Despite coming from a goal behind Denbigh Town will see it as two points dropped on Saturday afternoon in the derby with Ruthin.

Llyr Morris handed Ruthin the lead before the hosts went down to ten men, and substitute Owen Davies headed an equaliser in the second half following sustained pressure. However, despite wave after wave of attack, Denbigh couldn’t find the winner and had to settle for a point against their local rivals.

Both sides came into the game knowing three points would go a long way towards the final stretch of the season. Ruthin, three points adrift of safety and with perhaps the toughest schedule of anyone to see out the season knew three points were key, whilst Denbigh knew a win could send them into the top half of the table.

Dewi Llion made two changes to the side that lost to Flint Mountain in the week with Aaron Jones returning in goal and Alfie Vaughan given the nod, whilst Davies began on the bench alongside the returning Keelan Williams following surgery.

The game began in the worst possible terms for Town as Ruthin took the lead within a minute. A long ball into the box wasn’t dealt with and Llyr Morris directed it into the bottom left corner for a shock early lead.

The first real sight of goal for Denbigh came on 17 minutes when Sam Duffy did well to spin out of a tackle before dragging his shot wide from the edge of the box. Five minutes later and it was Nathan Brown this time fired wide from 18-yards.

Just after the half hour mark Town continued to push as Sion Jones did brilliantly to drive forward and find Duffy who fed it to Iwan Roberts out on the right, his nice footwork led to a cross for Vaughan who couldn’t get any purchase on his header.

The momentum shifted in favour of the visitors and on 38 minutes came a key moment. Brown rushed forward before a high tackle from Matty Williams saw the defender shown a straight red card by referee Richard Wright.

Looking to capitalise before allowing Ruthin to regroup at the break, Denbigh pushed for a leveller and moments before the break Dan Flanders launched the ball into the box before it fell to Bobby Beaumont, but his effort was blocked. Moments later another ball into the area was cleared as far as Brown but he could only volley wide. Finally, in the third minute of added time Duffy this time had a chance when picking the ball up inside the box before firing wide on the turn.

Half-Time: Ruthin Town 1-0 Denbigh Town

The second half began as it would go on, with Denbigh threatening. After making a double change at the break where Danny Clarke and Davies were introduced, Davies was straight in on the action after receiving the ball from Brown and going through one on one, but his chipped effort couldn’t find the target.

Davies was involved again with 52 minutes on the clock when Brown delivered a free-kick from the left which met the forward’s head, but Dan Goldston made a superb stop to deny. Six minutes later, Denbigh had their closest chance yet when Clarke made inroads down the left channel before crossing, his ball was deflected off of a defender and clipped the crossbar before a sea of bodies flew in the box before the ball was cleared.

Entering the final 20 minutes and Denbigh continued to create chances, Iwan Roberts had an effort blocked inside the box before Beaumont found Duffy who fired over in quick succession. Finally, with 73 minutes on the clock that final touch was put to it when the substitutes combined, Clarke’s cross was met by the head of Davies who levelled for Town.

The game was almost turned on it’s head with 15 to play when Iwan Roberts’ half-volley was deflected wide for a corner as Ruthin defended valiantly to earn at least a point.

Throwing everything at it late on Denbigh just couldn’t find that winner, with a long ball from Flanders meeting the head of Vaughan but in collision with the goalkeeper, the whistle went for a foul, and an end to a late opportunity.

Full-Time came as Denbigh moved to 10th in the JD Cymru North whilst Ruthin closed the gap to safety to two points.

Town are next in action next week with a trip to Buckley Town.

Denbigh Town: A.Jones, Flanders, Beaumont, Lockley, S.Jones, K.Roberts, Pownall, Brown, I.Roberts, Duffy, Vaughan

Subs: Beattie, Williams, Butler, Hinchcliffe, Salisbury, Clarke, Davies

Referee: Richard Wright

Attendance: 159

POTM: Sion Jones - A solid showing at both full-back and in midfield, whilst skippering the side in the second-half comeback.