Denbigh Town’s hopes of reaching the Northern Final of the WBS League Cup were halted on Saturday with a 5-1 thumping at Mold.

Josh Lock’s first-half effort was merely a consolation as Danny Warren hit four and Joe Ormrod opened the scoring.

Dewi Llion named an unchanged starting XI from the 4-1 win against Llandudno two weeks ago, whilst naming Kyle Cooper and Dion Gibbins in the squad for the first time.

The first chance of the contest fell to the hosts as as a cross from the left was met by the head of Warren, but he somehow couldn’t find the target Denbigh responded with their first chance of the game when good work from Town found Matthew Worrall who’s effort deflected wide. The resulting corner came in from Nathan Brown and Dan Parry-Jones met it, but put the ball wide.

Chances continued to flow and on 17 minutes Craig Pritchard did well after receiving the ball short from a Brown corner, he dashed inside before hitting the ball across the face of goal and inches wide. Less than a minute later Worrall was played through, his touch let him down and as he recovered he attempted to round the keeper but an onrushing defender was able to nudge the ball away for a corner.

Paul Fleming was next up to test the goalkeeper with a tame effort that was safely gathered, but Mold found themselves in the Town box on 24 minutes as a long throw causes confusion before Rhys Nash who drew Aaron Jones into a low stop.

On 27 minutes the deadlock was broken. Poor defending from Denbigh led to Ormrod having the freedom of the box to smash home as the ball came in from the left.

Now Denbigh had to answer the Mold challenge, and on half an hour almost immediately came back into it. Billy Holmes, having another superb game, crossed from the left for Worrall who couldn’t get a clean connection, it fell back to Fleming who’s effort from close rang was snuffed out.

Ryan Kershaw’s shot from distance flashed wide with ten minutes of the half to play before Mold almost doubled the lead, Warren having a shot well covered by Jones.

With five to go Josh Lock had the all-important leveller, as he made a break just left of centre into the box before firing at goal, if took a nick off a defender to wrong foot the goalkeeper and draw parity.

However, the fightback lasted just three minutes. A long throw into the Town box found Warren to bundle the ball home for his first of the afternoon.

Half-Time: Mold Alexandra 2-1 Denbigh Town

Within two minutes of the re-start Mold made it three, Warren running through to finish past a hapless Jones. Seconds later it was four, Warren again finishing to put the tie to bed early on.

Denbigh looked to continue fighting back, Pritchard looked lively and hit one over the bar from range on 54 minutes. Dewi Llion handed debuts to Cooper and Gibbins replacing Fleming and Keiron Roberts with 35 to play.

Pritchard continued trying to get his side into it, doing well down the right as he cut inside and forced the Mold custodian into a save.

A minute later the hill Denbigh had to climb became a mountain. Ryan Coney had the ball in the middle of the park for Mold before a rash challenge from Kershaw saw him sent off. A fracas ensued taking several minutes to calm down, leaving Town with ten men.

Almost immediately after play resumed Mold made it five through Warren once more to heap further misery on the visitors.

Owen Davies was added to the frame and was a bright spark in his 17-minute cameo, with a couple of shots just flashing wide whilst Town had a penalty claim waved away with five to go as Pritchard was fouled in the box.

The final whistle eventually blew and Town’s maiden entry in the WBS League Cup came to a screeching halt.

Denbigh Town: A.Jones, Roberts, Lockley, Parry-Jones, Holmes, Lock, Kershaw, Brown, Fleming, Pritchard, Worrall

Subs: Cooper, S.Jones, Gibbins, Hansen, Davies, Pierce

Referee: Mark James

Attendance: 237