Rhyl defeat Wolves with late winner
By Dave Jones (rhylfc.com)PAUL O'Neill's 88th minute header secured Rhyl their first win of the post-Europe pre-season at the expense of a useful Wolves side containing three players with first team experience.
It benefited the Lilywhites that Wanderers sent a stronger team than expected to Belle Vue with Hungarian international midfielder Denes Rosa, Republic of Ireland cap Stephen Gleeson, who went to Stockport County on loan last season, and Elliott Bennett, who had a stint at Bury last term, all in the starting line up.
With new striker Matthew Williams and centre-half and skipper George Horan rested, Rhyl used 17 players on a baking hot afternoon.
Recent capture Greg Strong continued to impress in defence, Carl Owen produced his best display so far, proving a good target man in a potent first half link-up with Neil Roberts up front, Jimmy Kelly showed he is well and truly on the recovery trail with a busy midfield perfomance and Gareth Owen again oozed class in the centre.
Among the substitutes Jamie Reed caught the eye the most, giving Wolves' defence plenty of headaches in the last half hour, and
Rhyl gave a debut to trialist Josh Johnson, who has been on Wrexham books and looked lively up front although he will need to show more it seems if he is to secure a contract.Wolves were purposeful from the start and took a fourth minute lead when unmarked defender John Dunleavey headed in a Gleeson corner from the left.
Lilies keeper Lee Kendall called for the ball and missed it, but it later emerged he had been cannily blocked off by an opposing player.
Rhyl almost levelled two minutes later when Mark Connolly's long throw was flicked on by Neil Roberts, Carl Owen's volley was acrobatically palmed up in the air by keeper Richard Woolley, and Craig Jones was unable to convert the rebound.
The gold and blacks continued to threaten, Ashley Hemmings' shot being dragged wide before Gleeson's right footer was well held by Kendall and Rosa's left foot effort narrowly missed the target.
Gareth Owen then went close for the hosts when his 25-yarder was pushed behind for a corner via the post by Woolley.
On 31 minutes the home side equalised, and it is ironic that on a day where so much on the deck football was played, the goal came in very much route one fashion.
Kendall's long clearance took a massive bounce off the surface, beat the Wolves defence, and Carl Owen lobbed the advancing Woolley, who did get a touch to the ball but not a sufficient one to prevent a goal.
This perked Rhyl up and before the break Jones drove across the face of goal before
Carl Owen's knockdown set up Johnson who miskicked completely 15 yards out.Early in the second period Bennett skinned Greg Stones down the right and his byeline cross was met by a first time shot from Hemmings, but there was Strong to apply the decisive block.
Rhyl could have taken the lead when Gareth Owen's pinpoint free-kick picked out an unmarked Neil Roberts who headed into the danger zone but O'Neill was unable to finish.
Wolves went near again on 63 minutes when Bennett's right foot attempt from the edge of the box came back off the post, then it became a case of several substitutions for the Lilywhites.
This gave the hosts fresh impetus and Connolly headed just over from a corner before Jones' 22-yard fizzer almost made it 2-1.
Then in the 88th minute a curling corner from the right by Chris Roberts was headed in by the leaping O'Neill, much to the delight of the home fans.
Still it was not over.
Liam Hughes drilled inches wide for Wolves before in added time Rosa let fly from 20 yards but Kendall produced a fantastic tip over.
In a fiery conclusion, Gareth Wilson and Bennett squared up to one another in the centre circle after the Wolves man reacted to a strong tackle from his Rhyl opponent.
Players very rarely get sent off in friendlies, so referee Andy Harms recommended Wilson be substituted, but took no action against Elliott in what was a 50-50 exchange.
Probably a draw would have been a fair result but there would be no complaints from the Rhyl supporters who again witnessed quality fare as the process of getting a settled squad together gathers momentum.
This result ended a run of five successive defeats for the Lilies.
Wolves fielded some very promising youngsters who will no doubt be knocking on Mick McCarthy's first team door in the coming seasons.
