A seventh consecutive home win for the Silkmen, courtesy of Josh Jones’ late penalty, moved them seven points clear of eleventh placed Newtown with just three games remaining. So, if Newtown lose to Barry on Friday night, or Flint win at Aberystwyth, then they will be mathematically clear of the relegation placings. Or a draw will be enough if Newtown fail to win at Barry.
In two of the three games between Flint and Barry this season, the Silkmen had run the Dragons very close, only to lose out due to better game management by the opposition. But in this encounter, some of the Flint players came of age and secured a vital win for their club.
The visitors started brightly and took the lead on 7 minutes, from a Robbie Wilmott corner. Ieuan Owen pulled away from Jake Phillips and headed home, the ball glancing off Phillips in the process.
However, Flint weren’t behind for long, and equalised in spectacular style on 17 minutes. Jones controlled a long ball played up to him, before laying it off to Ben Hughes, who strode to the edge of the box, before looking up and curling a delightful effort into the far corner of the goal.
Flint took the lead five minutes before the break with an opportunist strike. A long clearance from Harry Owen was played deep into the Barry half. Josh Yorwerth appeared to duck under the ball, presumably to let it run back to his keeper Liam Armstrong, but Elliott Reeves was on it in a flash and knocked it past Armstrong.
Jones then stung the hands of Armstrong with a shot, as Flint closed out the half strongly.
Flint controversially had a goal chalked off on the hour mark. Armstrong made a mess of a clearance, the ball going to Reeves near the right touchline, who instantly sent it back goalwards. Armstrong struggled to recover his ground, and tried to get past Jones, as the ball made its way into the net. The referee appeared to rule it out for offside against Jones, but he didn’t touch the ball, although his movement towards the ball was presumably the reason for the decision.
Ben Collins came to Flint’s rescue with a clearance at the far post when a dangerous cross was delivered into the box, reaching the ball just ahead of Michael George, and as he was facing his own goal, he had to direct the ball back across the goal, and just beyond the opposite post.
Reeves then went close with an 18 yarder that whizzed just the wrong side of the upright from a Flint point of view. The home side continued to press, and a clever free kick picked out Okera Simmonds, whose effort was kept out by Armstrong, diving down to his right and palming it away.
With just under 10 minutes remaining, Barry equalised through Kayne McLaggon. Again it was from a corner, and again, Flint’s marking was found wanting. A Wilmott corner picked out a conspicuously unmarked McLaggon 8 yards out, who accepted the invitation and headed home.
Jack Flint was called upon to deny Ollie Hulbert as Barry went in search of what hitherto had appeared to be an unlikely winner. As Hulbert stretched to meet a cross, Flint’s agility was able to deny him from close range.
A long Flint clearance set up the move which led to the penalty in the 89th minute. He picked out Simmonds, who rounded Ryan Kavanagh and headed into the box from wide on the right. Kavanagh came back at him, and made a clumsy challenge just as Simmonds had entered the box, bringing him down as he released the ball. Jones kept his nerve and drilled home the resulting spot kick.
Report by Nigel Sheen. Pictures by Geoff Quinn
Line Ups :
Flint Town United – J. Flint, I. Lee, B. Collins, I. Lambert, H. Owen (c), S. Fofana, J. Phillips, B. Hughes, E. Reeves (O. Simmonds 74), B. Wynne (G. Maire 87), J. Jones (C. Hart 90). Unused Subs – D. Szczepaniak, L. Mariette, K. Brick, L. Sumner
Barry Town United – L. Armstrong, M. George, R. Kavanagh, A. Lewis (E. Richards 60), B. Margetson (E. Williams 64), J. Yorwerth, R. Wilmott, O. Cuddihy (K. McLaggon 71), O. Hulbert, I. Owen, W. Richards. Unused Subs – L. Rees (GK), L. Starling, J. Benyon
Flint MOM – Ben Hughes (class performance topped with a class goal)
