Five star Flint Town United blew Cefn Druids away with a dominant performance in a game they controlled from start to finish. In what was billed as a close encounter goals from Mark Cadwallader, Connor Harwood, Josh Amis, Ben Maher and Jordan Buckley ensured that Flint grabbed a deserved win and moved five points clear of the Druids.
From the first whistle Druids could not cope with the pace and power of Flint’s running from deep. In the seventh minute Flint went one nil up through Mark Cadwallader. Connor Harwood picked up the ball the halfway line and charged down the left flank. His deep cross was met at the back post by Josh Amis whose smart knock down was met by the onrushing Cadwallader who netted with a low first time strike.
Ten minutes in and Flint had the ball in the back of the net again.Eddie Clarke found more joy down the left and he was tripped making a burst towards the box. The resulting free kick was put into the box and bundled into the net, but the linesman flag was up. A few minutes later Druids would also have a golden chance called offside when Alex Darlington hit the post with a deft header.
From then on it was all Flint. Connor Harwood continued to bully the entire Druids backline, switching wings at will and sowing chaos that the Ancients could not cope with. Naim Arsan in particular was ineffectual to stop both Harwood and Bratley and would be replaced as half time.
Harwood’ reward came just past the quarter hour mark when he stroked the ball past Mike Jones to make it two. The frontman had latched onto a loose ball behind the Druids defence and calmly slotted the ball into the net with his right foot. The Druids defenders were statues.
Cefn Druids’ night was almost made worse ten minutes into the second half when another Eddie Clarke saunter down the left flank resulted in an inviting whipped cross across the six yard line. Dan Mooney stretched the flick the ball away from his goal and was inches from giving Flint a third.
The Flint attacks were unrelenting and Connor Harwood should have grabbed a second on the hour mark. Josh Amis leaped highest to nod a looping ball into the flowing frontman’s path and set him free on goal. Harwood attempted to side the ball past the onrushing Jones, but the experienced keeper was out strongly ro deny him.
It didn’t take long for Flint to find the third goal however. A lofted free kick from the left byline wasn’t cleared and came down to Flint’s down nine. Josh Amis slammed the ball into the corner of the net with a terrific volley. The ball was hit with great ferocity and gave Jones no chance.
Flint’s fourth came through Ben Maher who stuck the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box. It came after Tom Weir’s original effort was smothered and yet again was all started by a great run and cross from Eddie Clarke. Druids had resorted to deploying Charley Edge at right back in an attempt to stop Clarke and to no avail.
Flint however were not finished with the goals and Jordan Buckley added a fifth on the stroke of 90 minutes. The pacey striker was played in down the right by Callum Bratley and rifled a low drive into the bottom corner of Jones’ net. Bratley did superb to ride the challenges and grab the assist.
Buckley and Wise would be cautioned in additional time for a confrontation that saw Dan Mooney hit the deck and both teams get involved. A feisty end to a great game of football that Flint will savour for some time.
The 5-0 victory is Flint’s biggest win since they beat Llangefni Town by the same scoreline in February 2020 whilst still in the Cymru North. They join TNS as the only two sides to enjoy a 100% record after the split and travel to Aberystwyth on Friday night hoping to continue their good form.
Cefn Druids meanwhile have fallen five points behind the Silkmen and remain rock bottom of the table. This is the ninth occasion that they have conceded four or more goals in a Cymru Premier match this season. The Ancients are back at home on Saturday in a crucial matchup with Cardiff Met, with only two points separating the bottom two sides.
Flint Town United: Rushton (GK), Nash, Hart, Clarke, Edwards, Weaver (Foulkes 81’), Maher (C), Bratley (Lockley 90’), Harwood (Buckley 74’), Amis (Hampson 90’), Cadwallader (Weir 75’)
Goals: Cadwallader 7’, Harwood 18’, Amis 65’, Maher 84’, Buckley 89’
Yellow cards: Edwards 17’, Buckley 90’, Amis 90+2’
Cefn Druids: M Jones (GK) (C), Arsan (Taylor 45’), Mooney, Simpson, E Cartwright (Kershaw 45’), Darlington, Phillips (Fuller 90+3’), Flint, I Cartwright (Wise 71’), S Edwards, Edge
Yellow cards: Mooney 30’, Kershaw 64’, Jones 65’, Simpson 76’, Wise 90’
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