Gresford kicked off a new era this afternoon as newly-appointed manager Dave Evans took charge of his first game—remarkably after just a single training session with the squad. With influential figures such as Haci and Tommy Smith unavailable, as well as several others sidelined through injury, this was always going to be a test of character as much as quality.

The game opened at a lively pace. Both sides went head to head early on, but it was Rhyl who enjoyed more of the ball in the first exchanges. Even so, Gresford consistently carried threat on the counter, finding pockets of space and moving forward with purpose whenever possession turned over.

In midfield, Iwan Roberts was at the heart of everything Gresford created—full of energy, snapping into challenges, and driving the team forward. Behind him, new club captain Paul “Johno” Johnson set the tone with a commanding presence, leading by example throughout.

The breakthrough came midway through the first half. When a loose ball spilled to Iwan Roberts on the edge of the box, he reacted quickest, lifting a superb strike over the Rhyl goalkeeper and into the top corner to give Gresford a deserved 1–0 lead.

Rhyl continued to have good possession, but Gresford carved out the better chances on the break. The ever-dangerous goal machine, Jake Roberts, went close in a 1v1 situation, and the impressive Elliot Orton nearly doubled the advantage with a powerful header from a corner that flashed just over.

*Half-time: Gresford 1–0 Rhyl*

Unfortunately for Gresford, the second half could not have started worse. A promising attack broke down, and within seconds Rhyl countered decisively, with their striker breaking through to slot home the equaliser.

But Gresford responded superbly. Almost immediately, James “Jamo” Smith delivered a sensational ball into the box, and Jake Roberts attacked it brilliantly, beating the onrushing keeper to restore the lead with a brave header.

From there, the pattern of the game settled. Rhyl saw plenty of the ball, but Gresford continued to pose problems whenever they moved forward with pace. The defensive shape remained disciplined.

With around ten minutes to go, Rhyl found another equaliser, levelling the match at 2–2.

While Gresford may feel a touch frustrated not to have taken all three points, this was an important marker for the start of the Dave Evans era. With key players missing and limited preparation time, the team showed fight, organisation, and real attacking threat.

A hard-earned point—and a promising platform to build from.