Flint fortunate to take a point

Rather than build upon midweek's excellent win against Conwy, today Flint turned in a performance more reminiscent of last Saturday's dismal display at Buckley.
The game was barely 2 minutes old when Ieuan Hewitt gifted possession to Richard Powell on the edge of the box. Powell took the ball inside the area, but rather than shoot when well placed he instead elected to pass to team mate Dan Kenyon, whose effort was comfortably saved by Walker.
This let-off spurred Flint into action, and a minute later they scored with their first attack. Adam carried the ball into the box, and although he could have shot himself, he squared the ball to the unmarked Dan Tranter who netted from 8 yards to register his second goal in two appearances in Flint colours.
On 9 minutes Adam once again escaped his markers, and run through on goal. This time he took responsibility himself and hit a good shot that Wells' keeper Prosser did well to tip over the bar.
However, if Flint thought the home side would crumble from their early setback, based on some of the defeats they have suffered at home this season, they could not have been more wrong.
Indeed the Silkmen failed to muster a single noteworthy effort for the remainder of the half and were indebted to goalkeeper Richie Walker to try and preserve their lead.
The hosts were allowed to dominate midfield, and generally dictate play, as Flint sorely missed the guile and craft of the absent Stewart Carroll in the centre of the park. Tom Axon-Smith was pressed into service into a midfield role, but unfortunately was a fish out of water. And with Tranter and Walkiewicz occupying wide berths, Peter Doran was constantly finding himself over-run. The hosts were seemingly able to play through Flint at will, whether it be with the ball over the top, or quick through balls down the middle. Robbie Nicholls was a constant threat with his darting runs, and on 22 minutes he cut in from the right and let fly from 20 yards with an effort that seemed destined for the bottom corner, until Walker at full stretch just got his finger tips to it, to divert it around the post.
On 28 minutes, Nicholls again found himself in a good position, and Walker was called on to pull off another good save.
The game was now developing into an almost private duel between the Llandrindod player and the Flint keeper, and the pair faced off again on 35 minutes. This time Nicholls outpaced the Flint defence, and got onto a ball played over the top. Walker was about to come out to meet the danger, when he lost his footing. Nicholls seized his chance and hit a powerful shot. This time he surely thought he had the upper hand, but somehow, Walker sprang back up, and acrobatically turned the effort over the bar, to pull off a truly stunning save.
Unfortunately Walker's heroics were only delaying the inevitable, as Flint were unable to take back control of the game, and were soundly on the back foot.
The equaliser duly arrived on 38 minutes, when Axon-Smith could only muster a weak headed clearance straight into the path of Kenyon just inside the box. He connected with a well struck volley that sailed past Walker into the Flint net.
Just two minutes later, the hosts took the lead, following a corner. Layton took an inswinger, that Walker looked to have collected comfortably, but the ball squirmed through his grasp and into the net. This was rough justice on the Flint stopper, given the saves he had previously pulled off, but it has to be said, it was no more than than Llandindod deserved given the balance of play.
Still, at least Flint had half time to regroup and then come out, regain the initiative, and take the game to their hosts. Except it didn't happen. Instead, Wells' were first out of the blocks, and with barely a minute gone of the second period, Nicholls escaped down the right, and sent in a wickedly low cross, that caused chaos in the Flint back line. Hewitt stretched out a leg that only succeeded in sending the ball into the Flint goal. Fortunately, Walker was alert and agile enough to throw himself down to his right and block the effort, preventing an own goal.
Meanwhile, Flint struggled to mount any decent chances of their own. In a throwback to their Welsh Cup defeat earlier in the season, they seemed content to hit long balls to their diminutive front line, that were easily dealt with by the home defence.
That they managed to claw themselves back into the game, was due to the award of a penalty, that fell into the "I've seen them given, but maybe it was a bit harsh", category.
Walkiewicz had possession of the ball on the left side, and looked to cross the ball into the box. His attempted cross struck the arm of Richie Watkin, who had half turned his body away from the ball. Watkin was incensed by the subsequent award of the penalty, and continued to argue his case to the referee, eventually going too far with his protestations, and ending up being sent off for his troubles. After a long delay, Jamil Adam eventually despatched the spot kick, sending Prosser the wrong way.
Although they were a man light, Llandrindod were rarely troubled at the back for the rest of the game, and Prosser dealt comfortably with anything that came his way. Indeed, it was Walker who continued to be the busier of the keeper, racing off his line on a couple of occasions to thwart potential breakaways from the home side.
In the latter stages, Flint forced several corners, but poor deliveries, meant we were unable to direct anything on target.
After moving one step forward on Wednesday night, it feels like we've taken two steps back again, with a really poor performance, but full credit to Llandrindod Wells, whose hunger and desire for the game far outshone that of their visitors, and meant that they gained their first home league point of the season.

Teams :
Llandrindod Wells : J. Prosser, R. Watkin, D. Nicholls, C. Murphy (c), G. Jones, J. Layton, R. Nicholls, A. Jones, R. Powell, D. Kenyon (T. Bethel 68), J. Williams. Unused Subs : K. Davies, D. Smith
Flint Town United : R. Walker, I. Hewitt, J. Davies, P. Doran, L. Camden (c), J. Hill, D. Tranter, D. Walkiewicz (G. Roberts 73), S. Hayes (T. Moore 68), J. Adam, T. Axon-Smith. Unused Subs : D. Collins, J. Rush, C. Murphy

Goalscorers :
Llandrindod Wells : D. Kenyon (38), J. Layton (40)
Flint Town United : D. Tranter (3), J. Adam (55)

Bookings :
Llandrindod Wells : Yellow Cards - R. Watkin (55), Red cards - R. Watkin (55)
Flint Town United : J. Hill (89)

Flint MOM - Richard Walker