Our 4th game of the season saw us travel to high flying and new to WNL div 1 – Brymbo FC. Unfortunately with a number of key players missing it was always going to be a tough game. The most notable absence would be goalkeeper Andy Nightingale who was out due to injury, which meant manager Melacrinis was to don the gloves for the second time in his grass roots career!

Our defence was missing skipper Callum Dutton and right back Steffan Evans-Hughes with central defender Kieron Taylor returned and Nuno Tavares floated back into right back. Hugo Tavares came into midfield alongside Tom Pemberton who played his first game this season following a long-term injury. Ryan Masterson continued up top following his impressive performances recently.

Brymbo who themselves were missing several players still had class all over the pitch and it was clear first half they were there to play football and attack at all times with the ball being knocked around. Their first goal of the game came half way through the first half and was an easy one for centre mid Gareth Hatton who arrived back post unmarked and powered a header top corner with the Matt Onissiphorou not getting the jump on the line to clear the ball. 1-0 Brymbo.

The second goal was criminal when a bouncing ball over the top saw Kieron Taylor mis-head the ball back to keeper Melacrinis and the striker pouncing on and round the keeper to make it 2-0, a goal Kieron will want to forget.

For the first time this season we created very little going forward with our attacks fizzling out in midfield and no one able to dictate play. Strikers Ryan Masterson, Dewi Reeves and CAM Richard Jones were cut out of the game and this was our downfall of the first half.

The third goal came from a catastrophic error from the referee and some play acting from striker Lewis Edwards. A corner was swung when keeper Melacrinis gathered the ball for the second time following a spill, a shout out and some play acting from the striker somehow gave the referee the initiative to point to the spot and the penalty was duly dispatched … 3-0.

Jordan Jones was giving right back Nuno Tavares all sorts of problems and due to poor positional play we were stretched again for the next goal with Lewis Edwards and Jordan Jones combining to make it 4-0.. 4-0 half time.

The second half kicked off and it would seem the manager got a response from his players when a quick attack saw Ryan Masterson grab his second in two games…. perhaps a way back into the game for Johnstown?….unfortunately not as a lack of communication between Kieron Taylor and Callum Roberts saw them collide with each other and the ball drop to Edwards’ feet and for him to wrong foot keeper Melacrinis. 5-1.

Our second goal of the game from midfielder Richie jones following some good work on the left from Matt Onissiphorou and Harry Jones with a cross coming in and Richie making no mistake and firing past the goalkeeper.

The next two goals came from Brymbo and certainly dented any hopes of a comeback from Johnstown as Lewis Edwards completed his hatrick and their striker putting a 22 yard free kick straight in.

This will hopefully be a wake up call for the lads that the season isn’t going to an easy running and instead we could end up being the wrong end of the table for a second consecutive season!