A ruthless first half performance against a toothless Llanelli side, saw the Silkmen run in four goals to effectively put the game to bed. The second half was a much more even contest, with the wounded home side seeking to restore some pride, and despite creating the better chances the hosts couldn’t find the net, and conceded a fifth goal from the penalty spot.
Flint got off to a dream start when they scored with their first attack after just 60 seconds. A good ball from the back by Harry Owen found Jake Phillips on the right wing, and he crossed where Darren Stephenson and Elliott Reeves were waiting at the near post, with Stephenson providing the finish.
Stephenson almost turned provider five minutes later, as he ran at the home defence before squaring the ball to Jake Canavan whose shot went narrowly wide of the upright.
The long throw tactic, which worked so well against Cardiff Met the week before, proved equally reliable here, and Flint doubled their lead from such a throw on 20 minutes, with Phillips providing the ammunition, as he hurled the ball into the box. As it bounced around, Reeves pounced to get the vital touch to put the ball beyond Mike Lewis in the Llanelli goal.
Another throw almost produced the same result on 40 minutes, but this time the home team had a let off, and the ball was scrambled off the line.
A few minutes later it was 3-0, with a 1-2 between Reeves and Stephenson on the right side resulting in Reeves taking possession and driving towards the edge of the box before unleashing a shot into the corner of the net.
A wayward back pass then almost let in Reeves for his hat-trick, but Lewis saved at the striker’s feet saving his defender’s blushes. However, in added on time at the end of the first half, the hat trick was indeed secured. And it was so simple in it’s execution. Owen provided the assist with a long ball pumped down the middle, Reeves showed great alertness to latch onto it, and slip it past Lewis into the net.
4-0 at the break and the game was effectively done and dusted. Consequently, some complacency and sloppiness crept into the Silkmen’s general play. This together with Llanelli’s determination to try and make some amends, meant that most of the second period was played in Flint’s half, as time and time again they struggled to find the fluency from earlier in the match and were unable to play the ball out effectively. Fortunately, when called upon, their custodian between the sticks, Jack Flint, was in fine form to thwart the Llanelli front line.
On 55 minutes, a through ball carved the away defence wide open and Rio Booth was clean through on goal, only for Flint to get down smartly to deny him.
In one of their rare forays into the final third in the second 45 minutes, the Silkmen were awarded a penalty, as substitute Kenny Imariagbe showed good skill to weave his way into the box before being bundled over. Josh Jones took the spot kick, only to see Lewis guess the right way and seemingly save the shot, only for the ball to somehow escape his grasp and trickle over the line.
Flint still had to be on his toes to preserve his side’s clean sheet in the closing stages, and produced good stops to deny first Joe Lloyd and then Danny Williams. From the corner following the second save, Flint initially punched the ball clear, only for it to be returned towards the far post, where Tristan Jenkins connected only to see his shot cannon off the post, with Llanelli unable to follow up the rebound as defenders desperately threw their bodies in the line of fire to get vital blocks on the ball, before Flint was able to claim the ball as it bounced in front of him.
In the dying stages, the Silkmen broke up the other end, and a good ball picked out Canavan, but as he came back inside on his weaker foot he could only scoop the ball up into the grateful arms of Lewis.
Not that it mattered, as an emphatic 5-0 scoreline meant Flint came out worthy winners. Another away trip beckons next Saturday, and once again it’s an early kick off, as the Silkmen travel to Penybont, in what will surely be a much tougher test for them.
Report by Nigel Sheen
Line Ups :
Llanelli Town – M. Lewis, M. Evans, J. Parry, S. Cronin, N. Sanca (J. Lester 78), J. Hopkins (c), J. Lloyd, T. Wharton (J. Norris 78), E. Cann (T. Jenkins 69), A. Bonthron (D. Williams 69), R. Booth (B. Gibbings 78). Unused Subs – A. Pennock (GK), H. Bright
Flint Town United – J. Flint, A. Mudimu (M. Burke 60), I. Lee, S. Fofana, H. Owen (c), J. Thorn (J. Jones 34), J. Phillips (D. Davies 70), B. Hughes, E. Reeves (K. Imariagbe 70), J. Canavan, D. Stephenson (C. Ferguson 70). Unused Sub – D. Sczcepaniak (GK)
Flint MOM – Elliott Reeves (first half hat-trick, need we say more ?)
