Holywell Town 1-0 Gresford Athletic

Played on a warm August afternoon with a slight breeze, Holywell Town had the first real attack as Jonathon Hill Dunt punched clear a great free kick into the danger area by Ross Ankers with debutant Luke Wandless waiting to pounce after 10 minutes. A few minutes later, a good cross by Sam Jones from James Graham’s crossfield ball saw Mark Bridge just failing to get a touch at the near post and Hill-Dunt was able to gather the ball safetly.
Gresford’s first attack came just after the quarter of an hour mark, Jake Roberts breaking clear down the right and his cross towards Jake Eyre saw Gareth Sudlow getting to the ball first and was able to clear the ball upfield. A couple of minutes later, another Wellmen attack down the left saw Sam Jones get to the byline before pulling the ball back towards Bridge but Hill-Dunt saved well. Gresford then went on the attack and a good cross by Josh Griffiths saw Jake Roberts get his head to the ball first but John Rushton, who has signed on loan from The Nomads, saved the ball easily.
Just before the half hour mark, the game’s best chance fell to Gresford and they should have taken the lead. A shot on goal by Tom Freeman saw Rushton block the ball before it fell again to Freeman who rounded the keeper and from a tight angle, he watched as his shot came back off the post before Steve Thomas hooked the ball upfield and away from danger.
Town then lost Paul D Williams through injury and he was replaced by Tony Roebuck, who soon settled in the middle of the park. The lively Mark Bridge, who was causing the Gresford defence problems, had a shot cross face of goal which went inches wide of the post then with a few minutes remaining for the first half, Wandless had a shot on goal saved and the loose ball fell to Sam Jones who’s shot came back out off the cross bar to leave the game goalless at the break.
The second half was a couple of minutes old when James Graham had a shot sail over the bar before Gresford put pressure on the Wellmen but trying to take control of the game. The visitors were getting frustrated being offside on a number of occasions when they went forward and from one of these offside decisions, the Wellmen very nearly scored. Mark Bridge went on a run and beat Gresford’s Jack Jones and his low cross was cleared as far as Roebuck, whose shot was blocked on the line and came back out to Roebuck who tried to lift the ball to the top corner but went wide of the upright for a goalkick. Town had the majority of the possession by now and Graeme Williams found himself in space on the edge of the box and he tried to lob the keeper but his effort came back out off the cross bar.
Gresford’s Jake Eyre then put a header wide of Rushton’s left hand post then the referee was called into action to deal with an off the ball incident as Gresford’s Josh Griffiths seemed to clash with Town’s Luke Wandless and was shown the red card and the visitors were down to 10 men with a little over 20 minutes remaining. Eyre then had another effort go over the bar, then a miss kick by Gareth Sudlow saw Eyre go through on goal but a last ditch tackle by Matty Harvey prevented him getting the shot in on Town’s goal.
Substitute Craig Pritchard had a shot deflected for a corner on 76 minutes before another good move by the visitors saw the ball on the edge of the box and Gresford’s Freeman had a shot which Rushton did well to get a fingertip to the ball to force it over the crossbar. Town then made a double substitution on 78 minutes with Phil Lloyd replacing Luke Wandless, and Brady McGilloway replacing Sam Jones.
The deadlock was finally broken on 82 minutes as sub Phil Lloyd scored with his first touch of the ball. A good move down the right saw Graeme Williams run into the box, and his low cross beat the defence and Phil Lloyd was on hand to tap the ball in at the far post, much to the delight of the home supporters.
With the minutes ticking away, Gresford’s Freeman had a free kick saved by Rushton before at the other end, Graeme Williams and Phil Lloyd combined again and under pressure by Hill-Dunt, Lloyd got a touch to the ball but it dropped just wide of the post. The final chance of the afternoon fell to Gresford’s Mike Latham who shot over on the stroke of full time.
It was a good performance by the Wellmen and more importantly got out first three points on the board. The Wellmen make the long journey to Holyhead Hotspur next Saturday looking to build on the opening day win.