FRIDAY OCTOBER 3RD 2025
JD CYMRU NORTH VS RHYL 1879 19:45
O F F I C I A L M A T C HD A Y P R O G R A M M E
THE HONOURS LIST
Lock Stock Ardal North-West
Champions - 2022/23
Ardal Northern League Cup
Winners - 2022/23
FAW Amateur Trophy
Winners - 1923/24
Runners-Up - 2022/23
Cymru Alliance/North
Runners-Up - 2017/18
Welsh League Cup
Runners-Up - 2015/16
Welsh Alliance
Champions - 2013/14
Champions - 2006/07
Champions - 1995/96
Mawddach Challenge Cup
Winners - 2013/14
Cookson Cup
Winners - 2010/11
Winners - 2006/07
Winners - 2005/06
Winners - 1995/96
Barritt Cup
Winners - 2005/06
Alves Cup
Winners - 2003/04
North West Arrows Cup
Winners - 1991/92
Wrexham Area Division One Cup
Winners - 1977/78
Winners - 1976/77
Winners - 1975/76
Winners - 1974/75
Winners - 1972/73
Welsh National League (Wrexham)
Champions - 1975/76
Champions - 1974/75
Champions - 1973/74
Champions - 1972/73
NWCFA Challenge Cup
Winners - 1972/73
NWCFA Amateur Cup
Winners - 1971/72
Winners - 1969/70
Winners - 1923/24
Welsh League Divsion Two East
Champions - 1953/54
Champions - 1952/53
Champions - 1948/49
CROESOIBARC CANOLOG
OLLIE BEECH - EDITOR
IWAN JONES - CONTRIBUTOR
ADAM JONES - PRINT
JEN LAWSON - PRINT
ROBERT GRIFFITHS - LIFE PRESIDENT
EMYR LLOYD - LIFE VICE PRESIDENT
GLYN JONES - LIFE MEMBER
DEWI LLION JONES - FIRST TEAM MANAGER
SIMON ROBERTS - FIRST TEAM COACH
LUKE WILMOT - GOALKEEPER COACH
LIAM NASH - RESERVES MANAGER
SION JONES - RESERVES ASSISTANT
ALAN GRIFFITHS - RESERVES COACH
ALED DAVIES - LADIES MANAGER
CARLA RIZZI - LADIES ASSISTANT
Welcome to Central Park this evening for our JD Cymru North game against CPD Rhyl 1879. I’d like to extend a warm Denbigh welcome to the Rhyl players. management team, their Committee and supporters.
Work is continuing around the ground, as you can see, where we’re near the completion of our ground improvements The pitch looks superb, and we’ve had five games on it over the last month The players from both home and away teams tell me it has a really good feel about it, and they have all enjoyed their games
This week we’ve tarmaced the rear of the new building, which now allows spectators to access the ground along this thoroughfare rather than passing the changing rooms Lighting has also been installed, as this area is dark and sheltered from the floodlights.
I am hoping that the two new fifty-seater stands will be delivered this week or early next week, and these will be a welcome addition to our facilities
At the Myddleton College end of the ground we are still in the throes of completing new terracing for spectators This will be completed over the next month
Next week is an important one for the Club with officials from UEFA visiting the ground to inspect the work we have carried out and make sure we are on track to be one of the host grounds for the UEFA Euro Under 19s tournament, which will be held in June 2026. Since their last visit some twelve months ago, the ground has changed radically, and we’re confident that we will be able to tick all their boxes.
We are aiming to host some Internationals in November, which will be test events for the June tournament. Once we’ve had the exact dates and times, along with which teams will be playing here, we will let you know via our social media outlets
The new building will be a valuable asset to the Denbigh Community as we aim to use this for not just football activities but community projects, functions and educational purposes. The scope of what we can now offer is huge
The additional work this will involve will put added pressure on our valuable team of volunteers It would be an ideal time for additional volunteers to step forward to help in any way at the Club, as there will always be a role that needs to be filled. If you feel you would like to get involved, please have a word with myself, Iwan or Ollie
Tonight, we host a Denbighshire Derby Both teams have had decent starts to the season and we have already played each other twice this season in two cup competitions. Both have been decided on penalties, with us winning the first one and Rhyl the second one. This goes to show that tonight’s game should be a close and enthralling fixture
Good evening and a very warm welcome to our game tonight against our near neighbours CPD Rhyl 1879.
