Denbigh Town made it back-to-back wins in the JD Cymru North to get the season up and running as Town hit five past Gresford.

Nathan Brown’s stunning hatrick was complimented by efforts from Paul Fleming and Owen Davies as Denbigh ran rampant at Central Park.

Dewi Llion made one change to the side that beat Caersws a week previous as Keiron Roberts came into the XI whilst new signing Alfie Vaughan made the bench.

Denbigh began well and within three minutes had their first sight of goal, Brown’s corner found the head of Ben Lockley but his effort sailed wide.

Town began bright and continued thart momentum, their next fright for the Colliers defence landed on 24 minutes when Davies won the ball on the touchline before driving forward, he squared if for Sam Duffy who couldn’t sort his feet and saw his rushed effort pull wide.

Two minutes later the miss was a distant memory, goalkeeper Lewis Dutton’s poor pass out from the back was picked up by Duffy who fed it to Davies, all that was left to do was smash it home.

However, Denbigh with a slender the lead were always able to lose focus and on 37 minutes it came, a sloppy pass led to a Gresford break which saw fine work down the left from Haci Ozlu cross for Toby Gallagher-Keenan to head home.

Looking destined to go in at the break level Denbigh still pushed forward, and a foul in the Gresford box saw the referee point to the spot. Brown stepped up and calmly dispatched his first of the campaign.

Half-Time: Denbigh Town 2-1 Gresford Athletic

Denbigh came quickest out of the blocks in the second half as within a couple of minutes a Town corner wasn’t cleared, it fell to Brown whose volley took a touch and whizzed wide of the goal. However, Denbigh did find the net seconds later when the following set piece caused mayhem in the box and Fleming poked home for his second goal in successive weeks.

On the hour mark Town looked to extend the lead when Brown’s free-kick from range was tipped over before Keelan Williams struck one agonisigly wide from the right channel.

Brown, who finally opened his account for the season wasn’t stopping any time soon, as on 67 minutes he picked up the ball from 35 yards and lashed it into the top corner. He almost had his hatrick three minutes later when yet another free kick had to be palmed over by Dutton.

The 72 minute saw Dewi Llion make a host of changes including bringing on Sion Jones for his 150th appearance in a Denbigh Town shirt, an impressive feat at just 23 with a season missing during the pandemic.

With 15 to go Brown and Denbigh wrapped it up. Dutton came rushing out to clear but wasn’t convincing, and the forward warped his foot around the ball from 40-yards to settle it.

Denbigh will take confidence and momentum into their next match away to Penrhyncoch on Monday.

Denbigh Town: A.Jones, Williams, B.Lockley, Cooke, H.Lockley, K.Roberts, I.Roberts, Fleming, Duffy, Brown, Davies

Subs: Wilmot, Parry-Jones, Holmes, S.Jones, Hansen, Vaughan

Attendance: 255

Referee: John Jones

POTM: Nathan Brown: Three goals and a thorn in the side of Gresford all evening.