JD Cymru North – good wins for Flint, Holywell, Ruthin and Mold Alex

JD CYMRU NORTH REPORTS – JANUARY 6

Buckley Town 0-3 Flint Town United

Report: Nigel Sheen

Still unbeaten this season in the league after 16 matches and scoring goals for fun, Flint Town United look every inch like potential champions.

Second in the Cymru North and just a point behind Airbus with three games in hand, the Sllkmen were comfortable victors over Buckley Town at Deeside Stadium on Saturday.

On a difficult, heavy pitch, visiting manager Lee Fowler got his game plan spot on, and boosted by a couple of well-taken early goals, his side always looked in command as they clocked up their 10th successive league win.

When they went 2-0 up, Flint also became the first team to reach 50 Cymru North goals this term.

The opening goal came after seven minutes, when a long ball down the centre was met by Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro with the faintest of flicks to nod it on into the path of Josh Jones.

Jones accelerated away, and kept up his good form in front of goal by thumping the ball into the top corner of the net, giving Buckley keeper Ryan Goldston no chance.

On 16 minutes the lead was doubled when another long ball picked out an unmarked Elliott Reeves, wide on the right.

He made the most of the space afforded to him by controlling it, then setting his sights and thrashing the ball past Goldston.

It was Reeves’ 15th league goal of the campaign, putting him second in the CN chart behind Corrig McGonigle of Bangor 1876 (17).

Debutant Lewis Sirrell almost capped his first appearance for the Silkmen with an excellent goal when, from a corner, as the ball came out to him near the edge of the 18 yard box, he attempted an audacious overhead kick, only to see his effort cleared off the line for another corner.

And from that delivery, man of the match Anthony Stephens sent in a screamer that was just about blocked, setting up a mad goalmouth scramble that somehow saw the Buckley goal survive intact.

Half-time: Buckley 0-2 Flint

Ten minutes into the second half, the Silkmen effectively killed the game with their third goal. Reeves was initially fouled out on the right hand side, but retained possession, and the referee played a good advantage allowing the Flint forward to advance into the area.

He looked up and supplied a perfect cross to find his fellow strike partner Josh Jones, who was perfectly placed to sweep the ball home for his 14th league goal of 2023-24.

That’s 29 between Reeves and Jones – impressive partnership.

As the game wore on, it was difficult to play constructive football on a deteriorating pitch which was cutting up quite badly, but Flint were resilient at the back with Stephens, in particular, relishing the conditions and the challenges they posed.

Chirk AAA 0-2 Holywell Town

Jamie Breese marked his Holywell debut in style with both goals in a hard-fought victory at Chirk.

Both new signings, Breese and Mike Pearson, appeared in the Wellmen line-up as Johnny Haseldin’s men targeted three points in their first outing of 2024.

Julian Williams and Jake Cooke were both denied for the visitors before Chirk’s first chance saw Rhys Edwards through on goal and it took a great save from Shaun Pearson to thwart his attempt.

The home side were reduced to 10 men with 36 minutes played when Adam Williams saw red for a bad challenge on Cooke.

Half-time: 0-0

The Wellmen knew they had to turn possession into goals in the second half and started brightly with Danny Sullivan, Gareth Evans and Tom Bibby all going close.

Town changed things with Zebb Edwards and Ryan Edwards coming on for Evans and Myles Hart.

However, time was running out before the visitors took a 75th minute lead..

Williams’ cross picked out Breese, whose header found the top corner.

A couple of minutes later Williams’ effort came back off the post and Breese was there to tap the ball into an empty net.

Llandudno 1-2 Mold Alexandra

Substitute Joe Ormrod plundered a 94th minute winner to ensure Mold left the OPS Wind Arena with maximum points.

A close-fought first half with little between the sides ended 0-0, Danny Holland for the home side seeing his well-hit effort tipped over the bar by keeper Alex Swindell.

Ten minutes into the second half, Alex took the lead through their prolific marksman Danny Warren.

Before the hour it was all-square again, Harvey Bennett knocking in the equaliser.

Young keeper Tom Guinn produced a superb stop to keep it at 1-1 and it looked like a draw would be the outcome until Ormrod – a 77th minute replacement for Warren – struck in the dying moments.

Nonetheless, a positive reaction from Llandudno to the two recent 5-1 losses to Flint with new signing Cameron Barry making a promising debut and the other youngsters in the side also impressing.

Llanidloes Town 1-1 Prestatyn Town

One goal each and a player apiece sent off – all-in-all just about the right result at Victoria Park.

Late in the first half, Adam Worton edged Llanidloes in front before the home side’s Ryan Biggs was red-carded soon after.

It became 10 men each side on 63 minutes when Charles McMahon was shown a second yellow for the visitors.

Nonetheless, Prestatyn kept battling and Michael Burke snatched their equaliser on 70 minutes.

Porthmadog 2-3 Ruthin Town

Soulayman El Amri was the hero for Ruthin as his hat-trick earned a hard-won three points at Y Traeth.

After only six minutes, the visitors won a free kick which saw the ball worked to El Amri, who blasted an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

El Amri doubled his account on 14 minutes thanks to some questionable defending all round from the hosts.

Port fought tooth and nail for the remainder of the half to try and gain a foothold in the match and this they achieved on 20 minutes courtesy of a great left-footed strike into the top corner by Danny Brookwell.

Half-time: 1-2.

Port played very well at the start of the second half and might well have equalised if it were not for that somewhat wayward final pass into the box.

No further score until the 77th minute when Ruthin, rather against the run of play, increased their lead when a mis-placed pass by keeper Alex Ward-Jones was efficiently re-cycled by the Ruthin front men and El Amri brought up his treble with a calm finish.

In the 84th minute Port pulled one back through a Nathan Williams header, but the hosts were unable to force an equaliser.