Gresford Athletic suffer a defeat at home, thanks to three late Flint Town United goals, on matchday 24 of the 2023/24 JD Cymru North on Friday night.

The game started in the best possible way for Gresford Athletic, with Toby Gallagher-Keenan doing well to play the ball through to Haci Ozlu, who side-foots it off the post and into the bottom corner to gain the lead after just eight minutes.

However, Flint Town United did not let that rock them and came firing back in the 21st minute, when Ben Hughes' effort hit the crossbar. Then, in the 22nd, the woodwork is blasted again, this time from Elliott Reeves.

Elliott Reeves did find an equaliser for The Silkmen, though, as he headed in a Jake Phillips cross in the 32nd minute.

Gresford Athletic almost regained the lead in the 34th minute, when Haci Ozlu found his way through the Flint Town United defence, but he blasted the ball over the crossbar.

Charley Edge was close to finding a second goal for The Colliers in the 43rd minute, when his free-kick almost found the top corner from a tight angle, but it was palmed away by former Gresford Athletic goalkeeper Rhys Williams to keep the score at 1-1 going into half time.

The second half began and Gresford Athletic were quick to have another chance, with Charlie Mann having a good effort on goal, but Flint Town United's Rhys Williams was there to claim it in the 53rd minute.

Flint Town United almost found a goal to gain the lead through Jake Phillips in the 60th minute, but Lewis Dutton did superb to tip the ball over the crossbar.

It was Gresford Athletic who took the lead in the 74th minute, with Charlie Mann laying the ball off to Dominic Deacon, who fired it into the net from the edge of the box.

However, Flint Town United did find another equaliser, with Elliott Reeves finding his second goal of the game to level things up in the 78th minute.

Then, in the 90th minute, it was heartbreak for Gresford Athletic, as substitute Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro rose higher than everyone else in the box to head in a late winner for Flint Town United.

Flint Town United managed to find one more goal in the fifth minute of added time, just to finish things off, with Harley Brindley-Peagram picking the ball up in midfield, spotted Lewis Dutton off his line and found the net from 35-yards out to make it 4-2.

The full time whistle blew and Gresford Athletic have every right to feel unfortunate to be on the end of three late goals to have all of the points snatched from them by one of the title contenders of the 2023/24 JD Cymru North.

Charlie Mann was named Gresford Athletic Man of the Match, putting in a good performance to help score the two goals.

Gresford Athletic

Starting XI: Dutton (GK), Johnson, Hesp, Williams, Edge, Griffiths (C), Pownall (Bennett - 23'), Mann, Gallagher-Keenan, Deacon (Roberts - 85'), Ozlu (Mannion - 76')

Goalscorers: Ozlu, Deacon

Yellow cards: Hill-Dunt (Assistant Manager), Mann, Griffiths, Johnson, Edge

Subs not used: J. Smith, Buxton

Flint Town United

Starting XI: Williams (GK), Phillips, Forde, Stephens (C), Sirrell, P. Lacey (Owen - 87'), L. Lacey, Hughes (Akpa-Akpro - 87'), Reeves, Wynne, Jones (Brindley-Peagram - 72')

Goalscorers: Reeves (x2), Akpa-Akpro, Brindley-Peagram

Yellow cards: P. Lacey

Subs not used: Murphy (GK), Harrison, Burke, Roberts

Match Officials

Referee: Patrick Wilding

Assistant Referees: Alun Jones, Harvey Smallman