DENBIGH TOWN 1

FLINT TOWN UNITED 3

A PAIR of late goals halted Denbigh Town's hopes of gathering a first Huws Gray Alliance point of the season over the weekend.

The Central Park side looked to be on course for a point when their home clash with Flint Town United was level at 1-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

However, Flint bagged two goals during the latter stages to claim victory.

On a more positive note for the home side, a number of promising youngsters were given the chance to show off their skills.

With Ross Weaver injured and Mark Roberts and Bailey Jackson suspended, young 17-year-old Sion Jones made his first team debut, while brothers Sam and Tom Jones both started.

Denbigh played with a strong wind behind them in the first half and they enjoyed some early pressure on the Flint goal.

They forced four corners in quick succession, but all of them were comfortably dealt with by the Flint defence and the towering keeper Josh Hart.

The Silkmen managed to break from one of the corners and when Kyle Smith was through on goal, Lewis Sirrell was in the right place to make a timely interception.

Sam Jones won a fifth corner for Town and Tom Jones floated in a deep cross for Curtis Langton’s goalbound header to be cleared.

Despite this confident Denbigh start, it was Flint who were celebrating a breakthrough in the 16th minute.

From a free kick on the edge of the Denbigh box, Mark Cadwallader curled his shot around the wall and into the net, leaving keeper Craig Vernon with no chance,

With Flint remaining on the front foot, Vernon made a great save minutes later and from the rebound, he punched the ball away.

In the scramble that followed, the ball fell to Luke Blondell and his shot went wide of the goal.

Following this spell, Denbigh looked to get back into the contest and Sam Tate had a shot of his saved after good work from Sam Jones and Lewis Sirrell.

Meanwhile, Flint had another chance to extend their lead when Kyle Smith broke through, but a strong tackle by Tony Davies halted him in his tracks.

Denbigh had a great chance to equalise on 41 minutes when Sam Jones sprinted into the box.

Keeper Hart tackled him and the ball fell to Sam Downey 25 yards out, with his shot being brilliantly blocked by the head of a defender.

Minutes later the hard working Jake Walker linked with Jones and his well-struck shot forced a save from Hart.

After some half-time tactical changes, Denbigh had more possession in the opening stages of the second half.

Despite this, Craig Vernon was called on again to make a double save to keep his side in the game on 51 minutes.

At the other end, young Sion Jones had settled into the game well and he linked well with Tom Jones and Sam Tate to send a dangerous low cross into the box, which Flint cleared for a corner.

Denbigh were more settled in the second half, but they struggled to make a breakthrough.

Rhys Llwyd came on for Jake Walker as Town looked for a different line of attack.

Still Flint were having chances and Tony Davies was called on to make another superb tackle to thwart an attack.

Visiting player Mark Williams had a great chance from eight yards out, only for his shot to fly just over the Town bar.

Denbigh’s hard work paid off when they made it one-apiece in the 74th minute.

Good work from Sam Downey and Sion Jones set up Rhys Llwyd and while his initial strike was saved, he scored from the rebound.

Denbigh now pushed forward for a winner, however they allowed spaces to appear in their defence.

On 81 minutes, Kyle Smith latched onto a ball and beat the stretched defence to fire past Vernon and make it 2-1.

Five minutes later and Flint put the game to bed.

From a similar break, substitute Aron Jones fired beyond the home number one.