Denbigh Town tasted defeat on their opening match back in the JD Cymru North as title favourites Flint struck twice at the Essity Stadium.

Goals from Harley Brindley-Peagram and Elliott Reeves were enough for the Silkmen who bested Town on the afternoon despite a debut league goal for Tom Weir.

Dewi Llion made one change to the starting line-up that saw off Chirk AAA eight days previous with Matthew Worrall coming in for Danny Clarke whilst newly-retained Craig Pritchard was named on the bench.

The opening of the game couldn’t have gone any worse for Denbigh as Flint opened the scoring with less than two minutes played. A looping ball into the box deflected onto the crossbar before Brindley-Peagram nodded home from a yard out.

Flint dominated the opening exchanges and Denbigh found it difficult to get out of their own half but eventually settled. Town thought they’d equalised on 20 minutes when a drop-ball was picked up by Ryan Kershaw who rifled the ball into the back of the net, only for the referee to rule the goal out due to the drop-ball being indirect.

Both sides began creating chances, Brindley-Peagram was busy early doors and was set off down the right before smashing the ball into the side netting. Minutes later Kershaw’s exceptional ball forward found Paul Fleming who rounded the keeper, but the custodian just got a touch to direct it away from the Town skipper.

On 35 minutes Town did have a leveller, when a ball in from the left channel found it’s way to Weir who at the back stick bundled the ball home to give us our first goal in the second tier in four years.

Just before the whistle Aaron Jones was called upon to make a massive save one-on-one before Weir had a chance from distance but dragged an effort wide.

Half-Time: Flint Town United 1-1 Denbigh Town

Dewi Llion made a change at half-time with Weir departing and being replaced by Pritchard.

Two minutes after the restart Reeves had a great chance but could only direct his volley inside the box over the bar when he really should have scored.

Moments before the hour-mark Flint were back in from, Jean Louise Akpa-Akpro set Reeves off down the left who finished superbly past Jones to regain the lead.

Seconds after taking the lead Flint hit the post through Ben Hughes before a follow-up from Brindley-Peagram was saved brilliantly by Jones.

Town got back into the groove following a nervy spell and from the hour mark onwards continued to pile on masses of pressure. After 61 minutes a series of corners led to the ball in from Brown heading to the back post and three players clattered into each other and the goalpost with Morgan Thomas-Sadler staying down and needing treatment.

The management had one last roll of the dice making a double switch on 84 minutes with Jake Walker and Clarke replacing Matthew Worrall and Fleming and it was Walker who had the best chance of the half for Town.

After Kershaw saw a free-kick go narrowly over the bar a cross from the left by Harry Lockley was met by Walker’s volley that went over the bar. Seconds later in stoppage time a scramble was cleared off the line and Flint survived to pick up the three points.

Denbigh Town: A.Jones, B.Lockley, Holmes, Thomas-Sadler, H.Lockley, Blackwell-Jones, Kershaw, Fleming, Brown, Weir, Worrall

Subs: Rogers, Hansen, Bennett, Pritchard, Walker, Clarke

Bookings: Kershaw, Blackwell-Jones

Referee: Iwan Griffith