FLINT TOWN UNITED know better than anyone that goals change games.

Gilt-edged chances came and went for the Silkmen against Haverfordwest County, who made their hosts pay by scoring twice on the counter-attack.

Mark Cadwallader and Rob Hughes were guilty of squandering Flint’s best openings, the latter’s miss coming shortly before Jack Wilson gave visiting Haverfordwest the lead.

And with Flint pushing on in order to salvage something from a game they should have won, Daniel Williams converted a penalty after Wilson was fouled by Ben Lockley.

Flint boss Niall McGuinness cut a frustrated figure at the end of proceedings as his side lost a fourth successive game, during which time the top-flight newboys have scored just once.

“I’ve been saying it so far this season and especially over the last few weeks, but goals change games of football,” said McGuinness, whose side have scored just times in seven matches. “At the moment we are missing countless good opportunities, if one of those goes in it’s a different result.

“I think we’re getting on the front-foot, we’re dominating possession, we’re creating chances.

“There are two or three that must go in. They are not half-chances, they are tap-ins. We’ve not taken them and it’s cost us.

“There’s no bigger example of goals changing games. Rob’s missed his chance and within a minute they are up the other end and they’ve taken their chance, and the game flips on its’ head.

“It’s a difficult one because I don’t think it’s a case of us missing a goal scorer.

“Chances are falling to different players, who are all capable of putting the ball in the net.

“Something has got to give and it’s about us sticking together and doing the right things.”

Flint had been forced to make late changes to their starting XI after new signings Sam Hart and Kai Edwards failed to be registered in time, the latter withdrawn from the team around half-an-hour before kick-off.

An administrative error meant defensive duo Hart and Edwards were not cleared to face Haverfordwest like fellow new signings Joe Palmer and Alex Jones, who both impressed in midfield.

McGuinness bemoaned: “It’s not ideal. They are two massive players and I’ve worked hard all week to bring those two players in and make sure everything was in place for them to play.

“An error behind the scenes has cost us and it’s very upsetting.”

Haverfordwest debutant goalkeeper, Matthew Turner, on-loan from Leeds, tweeted: “Great to make my Welsh Prem debut, a class performance from the lads and great 2-0 win #bluebirds.”