Denbigh Town Reserves closed the 2024/25 campaign with a ten-goal thriller away at Holywell Town on Wednesday night.

In a back and forth encounter both sides traded blows with Serhat Kanli (brace), Joe Mead, Cai Frith and Sion Jones finding the net for Denbigh but a controvesial stoppage time penalty secured a point for the hosts.

Liam Nash had Ianto Jones and Tom Salisbury unavailable but called upon Danny Clarke and Sion Jones to come into the XI.

It took 15 minutes for the first real chance of the contest when some neat play from Denbigh led to Clarke on the left of the box testing goalkeeper Sam Payne. However, on the half hour mark Payne could do nothing to deny Kanli who latched on to a through ball from Gabriel Hinchcliffe and slammed it home to give Denbigh the lead.

Eight minutes later Holywell came close only for Jack Moorley to rush out and dive on a through ball to deny a huge opportunity for the hosts, but two minutes later Town were sloppy and allowed a break right through the middle before Josh Acott finished well.

In stoppage time of the first half the referee adjudged Ethan Williams-Howell to have brought his man down in the box, and Luka Graham converted.

Half-Time: Holywell Town 2-1 Denbigh Town

Denbigh came back out fighting and peppered the Wellmen’s half in the opening stages of the second period. Sion Jones had the keeper on his toes when bursting through into the box on the right and forcing Payne into a stop at the near post.

Finally on 62 minutes Town levelled when Clarke moved it forward and layed the ball to Mead on the edge of the box who slammed the ball into the bottom right corner.

Town were level however for just five minutes. A free-kick from distance was slammed home by Bobby Bedward from 25-yards. Ten minutes later Holywell doubled the lead through Jamie Jones who bundled the ball home following a cross from the left.

If Denbigh wanted anything from the game they had to respond quickly and did just that. Clarke again worked well in the box before finding Frith who kept his composure to finish well inside the box less than a minute after going two behind. Three minutes later Sion Jones was wiped out in the box and Kanli had the chance to nudge ahead from the spot, which he duly delivered.

In the final moments chaos ensued as with both sides looking for the winner Sion Jones picked the ball up in midfield, drove forward, and hammered the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

However, one final cruel twist was to come when a free-kick flew into the box and the referee pointed to the spot. With Denbigh in disbelief, Jones was shown a red card for questioning the decision before Zak Dakin made it five apiece.

It draws the curtain on the 2024/25 campaign in the FAW Reserve League North East with Town finishing midtable, with other games to determin the final outcome.

Denbigh Town: Moorley, Williams-Howell, Gray, Luke, Fricker, S.Jones, Hinchcliffe, Frith, Mead, Clarke, Kanli

Subs: Wynne, A.Jones, H.Nash, O.Jones, T.Jones

Referee: Martin Trigg