Rhyl 2 Guilsfield Guilsfield 0
RHYL FC made a winning start to their 2011/12 campaign with a comfortable victory over Guilsfield.
Greg Strong’s revamped squad, which featured seven new arrivals in the starting line-up, looked comfortable throughout, and could have had more to show for their dominance than first half goals from Jason Oswell and Russ Courtney.
Newcomers Tom Rowlands and Ryan Williams impressed as the spark to Rhyl’s best attacking play, whilst a solid defensive performance ensured any attacking threat from the visitors was snuffed out.
Rhyl boss Strong said: “I was absolutely delighted to start the season with a win. “The performance was pleasing along with the 2-0 result which flattered them a little bit it could have been a lot more.
Strong was full of praise for his crop of newcomers and was keen to continue where he left off on Saturday.
“We know we have started well and we just need to build on this.”
He was particularly impressed on Saturday with midfielder Ryan Williams.
“Ryan is a player with a big career in front of him,” predicted the Strong.
After sustained pressure over the opening stages, loan signing Oswell deservedly gave Rhyl the lead with a tap-in on seventeen minutes.
Courtney headed in the second from a Rowlands cross before half time to finish the day’s scoring, and Rhyl came close to extending their lead with a number of opportunities in the second half, with Oswell and Shaun Dowling both denied by the woodwork.