Cymru Premier report: Skipper scores hat-trick of headers as Flint make it six home wins in row

JD CYMRU PREMIER LEAGUE – FEBRUARY 22

Flint Town United 3 (H Owen 9, 37 & 83)
Briton Ferry Llansawel 1 (Bowen pen 60)

Not many players will have scored a hat-trick of headers in a Cymru Premier match but Flint captain Harry Owen achieved exactly that on Saturday.

The defender’s rare treble secured the Silkmen their SIXTH straight home win which put them five points clear of next-to-bottom Newtown, who they visit next weekend.

Flint manager Lee Fowler said after the game: “We needed the three points with Newtown having beaten Aber before us.

“We deserved the win, but were a little bit edgy at times. It could have been dead and buried in the first half, the chances we created and missed. We can’t afford to do that against Newtown next week.”

Llansawel keeper Will Fuller produced a great double save to deny Josh Jones and Ben Collins before the hosts took a ninth-minute lead.

Ben Wynne launched a long throw into the box and Owen flicked home a smart header.

The home side were fortunate when Michael Burke diverted a low Rio Dyer cross against his own post.

A tremendous cross from Wynne via the left was begging to be headed into the net, but Jones could only nod straight at Fuller.

Corey Hurford broke brilliantly down the left and into the box for the visitors, but his final shot was weak and easily gathered by keeper Jack Flint.

Flint were doing most of the pressing, though, Ben Hughes letting fly from 25 yards but Fuller saving well before a Jake Phillips delivery left Jones free in the box, but he struck the outside of the post.

Finally, the second home goal arrived after 37 minutes. Burke’s 40-yarder was palmed behind for a corner which Phillips took and Owen rose majestically to head in.

At the start of the second half, it should have been three when Jones was clean through, but Fuller parried his effort and Hughes blasted the rebound over the bar.

A relieved Llansawel pushed to get a goal back and Luke Bowen should have done better when his miss-hit effort hit the post and Thomas Walters lashed the rebound over.

An away goal was looking likely and it came when Bowen converted a penalty, awarded on the hour for a foul by Isaac Lee on the tricky Hurford.

It could have been 2-2, but Flint produced a magnificent tip over from a Tyler Brock bullet the keeper could only have seen at the last second.

The Silkmen needed a third and it eventually came on 83, another booming throw into the box from Wynne being back-headed home by Owen for his treble.

Ferry kept pressing and it needed a great late stop from Flint to deny Caleb Demery a consolation.

And that was that – well done Brummie the cat!