DAFYDD Carruthers fired a hat-trick as Penrhyncoch marked their first home appearance in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance with a stunning 7-1 mauling of Mold Alex at Cae Baker last weekend.

As his side prepare for Saturday’s tricky trip to Holywell Town, boss Gari Lewis was delighted with his side’s response to the 3-1 defeat at champions Caernarfon.

“We’ve not been heavy scorers in the last three or four years, so it’s nice to score goals, with Dafydd Carruthers getting a hat-trick and Elian Evans two,” he said.

“We moved the ball quickly, the work-rate and endeavour was top class, and this puts us in good stead for the season.

“We started well, and even when we went 1-0 down, we did not panic. Mold were a young side, and once we had got on top, we took the fight out of them.

“There are a lot of good signs, with good combinations all over the pitch, but I’m not going over the top as it is still early days, with a lot of tough tests ahead.”

The one downside was the early exit of Josh Shaw who, having gone into the game with deep bruising to his calf, was forced off on the half hour after a knock.

Antonio Corbisiero also went off with a slight groin strain in the second half, but is expected to be fully fit for Saturday’s trip to Holywell who, with four points from their first two games, pose a sterner test.

Florin Burcea, a summer signing from Slovenian club NK Celje, is waiting for international clearance, while Arron Lemon will be back available early next month.

There was no sign of what was to come against a young Mold side - managed by former Tranmere Rovers legend Kenny Irons - as Penrhyn found themselves trailing just eight minutes into the game.

Kieran Hamm latched onto a loose pass and fired low beneath keeper Lee Jenkins - but the Roosters earned parity on 16 minutes when Gareth Mansell played in Shaw, who steered the ball into the net.

Corbisiero fired just wide after Matt Mousley had laid off following Mark Gornall’s cross, but they were in front on 21 minutes as Marc Gornall’s free kick was saved by the keeper and Carruthers pounced on the rebound to slot home.

Soon the Roosters were 3-1 up through Carruthers’ second of the game, with a neat finish after being played in by Corbisiero, and the chances continued to flow, with Carruthers again causing problems and sub Horwood forcing a good save from the keeper with his low strike.

Seven minutes after the interval, Corbisiero crashed home his first goal for the club, following Carruthers’ cross, and on 63 minutes Corbisiero played in Carruthers, whose shot was saved before converting the rebound to seal his hat-trick.

It was 6-1 two minutes later when Elian Evans latched onto a long ball before driving his strike into the bottom corner, and the magnificent seven was completed eight minutes from time when substitute Liam Doherty found Evans to score his second of the game with a deflected effort.

PENRHYNCOCH: L Jenkins, E Evans, M Mousley, S James, J Foligno, O James, A Corbisiero (L Doherty 75), J Shaw (H Norwood 30), D Carruthers (D Evans 80), M Gornall, G Mansell. Subs not used: D James, G Lewis.