We’ve met before already this season in two cup competitions with both games ending in draws after 90 minutes, meaning penalty shootouts were needed We won one of these with Rhyl winning the other, and so this evening’s game should be a tight one. Rhyl sit just two places below us in the league, with just two points separating us, and they had an impressive 1-1 away draw at Holywell in their last game
Our game last weekend was our away trip to Newtown, where we had a calamitous first fifteen minutes To be 3-0 down in such a short space of time meant we had a real uphill battle to get back into the game I have to be honest, we let ourselves down in that first period where our pressing and overall defending left a lot to be desired. In fairness, after that, the game was a lot more even and in the second half we were the better team pulling two goals back. As we pushed for the equaliser, risks had to be taken at the back, and they made us pay with their fourth goal Nevertheless, despite the defeat, I was ok with how we responded after the poor start to the game
Just a few days earlier, we had to replay our abandoned JD Welsh Cup tie against Porthmadog The first game saw us in the ascendancy with a 4-1 lead when the game had to be called off due to a torrential downpour with 55 minutes played. To call the game off was the right decision as the pitch was unplayable with lots of standing water
The rematch was arranged by the FAW for the following Wednesday and was a completely different game. I have been asked why we played with such a short turnaround. The FAW rules state that if a Welsh Cup match is postponed or abandoned, it must be replayed on or before the following Wednesday for ties where the clubs are geographically located within 100 miles and where floodlights are available.
The rematch itself was a much closer contest, with us taking the lead just before half-time with Nathan Brown scoring straight from a corner. They equalised early in the second half, and the game was heading for penalties until Gwion Dafydd broke through to slide the ball under Porth’s keeper to give us a 2-1 lead with 95 minutes played We were then defensively naïve as we sat back and allowed them to press from the restart, probably thinking the game was over. It wasn’t as from a long throw, a goalmouth scramble saw the ball end up in our net, and it was penalties again (our third cup tie to end in penalties this season)
We took ten excellent penalties, whereas Elijah managed to save four of the Porth shots. However, on three of these, the officials stated he moved off his goal line before the kicks were taken and on the fourth, the Porth kicker hit his shot before the referee had blown his whistle The Porth players took advantage of their reprieve and fired home their second shots. Elijah was then unfortunate once again as it was him who missed the last penalty, meaning Porth went through. It really was a cruel way to exit the Cup after we were doing so well on the Saturday before that game was abandoned
Tonight, we have Sion Jones still out with an ankle injury, Keelan Williams is recovering from his planned operation, and Scott McHarrie suffered a broken nose in the Porth game so he will have a late fitness test Everyone else is available for selection in what will be a keenly contested match
LATE FIGHTBACK NOT ENOUGH FOR TOWN IN MID WALES
Denbigh Town’s disastrous opening 15 minutes cost any hope of points as Newtown sealed a win at Latham Park
Despite a second half fight back with goals from Alfie Vaughan and Bobby Beaumont, Town had a mountain to climb after allowing three in the first quarter of an hour.
Dewi Llion named three changes to the XI as Dan Flanders, Matthew Worrall and Keiron Roberts returned to the side after Wednesday’s cup clash in Porthmadog
Newtown began as you’d imagine the brightest, coming close on five minutes when the ball pinballed in the Denbigh box before Greg Draper smashed the ball against the crossbar from the penalty spot
Draper went one better less than a minute later though, Denbigh were carved open before the prolific forward smashed it into the bottom left corner.
Town were unable to catch their breath before the hosts got forward and doubled the advantage Tom Jones worked well down the left before finding Jamie Hyne in the box to poke the ball beyond Elijah Beattie
Shellshocked, Denbigh were unable to get any hold on the game and a work of magic from Aidan McCann saw the forward launch a rocket from range to possibly put the game to bed after just 15 minutes.
Denbigh’s first foray into the Robins half on 18 minutes saw Nathan Doforo’s low cross just out of reach of Vaughan before Luke Johnston was hacked down on the edge of the box and resulting free kick thrashed wide by Nathan Brown
Draper came close just before the half hour mark when he headed a cross wide at the back post whilst Town came closest just before the break. Doforo crossed for Dafydd who headed the ball back towards Vaughan who thought it down and forced goalkeeper Dave Jones into a stop at the near post.
