12th April 2008
Second rate performance brings embarrassing defeat
A poor performance could have resulted in a far worse for Port Talbot Town as Rhyl hitt he bar three times in addition to their five goals in a very one-sided affair. Manager Nicky Tucker handed young goalkeeper Josh Payne another chance to impress as Kristian Rogers suffered through illness while Lee Surman was again unable to make the game following a recent blood clot in his leg. Port Talbot surprising forced some earlier pressure with a series of corners in the opening exchanges that caused problems for the home defence but on 18 minutes a run down the left hand side allowed Chris Sharp enough room for him to open the scoring with the home sides first goal of the afternoon. Port Talbot were a threat to Rhyl even after the strike as they forced Rhyl into conceding a number of free kicks ina nd around the area but on 29 minutes Sharp grabbed his second and his sides second goal of the afternoon. Ten minutes later and the game was all but over as Craig Garside added a third goal for Rhyl against a Port Talbot side quickly losing shape and direction. With only the woodwork preventing Rhyl increasing their lead before the interval, manager Nicky Tucker brought on both Matthew Thompson and Paul Evans into midfield while Craig Hanford made his return to he side on 48 minutes when he replaced Liam McCreesh. The arrival of Thompson allowed Port Talbot to maintain possession better but Rhyl remained a huge threat and on 60 minutes Marc Lloyd-Williams made no mistake to make it 4-0 to the home side. Lloyd-Williams then grabbed his second goal of the game and his sides fifth on 76 minutes when he combined well with Sharp to complete the scoring. Rhyl had enough chances to add to their total but were denied by the bar before eventually scoring their fifth as Port Talbot were left to wonder what went wrong after such a dominating and impressive performance against Carmarthen Town the week before.

14th April 2008 - Daily Post
Match Report
John Hulse was a happy man after seeing his Rhyl side romp to their biggest home league win of the season. The Lilywhites, who are assured of third place and an Inter-Toto Cup spot, could easily have doubled their tally against a very lacklustre Port Talbot outfit at Belle Vue. “We were too good for them,” said Hulse. “It could easily have ended up 9-0 as we hit the bar four times. Considering we had four top players out – five if you include long-term casualty Jimmy Kelly – I thought it was an excellent performance.” Rhyl were without suspended top scorer Lee Hunt, injured duo Greg Stones and Craig Jones. Skipper George Horan was also not risked ahead of Tuesday’s game at Bangor City as he is one caution away from a suspension. The Lilies broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Chris Sharp scored with a beautiful angled shot across keeper Josh Payne into the far corner. Sharp was on target again after 29 minutes when he turned neatly in the box and netted with his right foot from 15 yards. A superbly-worked third goal on 36 minutes saw Mark Connolly control keeper Lee Kendall’s long kick with his chest on the right to cross low into the area where Marc Lloyd Williams laid the ball off smartly, and Craig Garside lashed the ball home left-footed. Sharp’s sublime chip clipped the bar and Chris Roberts struck the woodwork twice before Rhyl made it 4-0 on the hour, when Lloyd Williams beat Payne with a deft chip from an acute angle. Connolly’s free-kick hit the crossbar, but in the 76th minute fabulous play from Sharp saw him cross from the touchline and Lloyd Williams volleyed in from two yards.

14th April 2008 - Western Mail
Tucker stunned by Rhyl display
The journey to Rhyl has proved to be a nightmare for Port Talbot, who have collapsed to eight successive defeats at the venue. This latest one left their manager Nicky Tucker dumbfounded. “After they scored the first we totally collapsed,” he said. “We are more than capable of fighting back from that position, but their heads went down after Rhyl scored and we were well and truly stuffed.” Chris Sharp (18) opened the Lilywhites’ account and added a second 11 minutes later. Craig Garside added to the Steelmen’s woes before Marc Lloyd-Williams took centre stage to fire home a second-half brace.

13th April 2008 - Wales on Sunday
Lilywhites rule roost
Five-star Rhyl romped to a biggest home league win of the season – and damaged Port Talbot’s hopes of finishing fourth in the process. The Lilywhites broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Chris Sharp scored with a beautifully angled shot across keeper Josh Payne into the far corner. Sharp was on target again after 29 minutes when he turned neatly in the box and netted with his right foot from 15 yards. A superbly worked third goal on 36 minutes saw Mark Connolly control keeper Lee Kendall’s long kick with his chest on the right, cross low into the area where Marc Lloyd Williams laid the ball off smartly, and Craig Garside lashed in left-footed. Sharp’s sublime chip clipped the bar and Chris Roberts struck the woodwork twice before Rhyl made it 4-0 on the hour, when Lloyd Williams beat Payne with a deft chip from an acute angle. Connolly’s free-kick hit the crossbar, but in the 76th minute fabulous play from Sharp saw him cross from the by-line and Lloyd Williams volleyed in from two yards.

12th April 2008 - www.welsh-premier.com
Five-star Rhyl save best till last
Rhyl saved their best until the last home game of the season, recording their biggest Belle Vue win of the season against the Steelmen. In addition to five goals, the Lillies hit the woodwork three times on a hapless afternoon for the visitors, whose fourth place ambitions were dealt a mighty blow. After Chris Sharp's superb strike into the far corner had given Rhyl an 18th-minute lead there was only one outcome. Only a last-ditch block prevented Matthew Holt from adding the second, which arrived on 29 minutes when Sharp fired a 15-yarder from Mark Connolly's head down.
Talbot's second-string keeper Josh Payne did well to keep out a Marc Lloyd Williams tester, but the third goal arrived before half-time. Connolly chested down keeper Lee Kendall's clearance and cross for Lloyd Williams, who set-up Craig Garside. Sharp hit the bar soon after the resumption, with Payne tipping a Chris Roberts effort onto the woodwork. From the resulting corner, Lloyd Williams missed a sitter with Roberts hitting the post on 58 minutes. The inevitable fourth goal came from Lloyd Williams who lobbed Payne from an acute angle following a Gareth Wilson free-kick. And after Connolly had again rattled the bar, Lloyd Williams put the icing on the cake from a Sharp cross.