Dominant Nomads put four past Cofis

Connah's Quay Nomads defeated Caernarfon Town by four goals to nil in the JD Cymru Premier's penultimate round at Deeside Stadium on Saturday evening.

A Jamie Insall goal in the first half gave Nomads the lead, with second half strikes from Aron Williams and Callum Morris sealing a dominant win for Connah's Quay.

• Insall goal sent Nomads ahead on 10 minutes
• Caernarfon reduced to ten after keeper Lewis Brass saw red
• Aron Williams scored second after sustained pressure from Connah's Quay
• Callum Morris hit late brace to seal victory
• Nomads stay top of the league ahead of final fixture against Penybont

With just two games to play in the JD Cymru Premier, the title race was still very much on, as the defending champions Nomads were leading the pack by just two points over second placed The New Saints.

Ahead of the evening kick off, TNS had already kept form with a 3-0 win over Barry Town, meaning Nomads had to win to keep their fate in their own hands ahead of the final game of the season.

It followed a dramatic trip to South Wales on Tuesday evening, where Nomads were 1-0 down with only 15 minutes to go, but completed a late comeback thanks to a Callum Morris penalty and Craig Curran strike.

Caernarfon also arrived at Deeside off the back of a win, having defeated Bala Town by three goals to nil in the midweek.

Andy Morrison made just one change from his victorious line up over Barry Town, replacing Danny Harrison with Craig Curran, who formed an attacking line alongside Jamie Insall and Michael Wilde.

Caernarfon meanwhile started the likes of Sion Bradley, Darren Thomas, as well as former Nomads Michael Hayes, Jack Kenny, and goalkeeper Lewis Brass, who had recently signed for the Cofis after his departure from Deeside.

Kick off saw Nomads start on the front foot, creating their first chance just three minutes in when Wilde saw a shot take a deflection and go out for a corner.

Nomads kept the pressure on from that point, going onto win a series of set pieces in the Caernarfon half, where they played much of their football throughout the JD Cymru Premier clash.

As the set pieces, and in particular throw ins from the right wing continued, Nomads saw more of the Caernarfon goal with Jamie Insall having a close range bicycle effort saved by Brass in the 9th.

But Insall returned just a minute later to find the breakthrough when he converted a Declan Poole cross in at close range, sending his side 1-0 up.

With their lead secured, Connah's Quay set about to extend it, but the visiting Cofis stood up to the challenge with some slick play down the wings from the likes of Declan Poole and Danny Davies.

Lewis Brass then displayed the goalkeeping prowess Nomads were familiar with, denying Aeron Edwards from around 12 yards in the 18th, and a shot from Poole on 23 minutes.

In the 28th Jamie Insall nearly got his brace, shooting from 10 yards out in the Caernarfon area to see the shot go wide, with his appeals for a corner ball waved away by referee Tom Owen.

As the half hour mark passed, Nomads continued to look for their second, whilst Caernarfon sought an equaliser before the interval.

When the second half resumed, both sides showed attacking intent by winning a corner kick each in quick succession. Nomads took theirs in the 49th, and the ball fell to Morris who had his shot from 15 yards blocked close to the goal line.

In the 54th Nomads were again threatening in the final third, as Michael Wilde had a header pushed against the crossbar by Brass before it was cleared on the goal line to deny Nomads a second.

As the hour mark passed, Andy Morrison made his first change, bringing off Craig Curran and introducing Aron Williams, which would prove a shrewd substitution.

Williams immediately got involved in Nomads' passing moves through the midfield and down the right wing, helping force another chance for Wilde who just missed out on a headed down assist from George Horan inside Caernarfon's six-yard box.

Then after 65 minutes, Caernarfon were reduced to ten when referee Tom Owen dismissed Lewis Brass for stopping Jamie Insall who was clear on goal at the edge of the area.

The Nomads had a free kick in a dangerous position as a result, and made it 2-0 when Kris Owens' effort went against the post and rebounded to Williams who did enough to send the ball looping into the net on 67 minutes.

With 20 minutes to play, Nomads had found their much sought after two goal cushion, and were commanding play across the field, whilst Caernarfon brought on substitute keeper Tyler French as they looked to get back into the game.

But in the 77th, Callum Morris all but sealed the affair for Nomads when he scored a great individual goal, moving upfield and curling the ball past French from 18 yards.

With 10 minutes to go Nomads were now 3-0 up, and didn't rest up as the game entered its latter stages. This was seen in the 84th and 85th, when Wilde narrowly missed the chance to get on the end of a Davies cross, and Insall shot just wide respectively.

As the 90th minute approached, Nomads were nearing the end of a dominant performance, having also introduced Neil Danns in place of George Horan and Danny Harrison for Aeron Wards.

But they found time to add a fourth and final goal, which came in the form of a Callum Morris brace after he controlled the ball just inside the area and turned to strike into the bottom left corner in the 91st.

The result leaves Nomads top of the JD Cymru Premier by two points with only one game left to play this season, and they travel to Penybont next Saturday knowing three points will see them crowned league champions for the second consecutive season.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall