Flint got off to the best possible start in phase 2 by inflicting a first defeat on their old rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads since 2011, and gaining a small revenge, and satisfaction for their supporters, for their humiliating Boxing Day defeat just a few short weeks ago.
Although they got off to a subdued start, with Nomads dominating the first 20 minutes, the Silkmen fully deserved the win, growing into the game, and opening up their opponents with some slick passing moves.
On the quarter of an hour mark, Rhys Hughes was given a sight of goal for the visitors, as he came infield from the left wing, twisting and turning, to open up some space, before letting fly, but Jack Flint dived down to his left to palm the ball around the post.
Hughes was the instigator five minutes later, supplying a cross from the left, that caused chaos in the Flint box. Max Woodcock’s attempted volley fell kindly into the path of Declan Poole, who looked certain to score, but Jack Flint denied him with his legs.
Following that let off, Flint began to relax, and started playing some decent football. They also began to close down the Nomads effectively, with the front three all putting a shift in, to harass their opponents and not let them build up their attacks from the back.
The home side took the lead on 35 minutes, after Okera Simmonds had won a free kick on the right, just outside the area, Jake Phillips delivered a killer ball, and Elliott Reeves made a good movement to get a telling flick on the ball, that sent it into the 6 yard box, where Izaack Lambert was waiting to smash it home.
Flint were now looking quite comfortable, especially when in possession, and were able to see the game out with ease to the interval. The expected onslaught by the Nomads at the start of the second period never really materialised, but credit must go to the Flint players, for sticking to their task, and denying their opposite numbers time and space on the ball. Instead, as the half wore on, it was the home side that looked the much more threatening side, and they created several good chances, but were unable to take any of them, which gave some cause for concern.
First, Reeves, who was proving a constant thorn in the Nomads’ rearguard sent a swerving shot just wide of the upright, before setting up Luke Mariette with a golden opportunity on 58 minutes. He cleverly slipped the ball into Mariette’s path, and he found himself one on one with George Ratcliffe 12 yards out. As he tried to slip the ball past the keeper, Ratcliffe stuck out a glove to deflect it wide of the target.
From the resulting corner, the ball was initially cleared, but only back into the path of corner taker Phillips, who sent in a cross which Mariette met with what looked like a perfect header, only for it to strike the post and bounce back out.
Flint were now able to sit back, and successfully turn over the Nomads attack, before breaking themselves in devastating fashion.
Reeves led one such charge, only to find himself denied by Ratcliffe, who raced out to close down the angle.
But, on 75 minutes, another attack was to prove more successful. Phillips played the ball up to Josh Jones, who, at the second time of asking found Mariette, who calmly paused, thereby wrongfooting Kai Edwards, who was racing back to block the expected shot, before deceiving Ratcliffe, by shooting back across him into the corner of the goal, as the keeper looked to protect the other side of his net.
Nomads substitute Dan Roberts gave them some hope in the 90th minute, when he finished with a nice cushioned volley from a Hughes free kick delivered from the left, as the Flint defence momentarily switched off and were punished.
From the restart, Flint attacked and Jones tried a cute lob over Ratcliffe, but the ball bounced agonisingly just the wrong side of the post.
The away team were then given an opportunity deep in stoppage time to try and salvage a point, when they were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the box, following a slightly bizarre incident when Flint, having initially collected the ball and gone to ground, briefly let go of it, before picking it back up. With the Silkmen supporters’ hearts in their mouths, John Disney tapped the ball to Hughes, and his shot flew wide of the upright, to the relief of the the home crowd.
We now travel to Barry next weekend, for what on paper looks to be another tough game, but we can go into with some momentum having taken an important three points from this encounter.
Report by Nigel Sheen. Photos by Geoff Quinn.
Line Ups :
Flint Town United – J. Flint, I. Lee, M. Burke, I. Lambert, H. Owen (c), S. Fofana, J. Phillips, B. Hughes, E. Reeves, O. Simmonds (L. Mariette 42), J. Jones. Unused Subs – L. Murphy, B. Wynne, L. Morrison, G. Maire, L. Sumner
Connah’s Quay Nomads – G. Ratcliffe, J. Disney (c), C. Marriott, D. Poole (D. Roberts 78), B. Nash, K. Edwards, N. Edwards, A. Williams (K. Owens 60) M. Woodcock (T. Berry 84), R. Hughes, C. Bratley. Unused Subs – J. Rushton (GK), J. Pownall, M. Kedman, J. Tang
Flint MOM – Elliott Reeves (tremendous work rate as he was the first line of defence for his team, and also a handful for the opposition defenders going forward)
