Rhyl looking to salvage Pride at Belle Vue

Rhyl go into this afternoon's Intertoto Cup First Qualifying Round, second leg looking to salvage some pride at Belle Vue.

Despite taking a first-half lead in Dublin seven days ago, the Lilywhites were comfortably beaten 5-1 by the Eircom League leaders, which means that they will have to score at least four goals this afternoon and their visitors haven't conceded more than once in 15 League games this Summer season.

Rhyl will be hoping that midfielders Jimmy Kelly and Greg Stones are available, with Kelly most likely of the two to start for the hosts. New signing Neil Roberts is ineligible and will watch the game from the stands. Defender Matthew Holt could be pushing for a starting place after an appearance from the bench seven days ago.

Head Coach Alan Bickerstaff could not hide his disappointment after the final whistle last week and told Lilywhites Online,

"It's never over until it's over, but it's likely we'll be playing only for pride..."It was very disappointing (last week) as we'd done so well in the first half; really it was a game of two halves, we were two different sides out there.

"There (were) some very despondent players in that dressing room whose pride has been hurt, but we'll be going all out to win on Saturday. It's very important that we respond to this and restore some pride by getting a good result."

It's never over until it's over, but it's likely we'll be playing only for pride..."It was very disappointing (last week) as we'd done so well in the first half.

The guests from across the Irish Sea take their foot off the pedal, as Manager Pat Fenlon will not be making wholesale changes this afternoon as he told his club's Website,

"We will not be easing up in the second leg. I want to make sure that we progress, because the Intertoto Cup is a priority for the club. We have approached the second leg as we would any other game."

Rhyl will have been disappointed with the result in Dalymount, and they will be looking to at least salvage some pride from the encounter with a competitive performance at Belle Vue. In the first leg, Alan Bickerstaff's side had frustrated the home side for 50 minutes before conceding five goals to a second-half resurgence from Bohs.

The Irish side played in the Eircom League against Finn Harps on Tuesday, and Glenn Cronin came into the starting eleven for Kevin Hunt, while Jason Byrne similarly made way for goal-scoring sub Glen Crowe.

However, it should be a case of role reversal at Belle Vue as Fenlon commented, "I will make a few changes for the Rhyl game but the team will not change too much. My priority is progress in Europe and we will be doing everything we can to achieve that."

Centre-half Liam Burns misses out as he suffered a groin strain in training and is expected to be out for at least two weeks. Jason McGuinness will take the vacant berth to partner Ken Oman, who scored an own-goal last week. Irish Under 21 international Conor Powell is also absent with and ankle injury and key-player Killian Brennan is a doubt after hobbling off at training on Belle Vue yesterday afternoon, so ex-Leeds Utd midfielder Harpal Singh, who is on the Transfer List, could come in.

Six hundred Bohemian fans are expected to travel, with three official buses organised to bring supporters to the game on the Dublin-Holyhead Ferry.