A deflected strike from Jake Canavan, deep into added time, earned Flint what might turn out to be a precious point, as once again they stuttered to turn possession into points at home. The last time they managed a home victory in the league was back on the 11th October last year, when they defeated Llanelli Town. Since then they have gone 7 home games without being able to record a win, and this explains why we are still struggling near the foot of the table. But a draw was the least they deserved from this encounter, as the Silkmen created the better chances overall, restricting their opponents to few opportunities, although once again the inability to apply the finishing touch cost them. On the plus side, we are still unbeaten in phase 2, and are showing the battling qualities needed to escape the dreaded drop.
The visitors set up to stifle the Silkmen, and the home side found it difficult to gain any traction in the opening quarter of an hour.
But, on 18 minutes Mikey Burke was released down the left, and homed in on goal , hitting a shot from a tight angle that Met stopper Ewan Griffiths parried out, and as Ben Hughes tried to follow up, his effort was cleared by a defender in front of the goal line.
Eliot Evans hit a long range effort for the visitors on 22 minutes, which forced Jack Flint into action, as he sprang across his goal to palm the shot out for a corner.
Canavan produced an excellent defence splitting pass on 40 minutes to put in Jake Phillips, but Griffiths reacted quickly to get out and make himself a big obstacle and blocked the shot.
As the half drew to a close, Flint continued to look the more likely to score, and Sidi Fofana provided a cross that Darren Stephenson met, only to send his header crashing against the bar.
Five minutes into the second half, Osebi Abadaki received the ball, and twisted and turned in the box, before getting a shot away under pressure that was lifted just over the target.
It was beginning to look like the sort of game in which one goal for either side would settle it, and so it was somewhat ominous when Met struck on 69 minutes, following a somewhat harshly awarded free kick on the edge of the box. Ryan Reynolds struck the dead ball, which Flint beat out, but Matthew Chubb was on hand to follow up and score, as the Flint players appealed in vain for an offside flag which never came.
Flint immediately hit back and were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Met box themselves, although it looked as though the offence was actually inside, rather than just outside, the area. Canavan stepped up and blasted a shot that Griffiths reacted well to, and managed to divert it out for a corner. These two separate, almost identical set plays, within the space of a minute of each other at opposite ends of the pitch appeared to sum up the Silkmen’s luck on the day, as they were harshly punished on the first and were unlucky on the second, as the ball bounced out of play rather than back into the danger zone.
New signing Lee Jonas made his debut coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute, and could have marked it with a goal, but was unable to direct his header on target as he met a cross on the edge of the 6 yard box.
With 5 minutes remaining Ben Hughes made space for himself in the box having received the ball, but then dragged his shot across the face of the goal and past the far post.
It very much looked as though it was going to be one of those frustrating afternoon’s for the home side, especially as Met were doing their level best to run the clock down at every available opportunity.
But right at the death, fortune finally smiled on the Silkmen. A Phillips corner was delivered from the left, and Harry Owen dived in to try and head it, but the ball was initially blocked, before a lame clearance fell to Canavan 20 yards out, whose shot deflected off CJ Craven, and looped over Griffiths into the net.
In the ensuing celebrations, Fofana ran onto the pitch to congratulate his teammates, having been substituted earlier, but in doing so picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon, and so was sent off and will miss next Saturday’s trip to Haverfordwest.
Report by Nigel Sheen. Photos by Damon Mead.
Line Ups :
Flint Town United – J. Flint, B. Woollam, M. Burke (L. Jonas 79), S. Fofana (A. Mudimu 79), H. Owen (c), J. Thorn, J. Phillips, B. Hughes, D. Stephenson (J. Jones 46), J. Canavan, O. Abadaki. Unused Subs – D. Szczepaniak (GK), M. Purvis, E. Smith, C. Ferguson
Cardiff Met – E. Griffiths, M. Chubb, J. Payne, L. Walsh (D Kabongo 64), J. Clarke, R. Reynolds, E. Evans (T. Raison 90), C.J. Craven (c), L. Rees (B. Soady 79), S. Jones, F. Mwandwe. Unused Subs – S. Seager (GK), H. John, H. Matthews, B. Popham
Flint MOM – Jake Canavan (cometh the hour, cometh the man, his late, late strike earnt his side what might prove to be a crucial point)
