After losing their first league game since Halloween in their last encounter at home to FC Nomads of Connah’s Quay Corwen Reserves were keen on bouncing back as they hosted second placed Chirk AAA, who still had an outside chance of pipping league leaders Mold Alexandra to the title.

The hosts showed their ambitions early on, as a shot from Ryan Billington hit the post in the 5th minute. Six minutes later Corwen did take the lead, as Ioz Jones got the better of keeper Michael Nash to find the back of the net.

Ten minutes later Scott Evans curled a free kick around the wall, but Nash was able to tip the tip ball away. With twenty one minutes played Scott whipped a corner into the Chirk box, where Will Hughes leapt like a salmon to head the ball home.

In the final minute of the half Chirk hit Corwen with a quick counter attack and Shaun Morris was able to get through on goal and fire home, but he had strayed offside.

Five minutes after the break Chirk were reduced to 10 men, as Steve Roberts received his marching orders after fouling a Corwen player, and as he was the last man the referee had to send him off. From the resulting free kick Scott kit the post, leaving Nash all ends up, and he could do nothing, as Oli Crimp pounced onto the loose ball and slotted it home.

Five minutes after going 3-0 down Chirk pulled a goal back, as a throw in was played into the Corwen box and the ball found its way to Shaun Morris, who hit the ball on the half volley and into the top corner of the net.

Corwen restored their 3 goal cushion in the 61st minute, when Chirk failed to clear their lines, allowing Oli to collect the ball, which he promptly fired beyond Nash and into the back of the net.

Three minutes later it was 5-1 to Corwen, as Ioz doubled his tally as he lobbed over the oncoming Chirk keeper from the edge of the Penycae box.

Corwen were not done their, as Ioz broke free of the Chirk defence and ran at the Chirk keeper, who came sprinting out his area before making a tough challenge on the Corwen striker, who was lucky not to get hurt. Referee Mark Stokes had no option but to send the goalkeeper off, meaning that Chirk were reduced to 9 men. From the free kick makeshift keeper Billy Nash pulled off a great save to tip Scott’s effort onto the crossbar.

Chirk’s attempts to reduce the deficit begun when Matthew Woods ran at the Corwen defence, before sending a shot across the face of the goal high and wide of the target.

The hosts were still hungry for more goals, as Ioz collected the ball from Ifan Davies and ran at the Chirk defence and being brought down; however he got back up and fired home for his second hat-trick in as many days after finding the net 3 times for the First Team at Penycae 24 hours earlier.

Ioz came close to claiming an assist to go with his 3 goal haul, as he went passed a defender and crossing the ball to Ifan Davies from the touchline, however Ifan just missed the ball in his attempts to tap the ball into the back of the net.

Gavin Billington