Flint extended their recent excellent home form to make it five wins on the bounce, as they eased to a comfortable win over Aberystwyth. Indeed, they probably should have added more goals to their tally, when on a bitterly cold night, they certainly warmed to their task of claiming another important three points.
The Silkmen set about their opponents from the off, sensing a nervousness in the visitors defence, something exemplified by their goalkeeper, Seb Osment continually kicking the ball out of play from his clearances and goal kicks. However, Flint were a little too eager in the final third, and had a tendency to rush their final pass, meaning they were unable to take advantage of any potential frailties in the away defence. What chances they did create, resulted in their efforts being directed straight at Osment.
For example, on 20 minutes, a Ben Wynne long throw found Isaac Lee, but his close range header was directed at Osment, who showed good reactions to keep it out. Lee was again at the centre of the action just after the half hour mark, when he collected the ball out wide, before coming infield and unleashing a 25 yarder that Osment got down to hold.
Ben Collins, the loanee from Salford, who was making his first start for Flint, was gradually finding his feet for the Silkmen and supplied a cross on 35 minutes onto the head of Josh Jones, who from around 6 yards out just didn’t connect properly, and was unable to direct it on goal from a good position.
Then just before the interval, Ben Hughes, who had been impressing in midfield both offensively and defensively, received the ball with his back to goal, cleverly spun his marker and fired straight at Osment.
Aber had been quite passive in the first half, their cause not helped by a couple of early injuries, and their only real opportunity coming from a Rico Patterson free kick just outside the box, which he sent just over the crossbar.
Seven minutes into the second period, and Flint got the breakthrough their play deserved. A defensive clearance went straight to the feet of Jones, and he supplied a perfectly weighted ball into Elliott Reeves, who displayed the composure in front of goal that the home side had hitherto been lacking, to place the ball beyond Osment.
Flint were now starting to express themselves, and were finding gaps in the Aber defence, and were denied what looked like a clear penalty when Harry Owen was tugged back as he tried to connect with a cross. In the aftermath of that incident, with the ball still in the Aber box, another reckless challenge could easily have yielded another spot kick, but on each occasion the away side rode their luck and got away with it.
A fortunate turnover possession for Aber, when the ball struck one of their players in the face, gave them a chance as they broke, and the ball was slipped into the path of their skipper Jack Thorn who hit a sweet shot from 22 yards out, that was heading for the top corner, until Jack Flint leapt across his goal to turn it around the post.
That highlighted the need for a second goal for the Silkmen to take the game beyond the reach of their opponents. And it duly arrived on 77 minutes. Mikey Burke set up the move by making a terrific tackle to dispossess Niall Flint. The ball was moved quickly upfield and into Jones, who saw Jake Phillips in space on his right. He slotted the ball into Phillips’ path, and he advanced into the area before crashing a shot into the roof of the net.
There is now a one week break in league action before hostilities resume against Briton Ferry on 22nd February, in another home game at the Essity Stadium.
Report by Nigel Sheen. Photos by Geoff Quinn
Line Ups :
Flint Town United – J. Flint, I. Lee, B. Collins, I. Lambert (M. Burke 62), H. Owen (c), S. Fofana (O. Simmonds 46), J. Phillips, B. Hughes, E. Reeves, B. Wynne (C. Hart 80), J. Jones. Unused Subs – L. Murphy (GK), H. Peagram, G. Maire, L. Morrison
Aberystwyth Town – S. Osment, L. Walsh, B. Davies, L. Bradford, C. Huxley (G. Dafis 76), J. Thorn (c), J. Evans, I. Lewis (A. Sharif 19), N. Flint, R. Patterson, Z. Hartley (C. Cline 17 (A. Darlington 76)). Unused Subs – T. Mason, S. Davies
Flint MOM – Josh Jones (two quality assists the icing on the cake of an all round excellent display)
