LLANDUDNO JUNCTION 0

RUTHIN TOWN 2

A MAGNIFICENT seventh spot in the Huws Gray Alliance rankings is Ruthin Town's reward on the back of a successful away day.

Chris Williams' side bagged their ninth league win of the campaign with a 2-0 verdict at basement outfit Llandudno Junction, who are still seeking their first three-point haul of the season.

Town made a number of changes from the side that was narrowly edged out by Airbus UK Broughton eight days earlier.

In came Matty Williams, Izzy Edwards, Kev Evans, Jordan MacCarter and Cai Davies, with the latter making his first start for the team.

On a cold day and a very lively pitch, there wasn't all that much action in the first half.

Livewire Gwion Owen was causing problems for Junction down their left and it took until the half-hour mark for the first real chance to arrive.

Wil Owen and Jordan MacCarter combined and after the home keeper parried Owen's shot, Town striker Llyr Morris saw his follow-up effort being blocked on the line.

Young full back duo Matty Williams and Izzy Edwards were seeing plenty of the ball, but Ruthin's attacks kept breaking down in the final third during a frustrating first half.

On a more positive note, central defenders Kevin Evans and Will Ashley easily coped with the crosses Llandudno Junction managed to put into the box in the first half.

The second half started in much the same way as the first, with Osian Davies and skipper Ilan Hughes on top in middle of the park.

Junction threatened as the half progressed, though, and they almost took the lead after an hour had elapsed.

A home effort from 25 yards looked to be destined for the top corner of the net, but Ruthin keeper Ryan Goldston had other ideas and he brilliantly tipped the ball over the bar.

This scare sparked Ruthin into life and all of a sudden, they started to create chances.

Top scorer Llyr Morris was again foiled by a goalline clearance and from a tight angle, he hit the post with another effort.

Then, on 64 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken.

Jordan MacCarter did well down the right and his cross was turned in at the far post by Gwion Owen.

Dave Finnie and Craig Wilkinson came on for Ruthin and both players looked eager to carry the team forward.

The next opportunity went to veteran centre half Evans when he received ball from Hughes.

Evans rounded the keeper, but at the last second he got his feet tangled up and the chance was gone.

Just a few minutes later and Wilkinson went one step better than Evans when he put an effort from another MacCarter cross over the bar from three yards out.

Those two chances were forgotten about when striker Morris notched his 25th league goal of the season.

He finished a fine move which saw Finnie and Davies combine well to set him up.

Junction didn't throw in the towel and in the dying minutes, Goldston produced another splendid save to keep his clean sheet intact.

This victory takes Ruthin up to seventh spot in the standings and a potential top-five finish doesn't look beyond them.