The 2022/23 Lock Stock Ardal North-West Champions have been crowned, and the honours go to Denbigh Town Football Club

After a four year hiatus Denbigh are back as Dewi Llion’s side secured promotion to the JD Cymru North.

In the sweltering heat at Clywedog Park goals from Matthew Worrall and Dan Parry-Jones will live in club history forever as the ones that earned the club it’s first league title in nine years and fourth third division title in club history.

The victory cements this side into Denbigh legend, joining title winning teams dating back to the 1970s and sees Town finish top of the table for just the eighth time in 143 years - an achievement in itself.

Meanwhile Dewi Llion, who named one change to the side that beat Nantlle Vale 4-1 a week previous and becomes just the sixth manager in club history to deliver a league championship - following on from John Roberts, Bill Dawson & Roy Cook-Hannah, Tim Dyer and Richard Williams-Cooke.

Captain Paul Fleming came in for Jake Walker as Town began brightly. Just three minutes into the match Nathan Brown fed the ball to Craig Pritchard who shot just wide, Brown himself followed up seven minutes later when his shot from 20-yards blazed over the bar.

In truth Denbigh were always in control, but that didn’t stop the league’s bottom side carving out a couple of chances, with Cavan Daley volleying over from just outside the box with a quarter of an hour played.

Not content with knowing just a point would secure promotion, Denbigh piled on the pressure and had their just rewards, as Worrall fired the ball into the back of the net with venom as Rhos failed to clear their lines.

Less than a minute later the Villagers responded as a ball forward dinked the top of Aaron Jones’ cross bar. Dewi Llion’s side took their warning seriously, and duly doubled the advantage when Brown’s corner was met with a brilliant header from Parry-Jones and allow supporters to breathe, if only a little.

Rhostyllen had goalkeeper Josh Jones to thank for the most part throughout as he denied Paul Fleming twice in the first half as he halted a couple of point blank efforts and kept down the scoring.

Billy Holmes, deployed on the left was causing huge trouble for the Rhos backline as he sprung forward constantly, including winning a free-kick which Brown could only find the goalkeeper with.

Half-Time: Rhostyllen 0-2 Denbigh Town

As the sun continued to beam down in Wrexham, Town knew they were just 45 minutes from the promised land, barring any huge comeback from the ‘home’ side.

Worrall has a speculative effort clear the crossbar less than ten minutes after the restart before the in-form forward just failed to stretch enough at the far post when Brown laid a ball across goal.

With 68 minutes on the clock Denbigh began to look a little sloppy, as they allowed Taylor Williams through on goal but Jones made a brilliant stop to deny him.

Not to be outdone, Rhos stopper Jones made a wonderful stop to thwart Pritchard at close range just seconds later. Denbigh continued to press for the third goal of the game but the best chance for it fell to Rhos in stoppage time as Dan Parry-Jones brought down his man in the box, just about escaping a booking.

Up stepped Tom Douglas to spoil Aaron Jones’ clean sheet, but he obliged the Denbigh custodian by blazing over the bar.

It ended 2-0 to Denbigh and captain Paul Fleming was presented with the Lock Stock Ardal North-West trophy, hoisting it high in front of a superb backing from Denbigh.

We now move on to mid-Wales, as we face Bow Street in Caersws and look to pull off the league and cup double to finish one of the greatest campaigns in our history.

Denbigh Town, champions. Isn’t that something.

Report by Ollie Williams