Owens seals late winner against Lakesiders

Connah’s Quay Nomads progressed to the semi finals of the Nathaniel MG Cup on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 victory over Bala Town at Maes Tegid.

An Andy Owens header in the 90th minute saw The Nomads seal their fourth consecutive league cup semi final.

• Nomads made six changes going into game
• Bala go close via Chris Venables
• Andy Owens hits crossbar in search for opener
• Late Owens header secured last gasp victory

The game was The Nomads’ first clash of the season with European qualification rivals Bala, who they were unbeaten against in their last eight meetings.

It was also their first meeting in a cup competition since 2015, when The Nomads came out on top with a penalty shoot out victory.

Both sides were looking to get back to winning ways, with Nomads frustrated in a 0-0 draw at Caernarfon Town on Friday night, whilst Bala had lost out 1-0 to Barry Town.

Andy Morrison made six changes to his starting lineup, with Ryan Wignall suspended after being dismissed in Friday’s match.  Jonny Spittle and Michael Parker linked up as centre backs, whilst Jack Kenny and Michael Bakare led the attacking line.

Bala started ex-Nomads Sean Smith and Mike Hayes, captain Chris Venables, and striker Steven Tames, whilst ex-Bangor midfielder Henry Jones was named on the bench.

With a minute played Bala Town went forward via Hayes, but as he ran past the Nomads’ backline he was found offside.

In the fifth minute, Nathan Woolfe dribbled close to the Bala area, but his pass went stray and was repossessed by the home side.

Woolfe was again in action three minutes later, shooting wide from 20 yards out before Rob Hughes sent a powerful half volley out for a Bala goal kick.

The match was a tight affair, as both Bala and Nomads implemented their gameplan with precision. After 20 minutes the keepers remained untested, despite Bala increasing their share of possession in the midfield.

Nomads kept on attacking whenever they saw a way through, with a 25 yard free kick from Nathan Woolfe blasted just past the right post on 26 minutes.

With 30 minutes played Bala put pressure on the Nomads’ end, with Kieran Smith sending a shot over the crossbar from 10 yards following a corner for the Lakesiders.

In the 39th minute the best chance of the game came, when a mix up between Jon Rushton and Laurence Wilson saw them both come to the edge of the area to collect the ball, leaving the goal open.

Chris Venables found the ball and sent it low towards the Nomads’ open goal, but the ball curled just wide to deny Bala the lead.

In the 42nd minute Rob Hughes was tackled just before he could get a shot away in the Bala area, before Nomads were forced to deal with two consecutive corner balls just before the interval.

At half time Andy Morrison made a double substitution, bringing off Rob Hughes and Nathan Woolfe to introduce Jay Owen and Andy Owens, in an attacking change of tactics.

The second half started tightly, but Michael Bakare was able to find his way into the Bala area as Nomads looked to begin testing the keeper.

In the 49th minute, he dribbled into the area, but his cross a free Jack Kenny waiting near the six yard box was blocked.

After Jon Rushton rose up in the Nomads’ area to catch a corner ball, Bakare got a shot away in the 57th minute after a good run into the area, with his low effort met by goalkeeper Ashley Morris.

Nomads’ pressure was rising with an hour played, as Jay Owen shot just wide from 12 yards in the 61st minute, before Andy Owens rattled the crossbar with a powerful upward shot from around 10 yards with 65 minutes gone.

Bala replied with attacks of their own, with Evan Horwood getting the ball in the net for the Lakesiders only for the offside flag to go up. They continued to attack, but with John Disney brought on in place of Declan Poole, the Nomads’ defence was coping well.

Nomads went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock on 80 minutes, when a Bakare corner kick was sent towards goal at close range by Jack Kenny only for Morris to make an instinctive save, pushing the ball above his goal.

With less than 10 minutes to go, both sides were rushing to cancel out the requirement for AET, seen when Sean Smith made a good run and sent a 20 yard effort towards the top right corner of the Nomads’ goal, which Rushton caught well.

Sean Smith again had a shot in the 87th minutes, but it couldn’t change the goalless scoreline, with the game looking set for an additional 30 minutes of play and possibly penalties.

But in the 90th minute the opener finally came, when Andy Owens headed a Bakare corner high into the goal to give Nomads the lead.

Owens’ header proved the difference, as the Nomads maintained their scoreline through a battling extra three minutes of injury time.

The victory sealed Nomads’ place in the semi final draw, which they have now achieved for four consecutive seasons.

The draw will be made on Wednesday evening, with Nomads eligible to play any of Cambrian & Clydach, Cardiff Met FC or The New Saints. The last four tie will be played on November 25/26.

Andy Morrison’s side will now turn their attentions to the JD Welsh Premier League, welcoming Llanelli Town to Deeside on Saturday 3 November for a 2:30pm kick off.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall