Bangor City and Rhyl are chasing hard behind Huws Gray Alliance leaders Airbus UK Broughton – and both still believe they can close the 10-point gap.
Airbus fought out a goalless draw at Gresford Athletic in their latest match, while Bangor and Rhyl both won.
Player-manager Gary-Taylor Fletcher and his Bangor team have a game in hand on Airbus, who still have to play both of their closest rivals.
Bangor won 4-1 at Holyhead Hotspur and Taylor-Fletcher said: “It was a professional performance again.
Bangor City player-manager Gary Taylor-Fletcher.“We knew that they were going to make things difficult and get in our faces, but we stood up to it as we have in the last few weeks. Our quality and fitness towards the end was magnificent.
“The scoreline looks comfortable but you look at the save Nathan Wolland made when it was 2-1 as something which I thought won us the game.”
Alex Darlington headed Bangor’s first after good work from Sam Barnes and Jake Phillips, while Sam Jones added a second.
Luke McGivern pulled one back and then Bangor goalkeeper Wolland denied Hotspur an equaliser when he saved superbly after 73 minutes.
http://https://youtu.be/viESM1sbIlY
Marc Williams and Jacob Farleigh completed Bangor’s scoring.
Rhyl made it 13 wins out of 14 with a hard-earned win against Porthmadog at the Educate Group Stadium.
Barry Torrence scored from close range at the far post from an Aaron Hassall corner after 19 minutes and that proved the only goal of the first half.
Porthmadog created chances, but failed to take them and Rhyl hit back with a second goal which followed a spell of flowing football.
Man of the match Hassall played in James Murphy down the Rhyl left and his run stretched the Porthmadog defence. His low ball across the six yard box was weighted perfectly for Mike Pritchard, who finished calmly to double Rhyl’s advantage.
http://https://youtu.be/KPiZJf1qz6I
Sion Edwards and Ifan Emlyn both had good chances for Porthmadog before Max Peate was inches away from making it 3-0 to Rhyl from a free-kick.
Porthmadog pulled a goal back when Julian Williams netted after 65 minutes
The visitors got a foothold in the match in the 65th minute when Julian Williams scored from close range.
While the visitors felt aggrieved not to claim a point for their efforts the game was a real credit to the Huws Gray Alliance and the win for Rhyl was just reward for a solid team display and they moved up to third in the table level on points with second place Bangor.
Gresford Athletic’s stubborn rearguard performance frustrated Airbus in a goalless draw at Clappers Lane.
Despite creating plenty of chances, the Wingmakers failed to find the net for only the second time this season.
Former Airbus player Jake Eyre spurned a decent early chance to put the hosts ahead, but Airbus took control with a series of attacks with an Asa Hamilton shot well-saved by goalkeeper Ben Jones.
“We’ve passed up so many good chances to win and that’s the frustration,” said Airbus assistant manager Andrew Thomas. “Their ‘keeper made some very good saves, but we weren’t ruthless enough.”
Holywell Town travelled to Powys for their match against Llanrheader YM and won 3-1.
The hosts took the lead on 14 minutes after an Iain Edmunds corner was half cleared and Iwan Matthews crashed the ball in off a post from 18 yards.
Celebrations were cut short by a raised flag from the assistant referee, but after consultation the goal was awarded and Llan led 1-0.
Holywell equalised seven minutes later courtesy of a Rob Jones thunderbolt which gave goalkeeper Jimmy Hayes no chance.
Action: Llanrhaeadr YM v Holywell Town. Pic:Centre-forward Steve Lewis put the Wellmen ahead when he tapped home from a low cross, while the hosts had two players sent off. Tom Evans and Glenn Evans were dismissed within five minutes of each other when each was booked for a second time.
Between the two red cards Hayns made an excellent save from close range to keep Llan in the game, but the nine men were finding it hard to get out of their own half and set pieces were their only chance of scoring.
Holywell clinched victory when they were awarded a controversial penalty in injury time and Lewis converted.
Man of the match Brandon Burrows impressed in midfield for Flint Town during their 2-1 home win against Penrhyncoch.
It was Burrows who sparked the move which led to Flint’s first goal when he attacked towards the bye-line and delivered a cross just under the bar.
