CPD Y Rhyl 1879 continued its promising pre-season period with a defeat to tier two side Holywell Town.

The club hosted its seventh pre-season fixture against Holywell, situated two tiers above in the Welsh leagues, in a fiercely contested match on Saturday, June 12.

Holywell took the lead in the 20th minute from a Danny Andrews penalty following a foul in the penalty area by lilywhites Chris Bennett. Then two minutes later Ollie Buckley doubled the visitors lead with a strike in the 22nd minute, leaving Rhyl keeper Ryan Roberts with no chance in the home goal.

Rhyl came back into it 3 minutes later when Macauley Taylor was brought down by experienced visiting defender David Hayes and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time in the game.

Number 10 Matty Beach stepped up and brought a great save from the Holywell keeper ensure the game stayed at 0-2 going into the break.

The lilywhites looked a lot more solid and competitive in the second half with very few chances created by either team in an evenly contested 45 minutes leading to a final score that ended with the Wellmen leaving with a 0-2 victory.

Goalkeeper coach Andy Wilmot said after the game: “Lots of positives against a really good tier 2 outfit and we are disappointed not to score in the game, but overall a fair result”.

The loss followed two wins for the Rhyl side that is showing a lot of promise ahead of its first full season after forming in 2020.

They travelled to Roe Plas to play St Asaph on Tuesday, June 8, when the lilywhites took full control in the early stages with Carl Lamb scoring with a fantastic strike on the seven-minute mark.

St Asaph settled and came back in to the game with a well-timed finish by young forward Dylan Roche making it 1-1. The lilywhites then doubled their goal tally with a left footed low drive into the bottom right corner by Tom Cain ensuring the visitors went into the break with a 2-1 lead, after an entertaining first half.

The second half saw a somewhat revitalised St Asaph take to game to there visitors. With the game in the balance the lilywhites utility man and regular scorer Eamon Buhalfaia flicked on the ball from a corner and it managed to find its way past the goal line defender ensuring the lilywhite visitors found themselves 3-1 up.

A resurgent St Asaph took control of the second half and managed to score again in the 57th minute following a good link play by both city forwards and a low drive from J Williams ensuring an entertaining finish to the game.

Fortunately for the lilywhites a strong defensive display in the latter part of the second half ensured they say out a 3-2 pre-season away victory over their neighbours.

St Asaph's Gareth Thomas said: “Despite the win we conceded two poor goals, and the overall performance wasn’t good enough”.

CPD Y Rhyl 1879 continue their pre-season preparation with a friendly against CPD Y Porthmadog on Saturday, June 19.