Flint gave a good account of themselves in their second encounter with The New Saints in three games, but ultimately the full time professionals came out on top thanks to their more clinical finishing, and ability to punish mistakes.
For the opening twenty minutes the Silkmen took the game to the reigning league champions, and but for a bit more luck in front of goal or better composure should have taken the lead. From a corner after 10 minutes, Alec Mudimu rose highest to send his header goalwards, but it agonisingly struck the upright as Connor Roberts scrambled across his goal to try and reach the ball. George Maire was unable to provide a finish following a nice run into the box, and a Jake Phillips delivery from a free kick dropped right into the “corridor of uncertainty” but no-one in a Flint shirt could get the vital touch to the ball and it ran harmlessly away. In many ways it was to be the story of the evening in front of goal for the home side.
The visitors were offered a gift wrapped present on 22 minutes, and they took full advantage. In trying to play the ball out from the back, Flint were undone. when Jake Phillips received the ball on the edge of the box when under pressure from Sion Bradley, who robbed him and thumped it into the back of the net. It was a real deflating moment for the home side, given the start they had hitherto made, and it took them a little while to try and recover.
The New Saints pressed home their advantage and extended their lead on the half hour mark. Bradley doubled his tally, having been picked out on the right he cut inside before curling a fine effort into the corner. The former Caernarfon man was revelling in his new role, where he was allowed to roam freely just behind the forward line. He robbed Phillips once again on 34 minutes, before crossing to Dan Williams. Jack Flint came out bravely to meet him, and ended up taking the sting out of the shot, and Ben Hughes was on hand to clear the danger from just in front of the goal line.
The Silkmen rallied, and Josh Jones escaped down the right before crossing a dangerous ball. With Hughes and Florian Yonsian incoming, Roberts reached out and collected it in the nick of time. Jones then won the ball high up the field, and slipped in Yonsian, whose rising shot ricocheted off the bar, as their luck in front of goal continued to desert the home side.
With a couple of minutes of the first half remaining Dan Williams broke the defensive wall but Jack Flint made himself big and pulled off a good save to deny the Saints’ forward.
Flint was again the hero early in the second half, when a defence splitting pass sent in Bradley, but the home keeper smartly closed down the angle and saved his team once more.
The lead was extended further on 58 minutes, when from a free kick, a nice move from the Saints saw Ben Clark race onto Dan Williams’ through ball, and smartly slotted home, with Flint exposed in the Silkmen’s goal.
Jake Canavan then smashed a shot against the Flint bar, as Saints looked to turn the screw.
A somewhat harsh penalty decision allowed Bradley to complete his hat-trick from the spot on 68 minutes. Substitute Isaac Lee, making his full debut, was allowed to have fouled Bradley when he won back possession just inside the box on the far side of the area. Bradley’s spot kick was delivered into the roof of the net.
To their credit Flint weren’t finished, and carried on taking the game to their opponents. Phillips beat Roberts to a ball lofted over the top, and his touch looked to have sent the ball goalwards, only for Ash Baker to clear it off the line. Then Beaumont did well to stretch and get on the end of a cross, sending the ball back across the face of goal.
Finally, the Silkmen got the goal their effort deserved. Phillips collected the ball just outside the box on the left, before weaving past a defender into the area, and without hesitation rifled a diagonal shot into the net, prompting the biggest cheer of the night.
It was always going to be a big ask for Flint to go toe to toe with TNS, in terms of playing open, attacking football, but they stuck to their task throughout, and they competed right to the end, with their fitness levels being a match for the Saints, with Peagram in particular covering an astonishing amount of ground with his pace. Ultimately, the greater slickness and composure of the visitors made all the difference, but it must have been an enjoyable game for the neutral to witness, and Flint can take a lot of positives from it.
Report by Nigel Sheen. Photos by Geoff Quinn
Line Ups :
Flint Town United – J. Flint, B. Beaumont, I. Lambert, A. Mudimu (I. Lee 63), H. Owen (c), G. Maire (R. Oakley 60), J. Phillips (H. Cartwright 88), B. Hughes, F. Yonsian, H. Peagram, J. Jones. Unused Subs – L. Murphy (GK), L. Sumner, B. Hoban
The New Saints – C. Roberts, B. Woollam, N. Doforo, A. Baker (H. Clayton 79), B. Hudson (L. Smith 90), J. Canavan, J. Williams, D. Williams (O. Blayney 79), D. McManus (B. Clark 22), S. Bradley, A. Cieslewicz (c) (C. Afful 79). Unused Subs – J. Edwards (GK), B. Young
Flint MOM – Harley Peagram (great energy and determination)