Action: Conwy Borough v Denbigh Town.Goalkeeper Leigh Jenkins stretched to claim the ball, but lost possession as he fell backwards onto the line and Andy Brown added the vital touch for Flint.
Penrhyncoch levelled the scores when Jonathan Evans rose unchallenged following a corner and powered his header past goalkeeper Aaron Jones and into the net.
Flint’s response was almost instantaneous. They won a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, on the left and Jake Hampson crossed for Mark Cadwallader to score at the near post.
Cadwallader had the ball in the net again on 68 minutes, but his joy was shortlived as he was ruled offside
Flint Town United: Aaron Jones, Tom Kemp, Jake Hampson (Jack Higgins 87), Ged Kinsella, Ieuan Hewitt, Jacques Welsh, Brandon Burrows Richie Foulkes (cape), Andy Brown, Mark Cadwallader (Ryan Smith 74), Kyle Smith. Subs not used: Johnny Hill, Luke Blondel, Socrates Martins.
Penrhyncoch: Leigh Jenkins, Tom Evans, Matt Mousley (Ieuan Brookes 85), Sion James (capt), Jon Foligno, Carwyn Jones, Jack Rimmer, Luke Sherbon, Carl Lamb, Jonathan Evans, Cledan Davies (Sion Meredith 14). Subs not used: Antonio Corbisiero, Gari
Conwy Borough led 1-0 against Denbigh Town at half-time with Corrig McGonigle.
The Conwy striker completed his hat-trick in the second half with Jacob Walker netting a consolation for Denbigh.
Cymru Alliance fixtures
January
Friday 25: Llanrhaeadr YM v Guilsfield (7.30pm), Conwy Borough v Holywell Town (7.45pm).
Saturday 26: Ruthin Town v Flint Town United (2pm), Penrhyncoch v Denbigh Town (2.30pm), Porthmadog v Buckley Town (2.30pm), Prestatyn Town v Holyhead Hotspur (2.30pm).
Results: Buckley Town 3, Prestatyn Town 2; Flint Town United 2, Penrhyncoch 1; Llanrhaeadr YM 1, Holywell Town 3; Rhyl 2, Porthmadog 1; Gresford Athletic 0, Airbus Broughton 0; Denbigh Town 1, Conwy Borough 3; Holyhead Hotspur 1, Bangor City 4.
JD Sports FAW Cup last 16:
Saturday, January 26: Bangor City v Caernarfon Town (7.30pm), Carmarthen Yown v Connah’s Quay Nomads (2.30pm), Haverfordwest County v Bala Town (2.30pm), Barry Town United v Cefn Druids (2.30pm),Airbus UK Broughton v The New Saints (2.30pm), Cambrian and Clydach v Rhyl, Aberystwyth Town v Cardiff Metropolitan, Llangefni Town v Llandudno.
HUWS GRAY ALLIANCE 2018/19
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Airbus Broughton | 20 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 47 | 13 | 34 | 50 | |
| 2 | Bangor City | 19 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 53 | 19 | 34 | 40 | |
| 3 | Rhyl | 20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 40 | 27 | 13 | 40 | |
| 4 | Flint Town United | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 39 | 21 | 18 | 38 | |
| 5 | Porthmadog | 20 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 40 | 23 | 17 | 37 | |
| 6 | Gresford Athletic | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 29 | 2 | 28 | |
| 7 | Conwy Borough | 20 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 25 | |
| 8 | Buckley Town | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 37 | -2 | 25 | |
| 9 | Ruthin Town | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 26 | 32 | -6 | 25 | |
| 10 | Prestatyn Town | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 24 | |
| 11 | Guilsfield | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 26 | 36 | -10 | 23 | |
| 12 | Llanrhaeadr YM | 19 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 21 | 51 | -30 | 21 | |
| 13 | Denbigh Town | 19 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 26 | 43 | -17 | 20 | |
| 14 | Holywell Town | 19 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 24 | 40 | -16 | 18 | |
| 15 | Penrhyncoch | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 26 | -10 | 14 | |
| 16 | Holyhead Hotspur | 19 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 44 | -27 | 10 |
