Mold Edge Nail Biter

A very unwelcome aspect of first team performances this season seems to have been gifting clubs the lead early on in the game. This unhelpful trait was repeated against Conwy on saturday when the Musselmen came to Alyn Park and went two goals up in the first half hour. Another disastrous start saw Conwy capitalise as early as the 4th minute when Conwy's Neil Harvey made good progress down the Mold right and forced Mike Jones into parrying his shot away for a corner. The resultant kick was only half cleared from the crowded box and it was Harvey himself on the edge of the box, with his back to the goal, who decided to chance his luck with an overhead kick which Mike managed to reach but could only push up into the roof of his own net. Mold went on the attack with Jamie Price crossing from the right, finding Lee Jones in the box but he could only send his strike high over the cross bar. On 12 minutes Danny Calvert went on a run through the Conwy midfield but his shot left a lot to be desired. Conwy had obviously turned up to Alyn Park with a game plan, looking to get their strikers in behind the defence with long balls and this almost paid dividends on the quarter hour when Joe Chaplin raced through to beat Alex Weatherby to the loose ball. Mike Jones came out from his goal to force Chaplin wide but Chaplin still managed to flick the ball goalward. Luckily for the home side, Weatherby had recovered enough to position himself between Mike and the open goal and he was able to flick Chaplin's weak shot away from the open net. Mold should have been level five minutes later after Lee Jones found Rhys Nash on the edge of the box but a last ditch block from Conwy was enough to prevent Nash from capitalising. Conwy started to turn the screw as the home side stuttered. The half hour saw Conwy double their advantage as another long ball towards Harvey sent him racing in at the Mold goal from his wide right position. Mike Jones stood up to try and block the shot but the Harvey's powerful shot found it's way between Mike and his near post. Chaplin and Harvey looked dangerous every time they attacked the Mold defence and they could have put their side further ahead on 33 minutes after putting the ball in the net but Harvey was judged to have been offside. Just before half time it was Mold's turn to get the ball in the net only to be denied a goal, this time Abe Dobson delivering a free kick into the Conwy box and Nash heading on for Gary McConnell to tap past the keeper. The half time whistle arrived with Mold two goals down and a tough second half ahead of them.

Ten minutes into the restart, Mold had a half chance form a corner but Scott Williams in the Conwy goal gathered. Mold were by now settled and playing some nice football when they had possession. A touch of luck brought them back into the game as Brett Cotton pushed forward and pushed the ball through to Abe Dobson who was about to be challenged by Conwy's Dave Bryan but he slipped and Dobson went through to chip Williams. With 58 minutes on the clock Neil and Mike made their first substitution bringing Andreas Economedies on for Danny Calvert. Three minutes later, Conwy's Chaplin saw a yellow card for a deliberate foul. Mold could then have drawn level after Nash found McConnell with a perfectly weighted pass which McConnell chested forward but the ball ran away from him on the greasy surface and the Conwy keeper, Williams, beat him to the loose ball. Within minutes Mold were indeed level, following another Mold free kick delivered by Dobson. As both sets of players ran to meet the floated free kick the ref spotted a shove on Rhys Nash and pointed to the spot. Dobson stepped up and cooly slotted the ball home. By now it was end to end stuff with both sides looking like they may score the next goal. Handbags between McConnell and Conwy's Chris Quinn, saw them both dismissed for violent conduct on 67 minutes. Three minutes later a Conwy clearance struck Mold's Danny Barlow, who had worked tirelessly all afternoon, and he turned and unselfishly set up Lee Jones for an easy tap in. Conwy went straight down the other end and Alex Titchiner sent a hard low cross flashing across the Mold goal but no one was on hand to finish the move. Mold were unable to hang on to their lead or double it and allowed Conwy to pull one back. A mix up between Mike Jones and his defence, allowed Alex Titchiner to fire home from an acute angle. Conwy's Dave Bryan made way for Jonah Wilton and Mold's Lee Jones was substituted for Matty Lewis. Danny Barlow found himself through on goal in the 76th minute but his shot was weak and Williams gathered easily. Lewis Carter managed to get himself in front of an Adam Hold shot and force a corner before Mold went down the other end only for Anthony Tierney to block a Rhys Nash effort. Just when it looked like the points would be shared, Danny Barlow's expertly judged pass found Nash who sneaked the ball in at the foot of the left post. With the clock running down Josh Williams replaced Barlow and Mold started playing football near the corner flags. With only seconds left, Conwy's captain Johnathan Breeze was awarded a yellow card for a deliberate trip. Three long minutes of stoppage time played out before the ref blew the final whistle much to the relief of everyone supporting the home side. A hard earned victory and a valuable three points sends the first team to mid Wales next Saturday and a visit to Caersws. Same again please boys.......but without gifting the opposition a head start!!!