FLINT TOWN United earned a late point on Friday night (Oct 22) as Kai Edwards’ goal gave them a 1-1 draw against league leaders TNS.
Leading 1-0 after a strong first-half display, referee, Iwan Griffith’s decision to send off Leo Smith in the 62nd minute flipped the match on its head.
Despite some backs to the wall defending, and superb goalkeeping, Flint Town United made their man advantage count, firing home the equaliser in second-half stoppage time.
The visitors could’ve opened the scoring with just nine minutes on the clock, as Danny Davies’ curling effort was inches away from sneaking in at the far post.
Two minutes later, the side in blue were knocking on the door again, but on that occasion, Declan McManus’ effort from the edge of the box was deflected behind for a corner
Chances continued to fall The Saints’ way, and Flint goalkeeper, Jon Rushton, pulled off a superb one-handed save to deny a powerful Jon Routledge strike in the 26th minute.
It was all TNS, and a sensational goalmouth scramble, in which the ball was cleared off the line on more than one occasion, followed a couple of minutes later.
Danny Davies then hit the post on the half-hour mark, as Flint continued to weather the storm.
But with three minutes to go until the break, the deadlock was finally broken, as Ryan Astles converted a Ryan Brobbel cross from close range following a well-worked corner.
Following the restart, Limbrick’s team continued to see all of the ball, with Brobbel having an effort blocked by a Flint defender on the edge of the box.
Not long after, The Saints hit the woodwork for the second time in the match, with McManus continuing to cause problems for the hosts.
Up until the 62nd minute, there was only one side going to find the back of the net, that was until referee, Iwan Griffith’s, showed Leo Smith two yellow cards in the space of four minutes.
The sending off changed the game, and Mike Wilde sent a header off the post just a minute later, before some last-ditch Danny Davies defending prevented the rebound from being turned home.
In the 72nd minute, an important save from Paul Harrison preserved his side’s lead, as he denied Alex Jones from close range.
And just four minutes later, The Saints’ goalkeeper pulled off another stunning save, clawing a Ben Nash header off the line at full stretch.
The league leaders continued to defend resolutely, limiting the Silkmen to efforts from distance, but in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, the pressure finally told, as ex-TNS man, Kai Edwards slotted home the equaliser from six yards out.
There were suspicions of offside, but the officials weren’t convinced, and allowed the goal which maintained the seven-point gap at the top of the table.
Next up for The New Saints is a home fixture against Cardiff Metropolitan University next Saturday (October 30).
