Flint fall prey to Guils' Long Throw Expert

In a game played in blustery conditions, Flint made a perfect start, when playing with a strong wind at their backs in the first half, they took the lead on 9 minutes. Luke Ainscough was adjudged to have been fouled on the edge of the Guilsfield box, and Stewart Carroll stepped up to strike the dead ball. Carroll successfully found a gaping hole in the visitor's wall, and his shot nestled in the back of the net as kepper David Littleford was wrong footed.
For the next 10 minutes Flint continued to carry the game to their opponents but could not increase their advantage. They showed a new found willingness to get shots away when presented with a sight of goal, but unfortunately none of their efforts were on target.
Guilsfield gradually eased their way into the game, and on 20 minutes almost drew level. Flint keeper Elliot Powers raced out to claim a ball floated in from a free kick, but spilled it. The loose ball was played across the face of the box to the feet of Danny Barton, who with Powers still absent, looked odds on to increase his goals tally. However, Luke Camden came to Flint's rescue scurrying back to make a timely block much to Barton's disbelief.
After 33 minutes Gareth Roberts was fouled on the edge of the box, and Carroll stepped up again hoping to repeat his earlier success. This time, however, the outcome was to be markedly different, and provided the main talking point of the game. Carroll's shot was partially blocked by the wall, although the ball was still meandering towards the goal albeit with much of its pace having been taken off it. Shaun Beck ran through to try and connect with the loose ball, and ended up colliding with Littleford who came off his line to try and smother it. Littleford's reaction to what was an honest challenge left a lot to be desired, and as he squared up to Beck to remonstrate with him, an ugly melee ensued with several players from either side getting involved in a lot of pushing and shoving. At least 2 punches appeared to have been thrown during the angry confrontation. When things eventually calmed down, the referee produced a straight red to Beck and then another to Guilsfield's captain James Henderson. Amazingly no action was taken against Littleford, whose over the top reaction sparked the whole frenzy.
With the wind always likely to be a decisive factor in the outcome of the game, a second goal before half time was the minimum that Flint required, but as all too often this season, they were unable to add to their slender lead.
This was to prove very costly, as in the second period, Guilsfield used the elements to their advantage and succeeded in pegging Flint back with their long ball approach. When they did break out, the Silkmen were unable to find any co-hesion in their play, and the visitors defence by and large coped comfortably with what the Flint forwards had to offer.
On 56 minutes the Guils' Chris Catheral let fly from 25 yards out, and Powers at full stretch just managed to turn the effort around the post.
As well as his long range shooting, Catherall was equally adept with his long throws.The distance he was able to gain with his wind assisted deliveries and the flat trajectory meant that any throw ins conceded in the last quarter of the pitch were as good as corners.
After 58 minutes, one such throw in from the left was delivered into a packed penalty box. Powers came through a ruck of players to claim the ball, but completely missed it, and the ball carried on to the far post, where Barton had calmy stepped away from his marker and found himself with loads of room to bundle the ball over the line for his 11th league goal of the season, just one short than the whole Flint team have thus far managed.
This should have served as a wake up call to Flint, but despite the best efforts of Stewart Carroll to drive his team forward, they were unable to regain the initiative, and the lack of activity in terms of warming up substitutes, did little to allay the home fans' fears.
Guisfield were awarded another throw on the left on 78 minutes, and a carbon copy second goal was the result, this time Barton's strike partner Rhyidian Morris arriving at the far post to apply the finishing touch after Powers had once again failed to deal with the ball.
It was at this point that Stuart Hayes and Jordan Beck were introduced from the bench, with the mandate to try and rescue a point from the game rather than help trying to win it, if they had been brought on about 20 minutes earlier. But time was against them and their efforts were in vain as the clock ran down.
A costly defeat sees us drop down to seventh in the league, as once again we were unable to close out a game that we had held the upper hand in.

Teams :
Flint Town United - Elliot Powers, Ieuan Hewitt (Jordan Beck 80), Johnny Hill (c), Dan Collins, Luke Camden, Jordan Stanley, Luke Ainscough, Stewart Carroll, Shaun Beck, Jamil Adam (Stuart Hayes 79), Gareth Roberts. Unused Subs - Rob Morris, Ritchie Walker (GK)
Guilsfield - David Littleford, Callum Bromley, Jack Richards, Dylan Ellis, James Henderson (c), James O'Reilly, Chris Catheral, Sean Jones, Danny Barton, Rhydian Morris, Mark Davies. Unused Subs - Steven Benyon, Mike Parry, Phil Turnbull

Goalscorers :
Flint Town United - Stewart Carroll (9)
Guilsfield - Danny Barton (58), Rhydian Morris (78)

Bookings :
Flint Town United - Yellow Cards : Johnny Hill (37), Red Cards : Shaun Beck (33)
Guilsfield - Yellow Cards : Chris Catheral (30), Danny Barton (38), Red Cards : James Henderson (33)

Flint MOM - Stewart Carroll