Flint Town United 1

Aberystwyth 0

JD CYMRU PREMIER

ABERYSTWYTH were set to earn a battling and deserved draw against table toppers Flint but suffered a "gut-wrenching" very late defeat.

The game was four minutes into stoppage time when Alex Jones popped up with a controversial winner following a corner to make it three wins out of three for the Deesiders.

In contrast, the Seasiders have lost twice on the bounce in the league after their opening day win against Barry Town.

But manager Antonio Corbisiero can take plenty of positives from the match after his players produced another resolute and solid defensive performance with plenty of passion and commitment on show.

He said: “Really good performance again from the boys, we showed heart, graft, determination.

“We again created chances but unfortunately didn’t take them.

“We got hit by injuries throughout the game, Lee Jenkins went down with his shoulder and had to come off, and we had to bring Raul (Correia) off because he was a bit tight and then whilst the corner was being taken that led to the goal, Jon Owen was off the pitch and we were down to 10 men at the time as he was getting treatment.

“And then to lose out on a controversial goal as we’ve seen it now, it was a blatant hand ball, he’s pushed it over the line, and to lose that way in the 94th minute was gut wrenching.

“But we can’t fault the boys’ effort that they put in again, very even game and even their management said that we didn’t deserve that at the death.

“I think coming away from there with a draw would have been a fair result, there were limited chances at both ends, no clear-cut chances.”

“We’re going to take a lot of positives, a lot of great individual performances and collectively as a team they continue to work so hard and again in possession we looked so good.

“Just lacking a bit of creativity possibly but there was a difference again playing on a grass pitch, the ball was a little bit sticky so hopefully under the Park Avenue lights on Tuesday against Bala we’ll be raring to go, ready to zip it about, create a lot more opportunities for the boys up top and look to bounce back and get back onto that winning road with three points as we did against Barry.

“We’re all much looking forward to Tuesday night, it’s nice that we’ve got the quick turnaround in games after we lost on Saturday.”

New striker signing Raul Correia made his bow for the Black and Greens, but it was the hosts who began stronger, with Mike Wilde heading Sam Hart’s free kick wide early on.

Set pieces were the hosts’ main weapon as the half wore on with a series of free kicks and long throws testing Town’s back four of Jack Rimmer, Rhys Davies, Lee Jenkins and Matty Jones, who held firm.

The incessant pressure made it hard for Aber to create too much, although Correia and Jon Owen did show flashes up front which augured well.

Callum Brately showed some nice trickery before sending a tame shot at Aber keeper Gregor Zabret, then at the other end Jamie Veale sent a low rasping volley wide for Aber’s first salvo.

Ben Nash had a header blocked for Flint before team-mate Jack Kenny headed wide. Clear-cut chances were few and far between, Ben Maher unlucky with a brilliant free kick which flashed past Zabret’s far post, and he then tested Zabret again with a low volley.

At the other end, Jon Owen saw a shot diverted away for a corner, and then curled an effort just past the post from the resulting set piece.

A more evenly matched second half ensued with Wilde misfiring early on for the hosts.

Owen Orford, a first half substitute for the injured Jenkins, gave Aber an outlet to attack with his surging runs from the back.

Harry Franklin saw a header saved by Ryan Woods from captain Jack Thorn’s cross and Orford then ran straight through from full back for Aber, but his effort was easy for Woods to collect.

In follow-up forays, Matty Jones had a low volley saved and Franklin sent in a dangerous left wing cross which Woods just got to in front of Sam Phillips, on for the injured Correia, with the visitors pushing for the win.

But it was the Silkmen who took the three points, Hart sending in one a final corner and somehow Alex Jones bundled the ball home, despite strong home protests of a double handball.