In stoppage time Brown got on it down the left and cut inside smashing the post before he collected the ball and fired wide from an angle
Denbigh had to respond in the second half and do it early if they had any shout of taking something away from Latham Park. Within four minutes of the restart they did. Matthew Worrall latched on to a ball over the top and his effort looked to sail wide before Vaughan got a toe to it at the back post to pull one back.
Newtown showed they were still a threat when a cross found Draper whose header was thwarted by Beattie and a follow up from Jones was pushed wide by the Town keeper
With 20 minutes to play Denbigh looked to get themselves right back in the game. Brown stood over a free kick and rattled the crossbar before Dafydd headed the ball back in the mixer and Beaumont saw it home. Game on.
With seven minutes to play and the pressure on Beattie’s poor pass found Jones who raced forward before forcing the custodian into a low save At the other end Denbigh broke through Dafydd who laid it to Danny Clarke but the forward couldn’t keep his effort from range down
However, with two minutes of the 90 left the game was put to bed. A low ball across the box found Draper who prodded it home for Newtown’s fourth
Denbigh did have a stab at getting back into it once more with seven minutes added but Vaughan’s powerful drive was the closest they came as keeper Jones was equal to it.
Subs: Wilmot, H Lockley, Payne, Beaumont, J Duffy, Clarke, Barnes
Referee: Patrick Wilding
Attendance: 181
POTM: Ben Lockley - Excellent going forward and dealt with what he could
Denbigh Town: Beattie, Flanders, B Lockley, Cooke, Doforo, Roberts, Johnston, Brown, Vaughan, Dafydd, Worrall
Denbigh Town Reserves went to Porthmadog in midweek where a goal laiden performance saw Town run out 8-0 winners.
Rhys Lloyd opened the scoring for the first of four well taken goals including a hatrick in the opening 20 minutes.
On 22 minutes Joel Duffy continued his scoring form with a strike as Denbigh took a four goal lead into the break.
Town didn’t let up in the second half as another Duffy, Jacob this time, grabbed the fifth 13 minutes after the restart and Lloyd grabbed his fourth goal of the evening just two minutes later.
Not content despite the big lead Jacob Duffy made it a brace on 76 minutes before substitute Tommy Hughes rounded things off with his first goal upon returning to Central Park.
The Reserves are without a game this weekend and next in action at home to Connah’s Quay Nomads next Friday.
Liam Nash has also welcomed back two players to the side with Serhat Kanli back at Central Park following a brief departure, along with Rhodri Edwards who rejoins the side.
Denbigh Town Football Club was formed in 1876 and have been one of the longest-serving clubs in North Wales.
The early years saw the club play in a number of leagues including the North Wales Coast and Welsh Senior League, as well as time in the old Combination
The club rose to fame in the 1920s when during the 1923/24 campaign, it won its first and only national honour, the Welsh Amateur Cup beating Lovell’s Athletic. The club went under different names throughout those years including United and Juniors before settling on Town in the 1950s.
Following the Second World War Denbigh clinched numerous honours before the golden period of the 1970s that saw the club dominate the Welsh National League (Wrexham Area) winning four successive league titles.
After turning to the Clwyd Premier following the departure of successful manager John Trefor Roberts, the club shot back up the ladder upon the appointment of Bill Dawson who took the club from the Clwyd Premier to the Cymru Alliance in just four years
The club remained in the second tier for six years before returning to the Welsh Alliance but under Tim Dyer the club was promoted alongside a Cookson Cup success in 2007
In 2013/14 the club went unbeaten in the Welsh Alliance earning a third promotion to tier two after their return to the division in 2010. In 2015/16 the club reached it’s second national final and the biggest game in club history when reaching the League Cup Final, losing to professional outfit TNS on national television.
Upon relegation from the Cymru Alliance in 2019, manager Dewi Llion rebuilt his squad and in 2023 earned a league and cup double to move up to the JD Cymru North, finishing 6th in their first season back.
