Flint Town United 3 Aberystwyth Town 0, JD Cymru Premier
AFTER the euphoria of their Nathaniel MG Cup semi final success against Cardiff City U21s Aberystwyth came back down to earth with a bump with a three goal defeat away to Flint in midweek.
Hopes of an early opportunity to get back to winning ways were dashed when their scheduled home fixtures against Caernarfon Town on Saturday was postponed along with all the other games in Wales due to Storm Darragh.
Flint’s win at the Essity on Wednesday evening (4 December) was mainly down to striker Florian Yonsian who fired a hat-trick for the Silkmen with strikes after 3, 25 and 50 minutes.
On a drizzly night on Deeside the homesters started strongly and Yonsian had the ball in the net after just three minutes as the ball broke for him on the right hand edge of the six yard area and he blasted the ball past Dave Jones.
Jones had to be alert minutes later as Ben Hughes broke through only to be denied, and although Zac Hartley had a cross caught by Jack Flint, and Jonathan Evans had a curling shot saved, the home side were in control.
Jones again had to be alert to tip over Jake Phillips’ free kick, then down the other end Evans’ right wing cross somehow evaded the onrushing Hartley at the back post.
Dave Jones denied Josh Jones, then once again the burly Yonsian bustled his way through and scored an almost identical second goal.
Try as they might Aber struggled to create at all and Aber’s keeper once again denied Josh Jones just before the break, with Flint good value for a two-goal lead
The visitors made two changes at half time and enjoyed a brief period of pressure, with Rico Patterson sending a free kick past the far post, however Yonsian soon ended the game as a contest by bustling through and prodding the ball past Jones from close range for the killer third goal.
Hartley made a promising run down the right hand side but his shot was parried by Flint and then sent over the bar, then a testing cross from Niall Flint somehow evaded four Aber bodies in the box and fell to safety.
Jones yet again made a telling save to deny Michael Burke with a fantastic right handed save with the game heading towards its conclusion, Sidi Fofana headed over for Flint and then finally a decent cross from sub Tom Mason just evaded John Owen in the box, and the game ended in a sobering defeat for the men in green.
Manager Antonio Corbisiero said: “I thought Flint were outstanding tonight, they were physically strong, they looked fit, they made right decisions and they were clinical and fair play to them.
“We had passages but not good enough.
“They seem to have wanted it more than us tonight and I’ve told them in the changing room and I’ve told them that if you want to get out of a situation take a leaf out of their books.”
Corbisiero’s men ,will take on The New Saint in the final of the Nathaniel MG Cuo at Latham Park in Newtown on Friday 28 February (KO 7.45pm).
It will be the ninth time that the Powys ground has hosted the competition’s showpiece game, but the first since Connah’s Quay Nomads’ 3-0 win over STM Sports in 2020
.Aberystwyth Town are in the Nathaniel MG Cup final for the first time after their penalty shootout win over Cardiff City on Saturday, while cup holders The New Saints will be aiming to lift the trophy for the 11th time after they triumphed 2-1 over Barry Town United.