Nathan Craig with his first goal for his new club as @FlintTownFC win their first game back in the Cymru Premier.
— ⚽ Sgorio (@sgorio) September 12, 2020
Ft | Flint Town 1-0 Newtown #JDCymruPremier 🏴
pic.twitter.com/lb9AdMthif
Flint Town United marked their return to Wales’ top-flight league with victory as Nathan Craig netted on debut to edge them past Newtown.
The former Caernarfon Town captain slotted a free-kick into the bottom left corner just after the half-hour mark to clinch all three points for Niall McGuinness’ men.
Flint had the better of the chances in the first half after an early Mark Cadwallader header was cleared off the line by a Newtown defender.
Some good link-up play down the left-hand side gave Newtown a chance early on, as Kelly and Davies passed their way around the Flint defence to find Jamie Breese, who’s cross couldn’t find anyone in the box.
Mark Cadwallader had another opportunity cleared off the line in the first half as well, as he was set through on goal and dinked the ball over Dave Jones’ head for what looked like a certain goal, only for a Newtown defender to clear the shot off the line once again.
The hosts lost debutant Rob Hughes to a red card in the 50th minute for an off-the-ball incident, but they held on to begin the new season in perfect fashion.
Newtown dominated the possession for most of the second half but struggled to create any chances, with ten men Flint having the better of the chances in the second half as well.
Substitute, Brandon Burrows, had an opportunity on the counter-attack, only one minute after coming on, but Dave Jones’ quick reactions squandered the opportunity and kept Newtown in the game.
The final big chance of the game, came from Conor Harwood, as the former Nomads man found himself one on one with the Robins’ goalkeeper Dave Jones, but he couldn’t finish.
The Silkmen, who were promoted via a second place in the Cymru North in the 2019-20 season, last played in the league in 1998.
Flint Town United: John Danby (GK), Nathan Craig, Wes Baynes, Benjamin Nash, Richard Foulkes (C), Alex Titchiner, Mark Cadwallader (Brandon Burrows 57’), Callum Bratley (Matthew Russell 77’), Conor Harwood (Kyle Smyth 90+), Darren Thornton, Rob Hughes.
Yellow Cards: Conor Harwood 61′, Wes Baynes 70′Red Cards: Rob Hughes 50′
Newtown: David Jones (GK), Jake Phillips, Jack Kelly, Sean McAllister, Kieran Mills-Evans (C), Neil Mitchell, Jamie Breese, Jordan Evans, James Davies, Ryan Edwards (Matthew Williams 67’), George Hughes.Yellow Cards: Sean McAllister 50
You can find out how the game unfolded below:
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