Flint negotiated a very tricky away tie at Penybont to come through after a penalty shoot out against the hosts and claim a spot in the quarter finals of this season’s JD Welsh Cup. Missing Elliott Reeves, Ben Wynne and Ben Hughes through injury and illness, the omens didn’t look good for the Silkmen, especially after a road closure meant their coach was diverted and they arrived barely an hour before kick off, which was pushed back by 15 minutes. Then, regular keeper Jack Flint suffered an injury during the warm up and had to be replaced by Dawid Szczepaniak, who, as it turned out, would make a vital contribution in the shoot out.
But after 7 minutes the tide seemed to turn in favour of the away side, when Chris Venables was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Harry Owen, that the referee deemed to be reckless and dangerous. To be fair to the official, he had a great view of the incident, and showed no hesitation in producing the card.
After that early controversy, the rest of the game was a turgid and dull affair, with Flint being unable to make their extra man count, as they took far too long in their build up, only to eventually overhit the final ball, or misplace it direct to the opposition. For their part, Penybont looked to stifle Flint whenever they got anywhere near the final third, and largely succeeded, although on many occasions, the Silkmen were also their own worst enemies, in terms of their lethargic approach and wayward passing. It was only when Jake Canavan got onto the ball, did it look like something might happen for Flint, as he at least sought to inject some urgency into proceedings.
In the immediate aftermath of the sending off, Penybont did their best to try and even things up, with some of their players making the most of any physical challenges, trying to influence the referee into maybe producing a second red card. But it was to no avail, and the game eventually settled down, into a pattern which saw Flint have lots of possession, but continually running up blind alleys.
When the home side did mount an attack of their own, they looked the more dangerous of the two sides, in terms of creating a goal scoring opportunity. About the best of which in the first half came from a Nathan Wood delivery wide on the right that found the head of James Crole, whose effort was pushed across the face of his goal by Szczepaniak and out for a corner.
The second half followed much the same pattern of the first, although Penybont enjoyed a bit more territory in the Flint half, and were looking to seize on any mistakes their opponents might make in possession. Bont substitute Alexander Cvetkovic had a sight of goal from about 18 yards out on 71 minutes, but his shot was comfortably fielded by Szcepaniak.
Finally, after 73 minutes, Flint created their own opening, following a move in which they belatedly moved the ball around at pace. It ended with Jake Phillips firing in a low cross that Josh Jones connected with in a central position, but his effort cleared the bar, without Penybont stopper Daniel Higgs having to make a save.
Fortunately we were spared the harrowing spectacle of another 30 minutes of this stupefying football, as the tie went straight to penalties after the regulation 90 minutes had concluded.
Penybont took the first kick, and Kane Owen duly netted. Josh Jones replied in kind for Flint, before Wood stepped up for the hosts and saw his kick smartly saved by Szczepaniak, to hand the advantage to the Silkmen. Jack Thorn scored to keep the pressure on Bont, for whom Crole then scored, but Darren Stephenson netted to make it 3-2 to the Silkmen after three penalties apiece. Clayton Green brought the scores back to parity, before Canavan stepped up for Flint’s fourth. It was perhaps somewhat ironic, that Flint’s best player in normal time, saw his penalty saved as Higgs guessed the right way. With one penalty each remaining, before it went to sudden death, Bont skipper Mael Davies took responsibility and crashed his shot over the bar. It was now down to Jake Phillips, to see if he could hold his nerve and steer his side into the last 8 of the competition. This he did in emphatic style, causing delirium in the Flint ranks and in their small band of supporters who had made the long trip down to south Wales, with an impromptu version of “The Yard” ringing out around the ground.
Report by Nigel Sheen
Line Ups :
Penybont – D. Higgs, K. Ludvigsen (K. Owen 90), J. Clay, B. Borge, C. Green, M. Davies, N. Wood, O. Pritchard (I. Phillips), C. Venables, J. Crole, N. Daley (A. Cvetkovic 57). Unused Subs – T. Price (GK), J. Woodiwiss, J. Jones, M. Little
Flint Town United – D. Szczepaniak, B. Woollam, M. Burke, S. Fofana (Cam. Ferguson 87), H. Owen, J. Thorn, J. Phillips, I. Lee, D. Stephenson, J. Canavan, J. Jones. Unused Subs – D. Davies, Cal. Ferguson, L. Bevan, A. Lear, L. Morrison
Penalty Shootout :
Penybont – K. Owen (scored), N. Wood (saved), J. Crole (scored), C. Green (scored), M. Davis (missed)
Flint Town United – J. Jones (scored), J. Thorn (scored), D. Stephenson (scored), J. Canavan (saved), J. Phillips (scored)
Flint MOM – Jake Canavan (was the Silkmen’s most creative player as they tried to find a way through the Penybont rearguard)
