IT has been an up and down season as Denbigh players prepare to fulfil aspirations of stepping up to senior football in September.

The players of Denbigh Town Rhinos have been together since the age of six and now at U-16 level - they are playing their final season in the Rhyl and District Junior League.

Next season, some of the players will be hoping to make the step up to play for the three senior Denbigh Town sides - and they'll be hoping it is an easier campaign than the one they're currently having!

Denbigh Rhinos' coach Kev Roberts, formerly manager of a successful Denbigh Town Reserves side, said: "We enjoyed an excellent start to our season with six straight wins but the adverse winter weather had made our pitches unplayable and then the storms at the start of this year have really restricted us to an stop-start campaign.

"We have managed to get a few games on recently and have been approaching top form, so another enforced break now is frustrating but understandable."

It is Denbigh’s attackers who will feel somewhat robbed by the break on their current form.

Marksman Jake Roberts has smashed in 12 goals and both Finn McCoole (on a brilliant run of eight goals in just five matches) and James Thomas are in red hot form.

Thomas is on 15 for the season.

Denbigh have lost just once in the league this season and currently sit third in the standings, but they have been buoyed by the return of record scorer Zac Thomas from neighbours Henllan and Tomos Jones from rugby duty.

A recent defeat to unbeaten leaders Prestatyn Athletic saw them overtaken at the summit and the Rhinos would have been playing the other unbeaten side in the championship - Rhyl-based Hearts Rangers - last weekend.

Denbigh would finally have been back to full strength with the exciting talents of Iwan Moores, Owen Williams and captain Bradley Roberts all available.

Gethin Rogers has also been one of the stand out performers for a team whose strength lies with a strong rear-guard, with Gruffydd Mars-Jones, Jake D Roberts and Callum Jones-Davies defending highly sought goalkeeper Jake Jones, who has been with the Welsh Schoolboys.

The Rhinos will also be hoping to repeat their 2018 cup success as they recently progressed in the John Hampton Cup.

The players will hopefully look back on their with fondness and a hint of what could have been; a final and last minute semi-final cup defeat and being pipped to the league in the previous campaign will hopefully drive them to go a stage further when / if this season resumes.

They will also recall a close relationship with then-Premiership Wigan Athletic, where they were flag bearers for the FA Cup winners clash with Leeds United in which long-time chairman Dave Whelan announced to the DW stadium he was be stepping down in front of the SkySports News cameras.