Another 3 Points Lost

The game started brightly enough for the home side with a loud shout for handball within the first 5 minutes. New signing Jordan Stafford gave Mold a good attacking option down the left wing and his 8th minute cross was intercepted by Ruthin keeper Dylan Jones under pressure from Rhys Nash. After the opening ten minutes Ruthin settled and started to create chances, attacking down both flanks. A petulant and needless foul from Mold's Cal Lavelle on the left wing gave Ruthin an early chance from the set piece. The cross was cleared to Lee Emberton on the edge of the Mold area who attempted to clear the ball further down field but accidentally kicked Osian Davies in the head. The Mold wall did it's job in defending the resultant free kick and the home side breathed a sigh of relief. On the quarter hour Ruthin were awarded a corner and Tom Sharples rose to meet the ball and headed goalward but Mold's Matty Hughes had done enough with his challenge to send the header over the cross bar. Ruthin's early pressure paid off though as a ball into the box from the right wing was collected by Sharples who had been given far too much room and he turned sharply in the box to fire into the bottom left hand corner. They could have been 2 up two minutes later as Mold's keeper John Hodgkin completely miss kicked his clearance which fell to Llyr Morris but his attempt at the open goal sailed high over the cross bar, a kick which wouldn't have been out of place the night before at the Millennium Stadium. Mold hit back through an Ant Williams free kick which reached Nash but his header went wide and he was also flagged offside. Jordan Stafford then stepped up to float in another free kick which was this time flicked on by Cal Lavelle but the ball drifted wide of the post. Ruthin punished Mold's missed chances on the half hour, after another needless foul in their own half, provided Ruthin with a free kick which was met by Jordan McCarter who headed home from close range completely unchallenged. Mold looked totally deflated and Ruthin smelt blood. Will Ashley went through on goal from wide on the left only to see his shot strike the stantion. Five minutes before half time Ruthin broke down a Mold attack and streamed forward, Llyr Morris first finding Osian Davies who in turn set up Garmon Hafal but luckily his shot was another which resembled a rugby conversion. Mold's Danny Barlow saw a yellow card just before the break for another needles foul on the half way. Ruthin floated in the free kick but Nash was able to clear.

Ruthin continued in the second half as they finished the first, wave after wave of attacking football. On 50 minutes Sharples found Llyr Morris who was able to side foot home from close range. John Hodgkin denied Ruthin their fourth and Hafal's second, with a great save two minutes later. Mold should have pulled one back five minutes later as Lee Jones went through on goal and with just the keeper to beat blasted the ball straight at him, the ball rebounding away to be cleared. Lee Emberton was also given a yellow on 58 minutes for a trip on Osian Davies. Lee Jones received an elbow to the head shortly after and was replaced by Matty Lewis, Lee emerging from the changing rooms some time later with a heavily bandaged ear. Matty Lewis forced the Ruthin keeper into making a good save on 67 minutes after Lewis went through on goal. John Davies then replaced a very frustrated Danny Barlow before Ruthin brought on Sam Jones for Garmon Hafal and Tom Sharples was replaced by Issac Edwards. Ruthin had done their job and ran the clock down, restricting Mold to a couple of half chances, Lewis seeing his shot drift over the cross bar and an Ant Williams free kick headed over by Nash. Ruthin were good value for their three points whilst Mold looked like they had already been relegated. It will need a big improvement next week if Mold are to come away with anything from Claytown.

A big thank you to saturday's match sponsor Lee Chamberlain (local painter and decorator). His details are on the website and his services are highly recommended.