After a very disappointing performance and result at home against GAP Connah's Quay Reserves last week, Flint Mountain were looking for a response to halt successive defeats with a trip to Wrexham to face league leaders, Maesgwyn. Once again, Mountain were faced with a selection dilemma with several players unavailable. With that in mind, Mountain welcomed Jamie Foulkes back in the side. Also returning to the side were Sean Wilkes, Ryan Jones and Tom Probert, making their first appearances of the season.

The game started more in the favour of Maesgwyn. The league leaders were looking to get the ball out of their feet and punt it long. The Mountain defence looked to counter this by sitting deeper to mop up the bits. Despite have more of the possession, Maesgwyn struggled to break the side down through the middle as Mountain continued to prevent them from playing. Chris Layne was starting to enjoy a bit of joy down the right and pressing the Maesgwyn full back and his persistence eventually won a corner. Shane Owens, playing on the left wing, crossed it in, where midfielder Alex Millington rose above his marker and landed a perfect header towards the goalkeeper's right hand corner. Millington was unlucky not to have scored, as the ball was headed off the line by the defender.

Shortly after, a long ball forward brought Maesgwyn a half chance. Jamie Foulkes failed to clear the ball correctly and the striker found themselves in front of the goal eight yards out with only Mountain goalkeeper Ricky Bennett to beat. Bennett made himself big and deflected the ball away from danger. Other than that, the only opportunities that Maesgwyn created were a series of corners which were well defended by the Mountain defence. With ten minutes to go, a goalless game at half time looked inevitable, but Maesgwyn took the lead with a freak goal. As another long ball forward flew through towards Bennett, he come out for a routine collection, but it bobbled off the surface away from him and straight to the Maesgwyn striker, who tapped the ball into the empty goal.

At half time the Mountain were able to regroup and press for an equaliser. For the majority of the half, Mountain controlled the play and were unlucky not to score early into the half. Shane Owens took a deep free kick that bent around the back post. Right back Ryan Jones attacked the ball, with the Maesgwyn goalkeeper pulling off a point blank save of high quality. From the resulting melee, Mountain striker Sean Wilkes drilled the ball into the net. Unfortunately, the referee pulled the game back for a head injury following the initial save, meaning the goal was ruled out. Furthermore, the goalkeeper had to be substituted with what looked like a serious injury. With twenty to go, Mountain again had the ball in the net. Chris Layne had the beat his man and floated a high ball into the box, only for Sean Wilkes to inexplicably punch the ball into the net, instead of heading home. Wilkes rightfully received a yellow card for the offence. With Mountain still chasing the game, Maesgwyn made their final substitution. But, within ten minutes of being on the pitch, the player had received his marching orders. The player was booked twice in quick succession for dissent towards the referee. With time now running out and now a man up, Alex Millington was moved up front alongside Wilkes in a switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

Shortly after the move, Millington was played the ball into his feet in the penalty area. Instead of taking on the shot, he tried to square the ball to Shane Owens, who had found himself some space, but Maesgwyn intercepted and cleared the ball. Mountain kept going and eventually got their deserved equaliser. Shane Owens sprayed a long, high floating ball to Sean Wilkes, who flicked the ball into the bottom left of the goal, who was left rooted to the spot. The goal was all the striker deserved after chasing lost causes all day on his first appearance back for the Mountain after re-signing earlier in the week. For the remainder of the game, Mountain spent the remaining few moments chasing the winning goal but to no avail.

Next up for Flint Mountain, is the first cup appearance of the season, as we look to avenge last week's demoralising defeat with another game against GAP Connah's Quay Reserves, in the Queensferry Sports President's Cup. Flint Mountain will be looking to go one step further than last season, where the side were the unfortunate runners up in the competition.

Man of the Match: Ian Wynne. On his return to the side, the central defender looked composed alongside Scott Forrester at the back, mopping up the Maesgwyn attacks in the first half, before both looked to try and dictate play in the second half.

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