LLANDUDNO JUNCTION 1

DENBIGH TOWN 6

ANY thoughts that Llandudno Junction were hoodoo hosts for Denbigh Town were finally put to bed over the weekend.

While Junction are still searching for their first Huws Gray Alliance win of the campaign, they twice dumped Denbigh out of cup competitions earlier in the campaign.

For the third time this season, Denbigh travelled to The Flyover hoping to make amends for these cup losses and they made their presence felt with a thumping 6-1 margin of victory.

Manager Eddie Maurice-Jones started with the same XI that had performed so heroically seven days earlier in the draw with league leaders Caernarfon Town. Things weren't so straight forward for Llandudno Junction, though, who had changed their manager in the previous week, with chairman Denley Smith stepping into the manager’s shoes, along with Mark Hughes as his assistant.

It was Junction who started the better of the two sides, with Town keeper Jon Hill-Dunt being forced into an excellent save when his defence failed to cut out a through ball.

Town responded with Warren Duckett brushing off a challenge from Daniel Roberts and pushing forward and let fly with a fierce drive that keeper Keighan Jones did well to tip away for a corner.

Josh Davies then got his head to a great cross from Rakim Newton, only for it to have no real power and Jones made an easy save.

Town’s pressure paid off on 18 minutes.

Cool play by central defender Liam Smith saw him play a pinpoint ball for Josh Davies to dance past his man and fire in from six yards to give Town a 1-0 lead.

Junction responded by upping the pressure on Denbigh’s goal and from a free kick, left winger Tierney’s header forced Hill-Dunt into a fingertip save just under his crossbar.

Denbigh’s defence held firm against some increasing Junction possession until the 24th minute, when a cross came in that should have been easily cleared.

But, a lack of communication and indecision in the box led to Junction’s Sean McGaffrey nipping in to fire home from eight yards to level things up.

With their tails up, it was now Junction who were on top.

However, the next goal went to Denbigh a little against the run of play after half-an-hour.

A cross from Matty Cook found Gareth Partridge in space on the six-yard line and he had time to loop his header over the grasping arms of Jones.

Cook, Partridge, Kristian Pierce and Craig Pritchard now had more of the ball and they started to use it effectively.

As the game neared half-time, full back Rakim Newton went on a run down the right wing and fed Craig Pritchard.

His shot from the edge of the box was blocked by a defender and it bounced out to that man Gareth Partridge, who fired a shot past Jones to send the visitors into the break with a comfortable 3-1 lead.

The second half saw Town with more chances, as both Davies and Pierce had opportunities to extend Denbigh’s lead.

Denbigh’s fourth goal eventually came on 55 minutes.

Joe Culshaw's cross-field pass found Pritchard, who dribbled into the area and then played in Pierce, who took his time before hitting a low drive that gave keeper Jones no chance.

Three minutes later and Pierce got his second goal of the afternoon.

Once again, Pritchard was involved and he crossed to find Duckett, who shielded the ball well and laid it on for Pierce to fire in again

That was to be Duckett’s last piece of action as he was replaced by Andrew Swarbrick, while minutes later Pierce was replaced by Nathan Williams.

With Town now in an unassailable position, Junction continued to persevere, but they could not get past Denbigh’s strong defensive unit.

Midfield playmaker Matty Cook made way for Corey Smart with 20 minutes remaining with Town well on top.

Immediately after the restart, Hill-Dunt took a long goal kick, which found Josh Davies in the opposition half.

He used his strength to turn a defender and from the edge of the area, Davies blasted in his second and Denbigh’s sixth goal.

More chances went to Denbigh before the final whistle, with Smart, Culshaw, Pritchard and Davies all having opportunities to add to the tally.

A first win of 2018 sees Denbigh move into third place, five points behind leaders Caernarfon, but with a game in hand.