Town put 4 past promoted Llandyrnog United

The game kicked off and the first chance fell to the visitors as Llandyrnog’s Josh Davies’ shot had to be parried away by Town goalkeeper Danny Stanton. Holywell’s first chance fell on 5 minutes. Matty Roberts went on a run down the left and was brought down. From the resulting free kick, Sam Jones floated a brilliant ball into the box but Tom McElmeel’s header went over the bar. A few minutes later, Town went close again. Roberts put a great ball over into the box and Graham Boylan’s effort was by Captain Russ Moorecroft and the rebound fell to Paul Williams but his shot was saved by Gareth Pope.

The breakthrough goal came in the 10th minute as Sam Jones put Town ahead. A under it back pass to goalkeeper Pope was picked up by Jones and he shot towards goal, but keeper Pope blocked his first effort but the rebound fell kindly for Jones who made no mistake the second time and Town had taken a deserved lead.

Town lost Ashley Durham through injury after quarter of an hour and he was replaced by Dafydd Griffith. Shortly after that, Town doubled their lead through Jones who scored is second of the game. Jones picked up the ball on the halfway line, and burst through the defence, skipped a couple of challenges and he was through on goal and shot past the advancing Pope to score a great individual solo goal which no doubt be a contender for goal of the season.

Llandyrnog came back at Town and and Stanton was forced to tip the ball away from the advancing head of Josh Davies following a corner from the left and Sion Davies saw his effort go wide of the goal. The Wellmen then had a goal disallowed as Paul Williams crossed the ball to Boylan who headed back across the face of the goal, but Jones was in an offside position when he scored and the goal was not given. Sion Davies had another shot go wide for Dyrnog before the referee blew for half time.

The teams came out and the game continued in the same was as the first half with both teams trying to take control of midfield, and both teams had efforts on goal that didn’t test either keeper into making a difficult save. The heavens then opened which made conditions difficult and a good move by Town was nearly rewarded as an excellent through ball by Paul Williams saw the ball zipped away from Graham Boylan who was inches away of controlling the ball in a difficult position. Another good move by Town saw Steve Thomas thread the ball through defence to Paul Williams, and his cross was cleared only as far as Tony Roebuck who’s shot went inches wide.

A minute later, Town scored a third. Matty Roberts went on a run as was heading towards goal when brought down in the box. Captain Paul Williams stepped up to take and scored to give Town a 3 goal lead. Another great ball by Roberts saw the ball for for McElmeel, but his effort went over the bar. Llandyrnog then had a chance as Dan Porter’s shot went inches over before sub Wayne Edwards, who had only just come on, saw his shot saved by Pope in Dyrnog’s goal. The visitors then had a goal disallowed as McElmeel was pushed in the challenge by Dyrnog’s Paul Edwards from a corner before the ball crossed the line, then Llandyrnog had a half chance following slip by Town’s Mark Orme saw Josh Davies pick up the loose ball but his cross towards the dangerous Lucas Cruz was cleared by Griffith to safety. Sub Simon Brown then crossed the ball over towards Cruz but he misread the ball and it flew over the advancing Cruz where a touch of the ball may have put it over Stanton for a consolation goal then Llandyrnog’s Josh Davies slid the ball wide after a 1 on 1 with Stanton.

Town completed the goal scoring deep into injury time as a great low ball by Steve Thomas hit Dyrnog’s Iwan Davies and trickled into the back of the net with the keeper wrong footed. It was desperately unlucky on the defender who had been having a good game at the back and in fairness, the game wasn’t as one sided as the scoreline suggests. Town weren’t complaining and kicked off their home campaign with a good win. I’m sure anyone would have taken 4 points out of a possible 6 before the tricky first couple of games were played and Town’s season is now up and running.