Darren wears the halo for Flint on Saint David’s Day
JD CYMRU PREMIER LEAGUE – SUNDAY, MARCH 1
Haverfordwest County 1 (Ahmun pen 46)
Flint Town United 3 (B Hughes 18, Stephenson 80 & 82)
Wow what a win for Flint!
The perfect result to boost the Silkmen ahead of this weekend’s JD Welsh Cup semi-final against CPD Dinas Bangor City 1876.
And definitely one of the best results Lee Fowler’s side has achieved since returning to the Cymru Premier last season.
Sunday’s trip to Haverfordwest was quite a daunting prospect given the home side are top of the Play-Off Conference and had won four matches on the bounce.
However, the Essity Stadium crew were on a good run themselves, five unbeaten with three wins and a pair of draws in all competitions.
On St David’s Day it was a Darren who proved the star turn for the visitors at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium.
Darren Stephenson continued his fine form with a late double which clinched victory for the Silkmen and made it five goals in his last six outings for the much-travelled Jamaica-born forward, whose many former clubs include League Two Bradford City, Stockport County, Tranmere Rovers and Chester.
Flint opened the scoring in the 18th minute as Ben Hughes’ header in the midst of a scramble inside the area deflected off Ifan Knott and looped into the net, giving the midfielder his first league goal of the season.
Haverfordwest were awarded a penalty just one minute into the second half when Harry Owen handled Rhys Abbruzzese’s cross.
Ben Ahmun stepped up from the spot and found the net via the underside of the crossbar, notching in his 11th league goal of the campaign.
Stephenson, who will be 34 on Friday (March 6), restored Flint’s lead on 80 minutes by controlling Mikey Burke’s cross and firing into the bottom corner, before quickly doubling his tally with 82 gone to give the Silkmen comfort as he smartly flicked the ball home from Osebi Abadaki’s initial strike.
Flint captain Owen was shown a straight red card in the 86th minute for denying Corey Shephard a goalscoring opportunity, but the visitors held on to claim a vital three points.