The Silkmen continued their fine end of season run, recording a ninth consecutive victory, a run which has seen them score 36 and concede just 9. However, they were pushed all the way by a determined Denbigh side, and this was probably the toughest of those series of games, but Flint just about got over the line.
The visitors started brightly, and exploited some gaps in the home side’s defence early doors. On 3 minutes, Ben Hughes slipped in Elliott Reeves, down the left inside channel, but the striker stumbled as he took possession. He recovered to get in a position to get his shot away, but that stumble gave Denbigh keeper Aaron Jones precious time to come out and spread himself, and he denied Reeves with a good block.
Then, on 10 minutes, Joe Williams played a lovely ball from the right, picking out Reeves in space, who from 6 yards out shot over the bar, wasting the chance.
Following that couple of scares, Denbigh regained their composure, and started to attack themselves. A slick move saw a ball cut through the Flint backline to find Josh Lock who was through on goal, but Rhys Williams proved an effective barrier by pulling off a good save.
Shortly after, a long ball picked out Nathan Brown, and although Williams was successfully able to parry away the shot, the ball fell to Paul Fleming, who was unable to sort his feet out, and fluffed the chance.
Denbigh’s defence also tightened up, following their early let offs, and Flint were finding it increasingly difficult to penetrate it. Ben Lockley, in particular, was impressive in shutting the door on the Flint attack and also in instigating attacking moves for his side.
Just after the half hour mark, Josh Jones hit a snapshot from distance, but Jones was able to tip it over. Denbigh responded when William Holmes put over a cross from the left onto the head of Owen Davies, but he headed over from a good position.
Flint managed to break the deadlock in the 45th minute. Jay Owen sent in a free kick that sailed over the back line, and Reeves met it with a back header that sent the ball over Jones and into the net. A perfect time to score, just before the interval.
Reeves almost doubled his tally in the opening minute of the second half, but his first time shot was helped over the bar by Jones.
He then got on the end of a through ball on, and tried to round Jones, but the keeper pulled off a good save. It was beginning to become a personal duel between the Flint forward and the Denbigh custodian, with another chance presenting itself when Reeves beat the offside trap, only for Jones to get down and take the sting out of the shot, with a defender just getting to the loose ball ahead of Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro.
Denbigh squandered a couple of good chances to equalise as the game was becoming end to end stuff. First, from a swift counter, a ball from the left picked out Fleming who was unmarked, but dragged his shot wide. Then, they had another golden opportunity when Davies raced clear and found himself face to face with Williams, but the Flint keeper stood up well and thwarted the Denbigh forward.
Flint desperately needed the second goal, and they grabbed it on 65 minutes. Jay Owen picked the ball up, after his free kick was partially cleared, and found Lewis Sirrell who made inroads through the heart of the Denbigh defence. The ball broke from a defender into the path of Sol Forde, who kept up his fine scoring run of late, by applying a smart finish.
To their credit Denbigh refused to lie down, and pulled one back on 75 minutes. An attack instigated by Brown down the left was initially repelled at the near post, but the ball was played back to the supporting Holmes who sent in a low curling ball towards the far post, and with Lock putting Danny Harrison under pressure, he could only turn the ball into his own net.
Denbigh piled on the pressure in the remaining minutes, but the Flint defence held firm, and were able to see out the remainder of the game to claim another 3 points and finish the season on 78 points with a mighty goal difference of +64. A great achievement from Lee Fowler and his players.
Report by Nigel Sheen
Line Ups :
Denbigh Town – A. Jones, B. Lockley, W. Holmes, D. Parry-Jones, J. Lock, K. Roberts, D. Gibbins (O. Hansen 78), S. Jones (M. Cooke 68), O. Davies, P. Fleming ©, N. Brown. Unused Subs – R. Lloyd, O. Herbert, K. Cooper
Flint Town United – R. Williams, J. Phillips, S. Forde, J. Williams, L. Sirrell, D. Harrison, L. Lacey, J. Owen ©, E. Reeves, B. Hughes, J. Jones (J-L Akpa-Akpro 46). Unused Subs – L. Murphy, M. Roberts, M. Burke, G. Maire
Flint MOM – Joe Williams (a solid and dependable performance)
