North East Wales League Match of the Day: Saltney Town v Acton (Division 1)

NORTH EAST WALES LEAGUE DIVISION 1

Saltney Town 4 (Jay Wiles 18, Keiye Williams 32, 53, 57)
Acton 2 (Alix Godfrey 40, 42)

REPORT AND PHOTOS: SHAUN BEST

Good things came in threes at the Dragon Steel Stadium, as a Keiye Williams hat-trick gave Saltney Town their first league points of the season.

Teammate Daniel Clewley bagged a treble of his own, teeing up all three of Williams’ goals in a 4-2 victory over Acton.

The Bordermen took the lead with their first real effort on goal. Williams beat the offside trap and presented teammate Jay Wiles with a simple tap in. Clewley then gave an early glimpse of his dead ball ability when his in swinging corner was swatted out of the top corner by Acton goalkeeper Luke Hughes.

Saltney doubled their advantage following a clever set-piece routine. Acton expected Sean Williams to shoot from 25 yards, but he caught the visiting defence flat footed when he passed the ball through the wall for Clewley to run onto and pick out Keiye Williams for an easy finish.

Acton rolled their sleeves up and quickly found a way back into the game. Alix Godfrey halved the deficit when he was sent clear and poked the ball under goalkeeper Tyler Farrell. A coming together left Godfrey limping in the aftermath, but he shook it off and netted an equaliser two minutes later.

Similar to his first goal, Godfrey timed his run to perfection and was given the freedom of the pitch to coolly loft the ball over Farrell and into the net.

Seconds after the restart, the visiting defence crucially hooked the ball away when Hughes fumbled a cross with Keiye Williams ready to pounce. Acton’s Ryan Jones then expertly muscled the same player off the ball to prevent a one-on-one situation.

Saltney re-took the lead from a Clewley corner. His pinpoint delivery picked out Williams, who got between his markers to send a downwards header in. The same duo then combined again four minutes later. This time, Williams rose highest in the box to head the ball into the top corner.

At the other end, Godfrey tried to turn provider and put the ball on a plate for Jon Smith, who ballooned over from 18 yards.

Godfrey missed the chance to set up a grandstand finish when he directed his header inches wide of the post.

Neither side rested on their laurels, with the game being a great advert for the NEWFA league.