BIG-MATCH ANALYSIS: Flint Town United 4-0 CPDM Bangor

MATCH ANALYSIS: FLINT TOWN UNITED 4-0 CPDM BANGOR

Dave Jones reports

Save the Best for Last is a hit pop song made famous by Vanessa Williams.

Today, it became Flint Town United player Beth Roberts‘ very own theme tune.

The Genero Adran North clash at the Essity between Flint and CPDM Bangor was very nearly over and the home side were 3-0 up – a scoreline which looked quite unlikely just a handful of minutes before.

Suddenly the ground lit up with a moment of true magic; a goal the likes of Mo Salah or Dennis Bargkamp would be proud to call their own.

The 17-year-old striker Roberts had been Player of the Match by some distance, producing a phenomenal work-rate which tested the Bangor back-line all afternoon.

All her performance lacked was a goal. When it came, it was pretty much out of this world.

Roberts had the ball on the left, back to goal, shadowed by two defenders. Many people would probably have expected her to keep possession and work her way towards the corner flag.

Suddenly, the teenager came up with a lightning turn which made Johan Cruyff look like a statue. Within half a second, she had left the defenders standing then lashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner to make it 4-0.

She was mobbed by her amazed team-mates and a sound broke out around the Essity mixing emotion, disbelief and elation.

Seconds later, the whistle blew.

Beth scored a modern-times North Wales women’s record 53 goals for Henllan last season. Club media man Cled Pierce said she bagged quite a few stunners throughout 2024-25, but I seriously wonder if any were as good as this.

As for the match itself, it was quite a mysterious affair in many ways.

Only a fantastic individual goal from Ruby Hastings separated the sides when play headed into the 89th minute.

Bangor had more than held their own in the first half, hitting the bar and missing a couple of good opportunities, and were pushing hard for the equaliser for much of the second half.

After 88 minutes, if anyone had asked me to predict who would score the next goal, I’d have gone for Bangor. And had they ended up with a draw, I’d have felt it was deserved.

But then the free kick genius of Becca Eagles set up Zoe Stopford for the type of finish she has produced so regularly since joining the Silkwomen.

Shannon Hobbs would have been hungry for her first Flint goal and she took her chance well – then came Beth’s unbelievable effort.

The final score of 4-0 did not tell the full story. Bangor were not thrashed, they just capitulated late.

The visitors had some great players out there – Mia Roberts, Menna Evans and Holly Owen Roberts stood out, the latter going close to an equaliser with an audacious long-range effort.

Apart from conceding the first half goal, which arrived seconds after they nearly scored themselves, the Citizens had been good defensively too. Emily Ridges was excellent, while Ella Jones posed a threat down the left.

As for Flint, they had key players missing, meaning regular midfield general and captain Ruby McGilloway was placed at the back. She did a great job alongside the hard-working Shona Roberts.

As the game wore on, Becca Eagles really stood out, winning a lot of ball, getting in vital clearances and being decisive when needed most.

But Beth Roberts was absolutely everywhere. I don’t think I have seen an individual performance as good as that in a long time.

And it was more than fitting that she wrote the final chapter of the story with a goal from the gods.

FLINT TOWN UNITED

Becky Bott, Chloe Hughes, Shona Roberts, Daisy Hughes, Beth Roberts, Ruby McGilloway (c), Zoe Stopford, Ruby Hastings, Rosie Hughes, Becca Eagles, Isabella Devereux.
SUBS USED: Sakia Wynne-Thomas, Shannon Hobbs

CPDM BANGOR

Catrin Roberts, Ffion Bee (c), Emma Roberts, Seren Macdonald, Menna Evans, Mia Roberts, Elin Roberts, Holly Owen-Roberts, Emily Ridges, Ella Jones, Ffion Thomas.
SUBS USED: Carol Lewis, Cerys Parry, Ella Pickstock, Georgia Owen-Lewis.

GRASSROOTS NORTH WALES PLAYERS OF THE MATCH

Flint Town United – Beth Roberts
CPDM Bangor – Mia Roberts