News Story

A battling performance plus a superlative display of goalkeeping from Jon Dunt denied Rhyl victory over the Seasiders for the second time in a week.

Following on from the stormy 0-0 draw on Boxing Day, Prestatyn worked hard from the kick off and although the Lilywhites shaded the first half possession, the visitors had plenty of chances.

On the quarter hour Ian Griffiths' shot brought a save from Jack Cudworth who was making his debut between the Rhyl posts and the former Welshpool keeper was tested again a few minutes later when Steve Rogers' 20 yard free kick needed a confident stop.

Inbetween Rhyl's Gareth Owen had pinged in a cross which Phil Doran drilled wide of the mark then Matty Williams and Tyrone Kirk produced efforts which failed to trouble Jon Dunt unduly.

Town's keeper then produced the first of a string of heroic saves on the half hour when he got his fingertips to Williams' stinging drive after the Rhyl striker had been set up by Kirk and four minutes later Town went ahead when Andy Moran's free kick was floated into the box, Dave Hayes held off his marker to create space and produced a cool finish to prod the ball beyond the helpless Cudworth.

This spurred Rhyl into serious action and they laid siege to the Prestatyn penalty area - firstly Russ Jones reacted quickly to clear George Horan's cross for a corner then Jack Lewis blocked Kirk's shot. Dunt then produced another top drawer save from Mark Connolly's free kick and as the half time whistle approached he saved the red shirts again, tipping Owen's thunderous rising drive on to the crossbar.

The second half opened as the first the first ended with Dunt saving well from Doran then on 55 minutes the ball dropped kindly for Steve Rogers who saw his volley parried by Cudworth then Andy Moran could only fire the rebound straight into the grateful keeper's arms.

We were treated to a bit of a Benny Hill moment next when Chris Williams produced a spectacular air shot before the ball pinballed around the area with white shirts queuing up to pot the loose ball which was eventually hoofed clear then Rogers left Greg Strong for dead and although one on one with the keeper, it was Cudworth who came off best.

Rhyl were never out of the game and posed plenty of threats and though the home supporters were unhappy with their team's display, they never doubted a goal would come - and it did on 62 minutes when a corner was headed clear by Paul O'Neill as far as John Leah who produced a magnificent finish from 20 yards.

Rhyl then ramped up the pressure again and Dunt was back in the thick of it, saving well from Williams and then denying Leah twice more. 'Wales number one,' chanted Town's magnificent travelling support (who made up about 250 of the 828 present) and they were probably right when, in the third minute of second half injury time, Dunt pulled off another breathtaking stop from Greg Strong's last gasp header.

The final seconds saw another Prestatyn hero emerge in player-manager Gibson. Strong's header from a Chris Williams corner even had Dunt beaten, but Gibson produced the goal-line save of the century to secure his team a point.

Two points from two games against one of the best sides in the league will have pleased Town boss Neil Gibson who has seen his team beaten only twice in five meetings by the Lilywhites this season. The Belle Vue faithful will doubtless not be quite as happy.