Rhyl took the opportunity of playing Swedish newcomers Morrey and Andersson along with Wes Kinney, Gareth Wilson and Stuart Graves. Despite these changes, the Rhyl team played well as a unit and thoroughly deserved a draw at the end. In fact, while the full-timers may have been fitter and sharper to the ball, it was Rhyl that created the most clear-cut chances in the second half.

On the whole a very enjoyable game watched by a fair crowd, including many Aston Villa fans from the North Wales Coast.

RHYL: Williams, McCosh, Curtis, Morrey, Brewerton, Wilson, Andersson, Steel, Graves, Trundle, Kinney. subs (all used) Thomas, Jones, O'Japah,Owens
VILLA: Enkleman, Thornley, Berks, McGlague, Haynes, Samuel, Evans, Standing, Walker, Hitzlsperger SUB Foulds, Smith.

THE BIG MATCH PREVIEW (8/12)
RHYL v CWMBRAN TOWN Saturday, 2.30pm
Rhyl take on leaders Cwmbran at Belle Vue, hoping to maintain the push up the table that has seen them unbeaten under the new management team of Lee Williams and John Hulse.

Rhyl have the luxury of a full squad to choose  from,  after everybody came through the midweek  friendly without injury. Mark Powell and Danny Barton should be back in contention.

Previous matches have been entertaining affairs, with Rhyl suffering only one home defeat against one of the league's most consistent teams.

With  some of the league's top strikers "on vue" it looks like Rhyl is the place to be this Saturday - make sure you're one of them!

OFF-COLOUR WHITES FALL TO CLASSY CROWS
RHYL 2 CWMBRAN TOWN 5 (9/12)
Rhyl fell to an emphatic defeat against league leaders Cwmbran despite clawing back a two goal disadvantage to go in level at the interval.

Mattie Davies put the visitors two goals up before Wes Kinney marked his first full game by scoring Rhyl's opener on 23 minutes. Lee Trundle notched the equaliser five minutes later.

Cwmbran came back strongly in the second half and scored three without reply thanks to goals from Nathan Wigg, a John Wile penalty and Jody Jenkins.

Rhyl can have no complaints about the score but will be positively encouraged by the gate of 388 that turned up for the fixture. Rhyl will hope to get back on track with a visit to Afan Lido next week,

RHYL: Williams, Powell (Barton '59), Curtis, Antrobus, Brewerton, S Jones, Wilson (T Steel 67'), McCosh (Graves 78'), Kinney, Trundle, Sharratt.

RE-ARRANGED MATCHES (14/12)
Rhyl have arranged to play the two outstanding fixtures against Caersws this coming week. They are scheduled as follows;

Tue: 19/12: Away at Caersws - Gilbert Cup
Sat: 23/12: Away at Caersws - League Match

Any updates will appear on these pages.

HEAR RHYL'S WORLD FAMOUS "SUNNY RHYL" CHANT! (15/12)
With apologies for the quality of the sound and singing! Crank up your speakers, click on the icon below, and hear the Rhyl supporters salute their team and goalscorer Danny Barton at the Rhyl v Bangor match in November!

THE SLOG IN THE BOG: HONOURS END EVEN!
Saturday Result (16/12)
AFAN LIDO 0 RHYL 0
This was not a game for the connoisseur with both teams struggling to play constructive football on a gluepot of a pitch.

Rhyl  opened brightly with  Gareth Wilson and Gary McCosh playing prominent roles in the attack and Danny Barton and Lee Trundle causing problems in the home ranks. Justin Williams had a star game for Lido keeping the star strikers at bay, and at the other end Greg Hurley saw his effort fly over the bar. Captain Mark Powell had a great game at right-back with Antrobus, Brewerton and Curtis having to be vigilant at all times.

The second-half followed much the same pattern with plenty of vigour and commitment from both sides, but very little goalmouth action to excite both sets of fans. Lido had two claims for a   penalty late on, but as happened with Rhyl in the first half, both were rejected by referee Nigel Richards of Llanelli.

The conditions spoilt the game as a spectacle, and a draw was a fair reflection of a match that could have gone either way with a  bounce of the ball.

Rhyl: Williams, Powell, Curtis, Antrobus, Brewerton, Jones, Wilson (S Graves), McCosh, Barton, Trundle (Kinney), Sharratt.

Tuesday Result (19/12)
CAERSWS 4 RHYL 0 (Gilbert Cup)
With  cup-tied players and injury ruling out three regulars, Lee Williams gave starts to Danny Embleton   (re-called from Colwyn Bay), Steve Holt and Aaron Thomas.

Rhyl opened brightly on a very heavy pitch with Danny Barton the sole man up front. Rhyl had plenty  of possession  and forced several corners without success, even  centre-back Mark Antrobus found himself playing winger at times!

