CORWEN 1

CHIRK AAA 0

IT was a surprise that Joe Williams failed to get his name on the scoresheet in midweek!

Just a few days earlier, Williams bagged a magnificent seven goals in Corwen's thumping win over Saltney Town, but he failed to find the target in the A5 derby.

With the clocks going forward the previous Sunday, last week meant the start of midweek games for Corwen, who hosted Chirk AAA.

It was the visitors who were the first to find the back of the net, but this goal was disallowed for offside.

In the 25th minute, Scott Evans' corner found Ryan Billington, who had peeled away from his marker, but his effort was blocked.

Five minutes later and Sion Roberts launched a long throw into the Chirk box, where Ryan Billington had got free of his marker.

Billington used the space to get a bullet header at goal and the ball went through the legs of keeper Zac Bebbington and into the back of the net.

Chirk looked to respond after this and they played a free kick into the Corwen box, which was headed towards goal, however goalkeeper Nathan Aldridge stretched to successfully make the catch.

The hosts went close to finding a second goal before the interval.

Scott Evans curled a free kick around the wall and this forced Bebbington into making a save.

Ioz Jones was the first player to the rebound, but his shot hit the post.

After the break, Scott Evans was in the thick of the action once more.

He found the head of Harry Pooler from a corner, but the defender's effort went over the crossbar.

Joe Williams ran at the Chirk defence in search of a goal and while he did get beyond a defender, he could only send his shot over the bar.

Corwen continued to look the most likely to score and in the 67th minute, Kian Harrison was brought down by Jake Ellison, leading to a free kick being awarded in a promising position.

Scott Evans took the set piece, which he fired narrowly wide of the target.

A couple of minutes later and a quick ball forward was played to Joe Williams, who ran at Bebbignton.

The Chirk keeper did well to challenge the striker and win the ball.

With 73 minutes on the clock, Chirk hit their opponents with a quick move.

While this was cleared by the Corwen defence, the ball only went as far as Jordan Owen, who sent his shot over the bar.

Owen could have had another shot a couple of minutes later, but a great last ditch tackle from Elystan Hughes prevented him from getting one away.

With five minutes to play, Kian Harrison tried to play Joe Williams in with a looping ball, but Ellison just about got to it to prevent the attacker from getting one-on-one with Bebbington.

Matty Thomas went in search of a Chirk equaliser as he ran at the Corwen goal with the ball, but Nathan Aldridge came off his line and the striker sent his effort wide of the target.

With a couple of minutes to play a long ball wasn’t dealt with by the Corwen defence, allowing a Chirk player to shoot from distance, but his effort went wide.

Into stoppage time and with the light fading fast, there was a scramble in the Corwen box which could have seen the ball go anywhere, but Elystan Hughes was able to clear the ball to prevent a late equaliser.

The final whistle confirmed it was Corwen who would be dancing happily in the moonlight, with the three points that sending them up to third in the table.