Ground #413 - Memorial Playing Fields (Ruthin)

Date: 5th September 2025
Location: Ruthin, Denbigshire, Wales
Ground: Memorial Playing Fields

My sixth new ground of 2025 was on Friday 5th September at Memorial Playing Fields in Ruthin, Denbigshire, Wales. The game was Ruthin Town vs. Rhyl in Cymru North.

Memorial Playing Fields is located close to the centre of the small town of Ruthin. It is bordered by green space to the east and west and housing to the north and south. The nearest railway station is 16 miles east at Wrexham Central so is difficult to reach via public transport. 

All the facilities are on the southern side of the ground. There are two similar all-seater stands, either side of the halfway line. These stands have five rows of seating and several supporting beams to hold up the roof. In the south-east corner is the club building which doubles for the town's cricket club - in here a bar, food outlet and other facilities can be found. 

There is plenty of space on the northern and eastern sides of the ground - the northern side has a football pitch behind it whilst the eastern end has a cricket pitch behind it. Both have hard standing strips before opening up to the grass areas and there are additional picnic benches behind the eastern goal. The western end of the venue is narrow but can still be used by spectators with a section of hard standing. 

Ruthin had suffered a poor start to the season with four defeats from their first five matches. Rhyl had fared better and occupied sixth spot in the table. The hosts had the first chance of the game in the 12th minute when Joshua Evans' decent long-range effort was palmed wide by Alex Swindell. Rhyl were the better side in the first half though and had a series of opportunities to score. In the 20th minute Archie Jones dragged his shot wide while eight minutes later Morgan Murray missed a clear shot at goal by slicing wide when the ball was pulled back for him. Ruthin started the second half strongly and 40 seconds into it almost scored - the ball was lofted to Llyr Morris on the left of the area and his volley was well saved by Swindell. The Rhyl keeper was required again a quarter of an hour later with an acrobatic save to deny Harry Martin. As with the first half, Rhyl came on better later. With fifteen minutes left Archie Jones headed just wide and then in the final minute a Rhyl breakaway saw Damase Kiwanda round the keeper but a last ditch saving tackle prevented a certain goal and ensured the game finished 0-0. 

Result: Ruthin Town 0-0 Rhyl

Division: Cymru North

Attendance: 351