RHYL fell to their second straight defeat on home soil as they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Flint Town United.

The Football Association of Wales ordered the game to be played despite the Likywhites’ initially stating it had been postponed due to floodlight concerns, and they were left counting the cost of missed opportunities against a side that are pushing Prestatyn Town extremely close for top spot in the JD Cymru North.

Eddie Maurice-Jones’ men now turn their attention to JD Welsh Cup action this Saturday when they welcome STM Sports to the Educate Group Stadium, who are no strangers to knockout competition success this term having reached the final of the Nathaniel MG Cup.

The home side got off to the worst possible start when a calamitous clearance from Ben Nash on two minutes fell into the path of Callum Bratley, who finished comfortably past Rory Crowther to give the Silkmen an early advantage.

Former Lilies’ star Tom Hartley almost increase the away side’s cushion soon after when his powerful free kick sailed narrowly over, with Dave MacIntyre and James Murphy failing to test United stopper John Danby with long-range attempts at the other end.

A telling moment in the game arrived on 32 minutes when talented midfielder Chris Li was shown a second yellow card, leaving the visitors with ten men for the remainder of the encounter.

This immediately brought more possession for the hosts and Murphy forced Danby into a fine stop on 36 minutes, before Arek Piskorski spurned two glorious chances towards the end of the first period.

After the interval saw the Lilies’ dictate proceedings without threatening too much in the final third, with Danny Sullivan and Cai Owen coming closest to levelling matters with 63 on the clock.

United were looking threatening on the counter and Bratley’s strike was matched by a stunning save from Crowther, and any hopes of the home side salvaging something from the game were dashed on 86 minutes when Owen picked up a second yellow for a rash challenge, allowing former Rhyl manager Niall McGuinness to get one over on his hometown club.