Glantraeth began the season with a point from their visit to Denbigh Town. Manager Kev Hughes’s selection options were limited with more than a third of his squad unavailable through injury or holidays so avoiding defeat in this tough opener has to go down as a satisfactory outcome for the Bodorgan side.
Playing with a strong wind at their backs the home side enjoyed the greater share of possession during the opening forty-five minutes with Glan struggling to make any inroads into the home defence.
Keeper Gareth OJ Roberts was soon in action for the Anglesey side, pushing over a strike from Denbigh’s Kevin Leech on 9 minutes and ten minutes later making another fine save from Chris Williams. Three minutes later Darren Cassidy cut in from the left only to fire into the side netting as the Central Park side continued to ask most of the questions.
Glan were playing some neat football but hardly troubling home keeper Jamie Hulse not helped by weather conditions more akin to January rather than August and it was the 34th minute before he was called on to make a save when a fine effort from Corey Sinnott forced him action, pushing the ball away at full stretch for a corner kick. From the corner Denbigh broke quickly away only for Cassidy to fire well wide.
There was confusion on 42 minutes as referee Martin Twigg awarded a penalty to the home side after a challenge from Gareth Owen. Players of both sides looked bewildered at the decision and the referee was persuaded by the Glan players to consult his assistant. To his credit the match official reversed the decision and pointed for a goal kick.
The final action of the half saw Leech head wide for the home side who despite their territorial advantage had in the main been well held by a solid Glantraeth back line.
Two minutes into the second period Gerallt Jones came close to turning in a cross from Corey Sinnott but it was soon Denbigh pushing forward again with Glan struggling to retain possession, OJ Roberts having to go full length to keep out a shot from Ian Evans.
The introduction of Gareth Wyn Roberts on 55 minutes gave Glan more attacking options and they began to really threaten for the first time with Emyr Rowlands striking a powerful shot from 25 yards that skimmed narrowly wide then Corey Sinnott fired into the side netting. There was a great chance for Kevin Roberts on 73 minutes as a neat move gave him a clear sight of goal but his right foot shot failed to really trouble Hulse.
This was Glantraeth’s best spell of the game but twice in as many minutes good build-up came to nothing as first Craig Evans then Corey Sinnott delivered poor crosses with the home defence stretched.
With five minutes remaining a corner kick from the left was headed inches the wrong side of a post by Warren Gibbs as the visitors looked to snatch all three points.
Denbigh were still not finished and it took the combined efforts of Darren Hughes and Gibbs to block a close range effort from the dangerous Leech and with time running out it looked as if all the visitor’s hard work might come to nothing as Ian Evans was left with only OJ Roberts to beat but the Glan keeper pulled off a stunning save to push Evan’s shot from almost point blank range over the bar.
Glantraeth: Gareth OJ Roberts, Craig Evans, Darren Jones, Warren Gibbs, Darren Hughes, Gareth Owen, Chris Evans, Emyr Rowlands, Corey Sinnott (David Alan Jones 88), Kevin Roberts, Gerallt Jones (Gareth Wyn Roberts 55).