NEIL GIBSON praised the character of his Flint Town side as they beat fellow strugglers Aberystwyth Town to climb out of the bottom two.

Mark Cadwallader’s first half strike put The Silkmen in charge at The Essity Stadium before substitute Rob Hughes added two late goals to seal a 3-0 win.

“All the credit has to go to the players. They’ve taken a lot of information on board in the last 10 days,” said Gibson, who was handed the manager’s job after Niall McGuinness was axed earlier this month.

Gibson’s first match in charge was a damaging 2-1 defeat to Cefn Druids but he - and his players - got it right on Saturday.

“We probably deserved more on Tuesday and it was important the confidence was not affected by that. Everything I’ve asked of them they’ve given in abundance.

“Aber had a 20 minute spell at the start of the second half and we’ve weathered that storm.

“Aber came here fighting. They were fighting for points just like we are but we showed our quality at the end.

“You find out about players and in the 10 days they’ve showed me they have got character and they’ve got that fight and that they want to do well for Flint Town Football Club.”

Alex Jones set up Cadwallader’s opener on 43 minutes before super sub Rob Hughes took centre stage in a 20 minute cameo at the end.

He’d already tested out his shooting boots with a 20-yarder that flew just wide before he scored Flint’s crucial second goal from the spot with five minutes to go.

Richard Ricketts hacked Hughes (pictured above) down in the box and the referee had no choice to point to the spot - Flint’s first penalty of the campaign.

Hughes put his spot kick straight down the middle and he added the gloss to a fine Flint win by bagging a third goal in stoppage time.

Now they have the big task of stopping champions and Deeside derby rivals Connah’s Quay Nomads in their Boxing Day showdown at The Essity Stadium.

Newtown have joined Aber in the relegation zone after their 1-1 draw with Caernarfon.

Former Wrexham striker Nick Rushton scored a late leveller for the mid-Wales side after Sion Bradley had give the hosts a first half lead.