THE OPPOSITION
RHYL 1879
Ground: Belle Vue
Capacity: 3,000
Nickname: The Lilywhites
Founded: 2020
2024/25: 1 (Lock Stock Ardal North-West) st
Manager: Paul Moore
PLAYERS
Archie Jones
Billy Holmes
Paul Fleming Tom Kemp
THE SQUAD DENBIGH TOWN
THE SQUAD DENBIGH TOWN
Sponsor a player at Denbigh Town for just £75 a season! Increase your support by helping your local community club and join our sponsors with superb affordable advertising opportunities for your business, or simply a way of backing the Town Contact info@denbightownfc.co.uk.
GABRIEL HINCHCLIFFE
Denbigh Town and Rhyl have a storied history in the past couple of seasons Here we look back at some recent home and away clashes.
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 2-2 Denbigh Town (10-11 on pens) (Nathaniel MG Cup Second Round - 02/08/2025)
Denbigh Town advanced in the Second Round of the Nathaniel MG Cup via penalties after a dramatic finale in 90 minutes.
After a scoreless first half Town broke the deadlock through Nathan Brown before being pegged back by Morgan Murray Keelan Williams thought he’d won it on 87 minutes before Rhyl levelled in stoppage time through Leo Latter
Penalties were needed which after going through both squads Town eventually won it despite being disadvantaged during the shoot out by the referee
Denbigh Town: Darling, Payne, Williams, Lockley, Flanders, Cooke, Brown, Johnston, Clarke, Weir, Worrall
Subs: Beattie, Beaumont, Roberts, Barnes, Higgins, J.Duffy, James
Attendance: 455
Denbigh Town 2-1 CPD Y Rhyl 1879 (Lock Stock Ardal North West- 25/11/2022)
Our first and only home meeting with the newly formed Rhyl side came in November 2022 in the Lock Stock Ardal North West.
Jack Higgins opened the scoring for the visitors after just three minutes at Central Park but Nathan Brown’s strike on 27 minutes restored parity for Town in what was a crucial match despite plenty left to play that season
Nine minutes into the second half Town grabbed the crucial third of the contest when Jake Walker found the net, with it proving to be the winner
Denbigh Town: A.Jones, B.Lockley, H.Lockley, Parry-Jones, Holmes, Roberts, S.Jones, Foulkes, Brown, Fleming, Walker
Subs: Rogers, Hansen, Pierce, Allis, Haddon
1) Which player was named Denbigh Player of the Month for August recently?
2) Nathan Brown overtook who in the alltime goals record as outright fourth, with the player he outscored having turned out for both Denbigh and the old Rhyl FC?
3) At what ground do today’s opponents play their home games?
4) What is the nickname of tonight’s opponents?
5) Who did the Reserves face on Tuesday night away from home?
6) Which club is currently bottom of the English Premier League?
7) Who is currently top of the JD Cymru Premier?
8) Who won last weekend’s Golf Ryder Cup?
9) What sporting league featured in Dublin for the first time last Sunday?
10) When did Rhyl last face Denbigh at Central Park?
Guilsfield (A)
JD Cymru North
Clos Mytton
11/10/2025 14:30
Ruthin Town (H)
JD Cymru North
Central Park
24/10/2025 19:45
Holyhead Hotspur (A)
JD Cymru North
The New Oval
01/11/2025 14:00
Aaron Jones
Elijah Beattie
Dan Flanders
Nathan Doforo
Keelan Williams
Ben Lockley
Harry Lockley
Bobby Beaumont
Max Cooke
Owen Payne
Sion Jones
Keiron Roberts (C)
Gabriel Hinchcliffe
Luke Johnston
Danny Clarke
Jacob Duffy
Sam Duffy
Nathan Brown
Brad Barnes
Alfie Vaughan
Matthew Worrall
Gwion Dafydd
Manager - Dewi Llion
Coach - Simon Roberts
GK Coach - Luke Wilmot
Alex Swindell
Oli Farebrother
Ben Lawrence
Billy Holmes
Brady Coldwell
Ahmed Ibrahim
Daniel Wood
Damase Kiwanda
Lewis Hoodson
Arthur Hancock
Tom Kemp Mo Ali
Jason Foulkes
Rocco Hewitt
Reece Fairhurst
Leo Latter
Kian Le Fondre
Ben Lightfoot
Paul Fleming
Jack Parry
Seb Bolton
James Farr
Morgan Murray
Archie Jones
Manager - Paul Moore
Assistant - Ronnie Green
Coach - Keith Cliffe
