DENBIGH TOWN 3

LLANRHAEADR YM 1

THERE was a positive end to the season for Denbigh Town to celebrate.

Denbigh will have to wait until other teams around them have finished their fixtures before they will find out which league they will be playing in next season.

However, a first half hat-trick from captain Mark Roberts helped secure the Huws Gray Alliance points in their last game of the season against a Llanrhaeadr YM team who were also in the relegation fight.

With Holyhead Hotspur already relegated, and fellow strugglers Penrhyncoch and Holywell playing out a 3-3 draw, this means Llanrhaeadr YM are safe as they cannot be caught by the three teams below them.

Denbigh’s win means they are now relying on both Holywell and Penrhyncoch dropping points in the games they have remaining.

Penrhyncoch need to beat Conwy Borough in their remaining match to climb above Denbigh, while Holywell require three points from their last two matches versus Guilsfield and already relegated Holyhead.

Denbigh had the better of the early stages against Llanrhaeadr YM with Kristian Pierce having a first time effort from 20 yards comfortably saved by Llanrhaeadr keeper Haynes.

Mark Roberts was unlucky to see his header from a corner hitting the post with Haynes stranded.

Denbigh’s pressure told after a quarter-of-an-hour.

A through ball saw Mark Roberts run through and lob it over Haynes to give Town the lead.

The visitors responded and Denbigh keeper Craig Vernon was forced to dive to his right hand side to parry a shot to safety.

Mark Roberts thought he had his second goal on 21 minutes when he climbed higher than anyone else to head towards the net.

The ball hit the post again before being cleared away by relieved Llanrhaeadr defenders.

Pierce and Roberts then linked well prior to the latter's acrobatic shot being palmed away by Haynes.

Llanrhaeadr then had their best spell of the half.

From an inswinging corner, Denbigh defender Dan Lloyd headed off the line, while Vernon was forced to make a save from a free kick.

However, Denbigh were given some breathing space when they doubled their lead on 38 minutes.

Scott McHarrie shrugged off a foul and the referee allowed play to continue.

The youngster sent a brilliant pinpoint cross into the Llanrhaeadr penalty box and Mark Roberts met it to head home.

A minute later and Roberts had his hat-trick.

He raced clear and finished well to give Denbigh a deserved 3-0 lead at half-time.

Llanrhaeadr YM were able to pull a goal back with a quarter-of-an-hour left.

Khyam Wyton blasted a penalty past Vernon to make the scoreline 3-1.