Caersws got themselves back into the game with their speedy forwards particularly dangerous down the wings, and Embleton was grateful on more than one occasion for his defence clearing the danger.

The hosts stepped up a gear in the second half, and when  from a cross, Mark Howells stepped in  front of Danny Embleton to head home, there could only be one winner. Gary McCosh had the misfortune to see his attempted clearance headed into his own net, and when Graham Evans latched on to a ball from a throw-in, running through to slot under Embleton, the game was all but over.

Sean Jehu sealed matters with one of his characteristic free kicks that deceived Embleton, soaring over his head and into the top left of the net from 40 yards.

A night to forget for Rhyl with Caersws running out deserved winners.

RHYL: Embleton, Powell (Fuller), Curtis, Antrobus, Brewerton, Jones (P Owens), Holt, McCosh, Barton, A Thomas, Sharratt (Fisher-Cooke)

LIDO v RHYL PICTURES (20/12)

The Lido groundstaff worked hard to get the game on. This was the scene at 11am with the covers taken off the pitch, and 'wheelbarrow fulls' of sand being laden on to the wet patch in the centre of the field.

Lee Trundle takes another run at goal.

Gareth Wilson adapted well to the conditions.

Chris Sharratt is felled by this late tackle.

Lee Trundle was well  marshalled all afternoon!

CAERSWS LEAGUE MATCH OFF (20/12)
Rhyl have been unable to reach agreement with Caersws regarding the playing of the league fixture on Saturday, 23rd December. There will therefore be no first team fixture on this date. Apologies for last week's misleading information.

YET ANOTHER 'OWN GOAL' BUT
RESERVES RALLY TO RECORD WIN!
SATURDAY RESULT (23/12)
LOCO LLANBERIS 1 RHYL RESERVES 2
Rhyl were made to battle all the way in this pulsating encounter. Llanberis dominated the opening period with their long ball tactics, causing all sorts of problems for the Rhyl defence. Rhyl did get more possession as the game wore on but it was rather against the run of play that left-back Casey Ingram found himself in the opposition half, and after beating several home defenders he powered home a bullet shot with his right (!) foot into the bottom left of the goal. Llanberis came back strongly but were kept at bay by vigilant defending.

The second half opened with Rhyl having the majority of the attacking play but squandering several clear-cut chances to increase the score. Llanberis brought on some fresh legs to retrieve the situation, and looked to have done so when a right-wing cross was headed into his own net by Phil Graham. Loco could sense a comeback on the horizon and played with great vigour, hitting the crossbar and missing an open goal before Dave Fuller, accepting the ball from a throw-in, beat two defenders and fired in a shot which the goalkeeper parried. Substitute Gareth Davies, who had replaced Simon Wallace was in the right place at the right time to rifle home. This knocked the stuffing out of Loco and Rhyl comfortably ended the game with three vital points in the bag.

Rhyl Reserves: J Jones, D Fuller, C Ingram, J Smith, P Graham, P Armstrong, R Jones, S Hoult,  S Wallace, K Evans, J Fisher-Cooke. Subs used: L Murray, G Davies.

DOUR STRUGGLE ENDS IN STALEMATE!
BOXING DAY RESULT (26/12)
RHYL 1 OSWESTRY TOWN 1
Rhyl and old adversaries Oswestry resumed competitive league action at Belle Vue today, but both sides had to settle for a share of the points after an uninspiring match. 

With Lee Trundle having to sit out the festive matches, Danny Barton spearheaded the quest for goals but he found the visitor's offside trap difficult to overcome. 

Rhyl had the best chances in the first half when Oswestry goalkeepr Dave Blower made some uncharacteristic errors. Rhyl failed to capitalise however and the game remained scoreless at the interval. 

The second half followed the same pattern until Danny Barton put Rhyl in front after 78 minutes. That success was short-lived however, for within three minutes Dave Norman played a 1-2 and fired through to equalise matters. There was little else to excite the fans before the end on a bitterly cold day for football. 

RHYL: L Williams, M Powell, G Curtis, M Antrobus, J Brewerton, S Jones (D Fuller), John Stannard (O'Japah),
G Wilson, D Barton, Ben Corrigan (J Fisher-Cooke), C Sharratt.

WEB SITE EDITOR ON HOLIDAY! (26/12)
Due to a New Year's break, these pages will not be updated until after the RHAYADER v RHYL match on the 6th of January, 2001. Rhyl FC would like to thank all visitors to the site for their support over the past year. The visitor numbers and feedback received  has surpassed all expectations. We would also like to thank the site sponsors GOOD SIGNS for their continued support. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL AT RHYLFC.COM!