Llanrhaeadr 1 Rhyl 0

LLANRHAEADR announced their return to the Huws Gray Alliance by giving title hopefuls Rhyl an opening day bloody nose at Treflan.

Rhyl began as favourites but found themselves trailing inside the opening 12 minutes with Iwan Matthews forcing goalkeeper Rory Crowther to spill his shot into the path of Kyham Wytton whose first time cross was met by Marc Griffiths to slide home.

Rhyl’s reaction was to dominate possession but fail to test home goalkeeper Connor Lee.

Matthew Worrall fired wide while James Murphy also tested his range but it was the villagers who came closest to doubling their lead when Tom Evans released Griffiths who forced Crowther into a fine save.

Crowther kept Rhyl in the game with saves to deny Griffiths and Matthews at the start of the second-half before the visitors finally upped the ante.

Rhyl almost levelled shortly before the hour with Joe Culshaw rocking the bar from 30 yards and soon after Kristian Pierce’s looping effort had Lee rooted only for Wytton to head off the line.

However Llanrhaeadr also looked to exploit the increasing gaps in the Rhyl defence with Wytton, Griffiths and Matthews running the Lilywhites ragged in the final stages.

Griffiths teed up Matthews to blast over on 75 minutes before Griffiths’ chipped effort dipped just over the bar but his side had already done enough to claim a confidence boosting opening day win.

LLANRHAEADR: Lee, Edmunds, M Evans, Bailey, D Evans, Vaughan, T Evans, Weaver, Matthews, Wytton, Griffiths. Subs: Hall, Graham, Aitkin, Lloyd, Harris