Holywell Town 0-0 Denbigh Town

Holywell Town 0-0 Denbigh Town

The match that everyone had looked forward to since the fixtures were announced, lived up to its expectations and both teams played great football in difficult conditions.

The first real chance fell to Denbigh Town as a cross in from the right found the head of Nathan Peate, but his header flew inches wide of Danny Stanton's post. A few minutes later, Town could have taken the lead. Sam Jones broke clear of his marker and ran down teh right before sending over a great ball into the centre of the goal area but Steve Thomas could only head the ball over the crossbar.

With quarter of an hour on the clock, another free kick was lofted in to the box by Denbigh Town and again, Peate got to the end of it but his header went wide of the target. 5 minutes later, Denbigh should have taken the lead. Paul D Williams lost the ball and Mark Roberts picked up the ball and ran down on Stanton's goal, his shot was brilliantly saved by Stanton but the ball fell kindly for Denbigh's Andrew Swarbrick but his follow up shot hit the post and went out to safety.

Paul Williams then had a shot for Holywell but his effort was saved by Mike Jones in the Denbigh goal. Minutes later, Denbigh's Swarbrick had an effort go close for the visitors. On the half hour mark, a bad foul on The Wellmen's captain caused some heated exchanges between both set of players and once it had calmed down, the next chance fell to Holywell as Paul Williams had a shot easily saved by Jones. On the stroke of half time, Holywell broke clear and Steve Thomas' cross was just a little to much in front of the oncoming Sam Jones and the ball was cleared to safety.

The second half opened brightly and The Wellmen were put under pressure by the visitors for the opening few minutes of the half. Dave Macintyre had an effort from way out saved by Stanton before Stuart Vernon had an effort go inches wide.

Town had claims for a penalty turned down 10 minutes into the half as Steve Thomas was brought down inside the box. Thomas picked up the ball on the edge of the box and tricked his way past a couple of defenders, before he was brought to ground by a challenge by a defender but the referee waved play on as the challenge was, in his eyes, a fair one.

Holywell got back into the game by now and were piling on the pressure on the visitors. On the hour mark, Graham Boylan won the ball just out side Denbigh's box. he passed the ball out to Sam Jones, he lay the ball off to Tony Roebuck but his effort went inches wide.

Dafydd Griffith made another perfectly timed tackle to get the ball off Denbigh's Mark Roberts just outside the Wellmen's penalty area before Paul Williams, who was having a great game on the right for the Wellmen, crossed the ball dangerously into the box but the ball was cleared for a corner.

Denbigh Town then had a great chance to open the scoring. A quick break saw substitute Simon Smith run clear, he crossed the ball to Mark Roberts who had a lot of space around him and his shot was brilliantly saved by Danny Stanton to keep the scores at 0-0. Smith then had a weak shot easily saved by Stanton. Steve Thomas then got the ball over to Sam Jones who ran at the defenders, before crossing the ball hard and low into the box, and the oncoming Paul Williams had the ball gathered by his feet by the Denbigh keeper before he could get an attempt in on goal.

With 10 minutes remaing, Nathan Peate rose well to beat Mark Orme to the ball but his header went over the bar before the last real chance of the half fell to Steve Thomas, but his shot was easily saved by Jones in goal after he was put through on goal by Sam Jones' pass.

The referee blew full time whistle in what had been a thrilling game of football, and as everyone left the ground, both sets of supporters would have been proud of their team's performances and you would have to wait a long time to witness another 0-0 game that was as entertaining as had just been played on Halkyn Road.