Flint endure a miserable afternoon at Llanidloes

With Gareth Roberts and Jamie McDonald both failing fitness tests, Timmy Williams' squad was done to the bare bones as we travelled to mid-Wales to face a Llanidloes team who on the day showed a greater passion for the job in hand. Although we created some decent chances, wayward finishing and the wrong choice of the final ball once more proved costly, as our struggles in front of goal continued.
The Daffs' first two goals came about after the award of two highly dubious and soft free kicks, whilst we were denied what appeared to be a stonewall penalty for handball on a day when lady luck most definitely turned her back on us.
The first major incident came after 16 minutes when Connor Swales appeared to twist his knee after going in to challenge for the ball. Play was halted for about 8 minutes as he was made comfortable and eventually stretchered off, before being transported to hospital in Aberystwyth. Connor's knee had popped out of its socket, and fortunately they were able to pop it back in place, although he will be spending some time on crutches whilst it heals, but at least it was not quite as serious as first feared.
The first real effort on goal fell to the home side on 21 minutes when Flint skipper Camden missed his header in attempting to deal with a long ball over the top, allowing in Jamie Breese, whose shot from an acute angle was put out for a corner.
Flint replied almost instantly, as Abraham fed the returning Shaun Beck, who in turn played in Doran who got to the by-line and his pull back was smothered on the near post by Warwick, as at least two Flint players were waiting for a simple tap in.
Flint's best chance of the first period came on the half hour mark, as Abraham played in Rush, who raced clear into a one-on-one situation with Warwick, but the home keeper came out on top as he stood up and saved Rush's effort.
After 38 minutes, Doran sent in a cross to Rush, whose goalbound header was deflected out for a corner.
On 40 minutes, a high ball played into the Llanidloes box found its way into the path of Beck, who was just lining up his shot when an arm flashed out from a home defender slightly deflecting the ball and causing Beck to miscue his shot. To the amazement of the Flint attackers in the box, neither referee or linesman appeared to see the infringement and their penalty claims went unanswered.
Having spurned the best of the openings, and making the wrong choice with their final ball when in decent attacking positions, Flint were made to pay in the 43rd minute, when a Johnny Hill challenge from about 25 yards out was rather harshly adjudged to be a foul. The resulting free kick took a couple of deflections, and bobbled invitingly into the path of home side captain, Jack Bermingham, who unmarked from 6 yards out could scarcely believe his luck, as he converted the chance.
Into the second half, and Flint were undone again on 53 minutes, when the referee awarded another soft free kick to the home side, this time just outside of the box. Gareth Mansell stepped up to plant his shot into the top corner, which momentarily caused some confusion as it found a hole in the net, and passed straight through it.
At 2-0 down, Flint at last found some urgency and passion in their play, but too often it was not channelled correctly, and despite dominating possession, did not create too many clear cut chances. One exception was on 61 minutes, when Jack Abraham wriggled clear of his markers and let fly from 20 yards, only for his effort to be tipped over the bar by the alert Warwick.
Whereas last week, Llanidloes squandered a two goal lead at Guilsfield, they never looked in any danger of repeating that here, as Flint lacked any genuine goal threat.
Indeed, the home side were to have the last say on 87 minutes, when Seliearts produced a defence splitting ball for Breese to run onto. Power raced from his goal in an attempt to beat Breese to the ball, but was always second favourite, and the Daffs' front man calmly rounded him before running the ball into the empty net.
Flint's day was summed up in the last minute, when an unmarked Jon Rush failed to find the target with a header from around 6 yards out, as he put the chance the wrong side of the post.

Footnote : The club would like to extend its sincere thanks to Natalie Riley, who, having travelled down to the game by car, volunteered to follow the ambulance to Aberystwyth, and stayed with Connor whilst he received his treatment and brought him back home. This saved the coach a rather lengthy diversion as would otherwise have been the case.

Teams :
Llanidloes Town - A. Warwick, L. Evans, J. Evans, A. Jones, N. Mumby, J. Bermingham (c), C. Williams (S. Jones 83), G. Dafydd (O. Clarke 68), J. Breese, G. Mansell, K. Seliearts.
Flint Town United - E. Power, P. Doran, J. Hill, I. Hewitt, L. Camden (c), C. Swales (J. Rush 16), S. Carroll, D. Collins, S. Beck, J. Abraham, D. Walkiewicz (J. Beck 46). Unused sub - L. Okijemi

Goalscorers :
Llanidloes Town - Bermingham (43), Mansell (53), Breese (87)

Bookings :
Llanidloes Town - Bermingham (31), Mansell (82)
Flint Town United - Doran (2)

Flint MOM - Stewart Carroll