Portmadog 1-0 Rhyl
Portmadog edged past Rhyl 1-0 in the North section of the Welsh Championship on Saturday. The result keeps both sides in the middle of the pack, though the home side lifted to seventh while Rhyl dropped to tenth. By then the match had been a tight affair with few clear chances until the final quarter.
O. Baum found the net in the eighty-third minute to end a barren spell for his team. To be fair, it was not a moment of brilliance so much as a case of being in the right place. The away side had their chances but failed to convert, and that is often how these games are decided.
The seven points after seven games put Portmadog in seventh place with three wins, two draws and two defeats. Rhyl sit tenth with nine points from two victories and three draws. The gap between them is now two points, though the home side's superior goal difference gives them a slight edge.
Portmadog came into this fixture having won their last outing 3-1 against Penrhyncoch. Rhyl had drawn 1-1 with Gilfach Black Dragons in their previous match and lost 0-2 at Llandudno before that. Neither side had looked particularly dangerous in recent outings, which made Baum's goal all the more significant.
The result means Portmadog stay within touching distance of the upper half, while Rhyl need to find consistency if they want to climb. Cup football has its own rules, but in the league this was a straightforward affair. The hosts turned it on when it mattered, and that is enough.