The disappointment of last week’s Nathaniel MG Cup exit was fresh on the minds of the Mountain as we turned our attention to our maiden JD Cymru North campaign on Friday evening. Our first game at Tier 2 saw Ruthin Town visit the Essity Stadium. The only other clash between the two sides saw Ruthin better the Mountain 4-1 in the NEWFA Challenge Cup in September 2022.

Jonny Hill, deputising in charge in place of Aden Shannon, made two changes from last week’s defeat, as new Mountain captain Joe Holt returned to replace Lloyd Ellams, while Ben Lawrence made his first Mountain start to replace Matty Scoullar.

Mountain started brightly and it took just nine minutes to take the lead. Reece Thompson launched a ball towards the Ruthin penalty area, where Jack Sconce headed the ball on. As Ruthin attempted to clear, the ball crashed off another defender into the air. Jack Parry met the ball and his header looped over the goalkeeper and into the net. No sooner than the scoring was opened than it was doubled. Straight from the kick off, Jack Sconce cut out a pass and fed Rob Hughes in space. He drove forward and drilled a low shot from 25 yards that found the bottom corner.

Midway through the half, it was three. Ben Lawrence picked up a loose near the half way line and clipped the ball to Jack Sconce. Sconce’s first touch took him away from his marker before he smashed a left-footed drive from outside the box that beat the Ruthin goalkeeper. Just four minutes later, Mountain had a fourth. Breaking out of defence, Jack Sconce clipped a ball down the middle to Mike Hayes in acres of space. Hayes drove into the box before clipping the ball past goalkeeper. Eight minutes before the break, Hayes added his second and Mountain’s fifth. Joe Holt’s clearance up to the Ruthin penalty area was met by Mike Hayes, who shielded the ball before spinning away from his marker and firing past the goalkeeper.

In the second half, the Ruthin goalkeeper was called into action early as he saved well from shots by Jack Parry and Andy Brown, before a Parry strike beat the goalkeeper only to hit the bottom of the post. Ruthin come back into the game pressing for a goal and hit the post themselves before Mike Hayes completed his hat trick with ten minutes to go. Dylan Owens, on as a substitute, hit an outside-of-the-boot pass that beat the defence and found Hayes. He steadied himself before hitting past the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, the scoring was complete. A Mountain corner was cleared to the edge of the penalty area, where substitute Sam Molyneux helped it back into the box. It landed at the feet of Andy Brown and his backheel found its way through the crowd of players and into the net.

Next up, Mountain are back at the Essity Stadium once again as we welcome Caersws on Saturday afternoon.

#VivaLaMountain