Newtown climb to second in table as Walker strike sinks Flint

The Robins came out on top in a bruising home encounter which saw the visitors end with 10 men following the dismissal of Mike Wilde.

Newtown were worthy winners and set the tone early on as Lufumpa Mwandwe and Jordan Evans stretched the visiting defence which had no answer other than concede a host of free-kicks.

However Newtown failed to capitalise with Evans spurning two free-kicks from the edge of the area inside the opening 20 minutes.

It was no surprise when the pressure finally told after 36 minutes when Callum Roberts was the victim of another rash challenge from Jake Phillips with Aaron Williams holding his nerve to slot past goalkeeper Jon Rushton from the penalty spot.

The rest of the half saw the Robins comfortably defend their lead with the Deesiders strangely muted in attack and failing to create any meaningful openings throughout.

The second-half was just 10 minutes old when Wilde received his marching orders after being adjudged to have elbowed Kieran Mills-Evans in a packed goalmouth.

Newtown doubled their lead shortly after the hour with Walker spectacularly volleying beyond Rushton from 20 yards after the Flint defence failed to clear a long throw from Aaron Williams.

Flint's best chance of the game arrived shortly after with Callum Bratley releasing Mark Cadwallader whose low shot from the right byline was only parried by goalkeeper Dave Jones with the hosts recovering to clear their lines.

Newtown comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest to celebrate three richly deserved points and go into Christmas second in the table.

NEWTOWN: Jones, Taylor, Roberts, Mills-Evans, Mwandwe (Cowans 80), Rushton (Arsan 86), Evans (Edwards 87), A Williams, C Williams, Hughes, Walker. Subs: M Williams, Sutton, Downs, Thomas

FLINT TOWN UNITED: Rushton, Phillips, Hart, Maher, Nash, Edwards, Wilde, Bratley (Weir 74), Roberts (Cadwallader 64), Harwood, Harrison (Weaver 24). Subs: Parker, Nugent, Ellis, Brindley