10 Man Nomads lose out at Jenner Park

Connah's Quay Nomads lost in the JD Cymru Premier for the first time this season against Barry Town United at Jenner Park on Saturday afternoon.

A solitary Rhys Kavanagh goal in the 24th minute saw the hosts secure all three points, with Nomads missing a penalty early on in the game.

• Nomads travelled with seven players missing from squad
• Mike Lewis saved early Callum Morris penalty
• Rhys Kavanagh found the breakthrough in the 24th minute
• Nomads reduced to 10 in the second half as Disney shown straight red

The game was the fifth of the Nomads' season so far, following two wins and two draws in the campaign so far and a recent JD Welsh Cup 5-0 win over CPD Y Rhyl 1879 in the previous week.

Barry Town had meanwhile won two, drawn one and lost one as they also sought to climb the JD Cymru Premier table in its early stages.

Andy Morrison made only one change to his side, with Jamie Insall returning to the starting eleven in place of the ill Jamie Mullan.

His counterpart Gavin Chesterfield, who made his 491st appearance as Barry manager, started the likes of Kayne McLaggon, Jordan Cotterill and Clayton Green.

The game began in front of a bumper crowd, with the first action coming after seven minutes, when Craig Curran was brought down inside the Barry area.

Referee Lee Evans pointed to the spot handing Nomads the chance to take an early lead, but this was denied by goalkeeper Mike Lewis who saved Callum Morris' 8th minute spot kick low to his right.

Connah's Quay looked to make up for the missed penalty quickly, with John Disney doing well to put pressure on the Barry final third, taking a free kick in the 15th which was headed down to George Horan close to goal before Barry managed to clear before he could strike for goal.

Just before the 20th minute, Callum Morris saw a volley go wide of the goal from the edge of the box as he picked up a second ball from an Aron Williams long throw.

Then in the 24th, Barry Town scored with one of their first chances of the afternoon, when Rhys Kavanagh capitalised with a shot from around eight yards to follow up on a long throw of their own.

Nomads were 1-0 down and looked to level the scores before the break, with Byron Harrison getting the ball in the net on 31 minutes only to see it disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

In the 34th, tempers flared with a collision between Craig Curran and Clayton Green in which both players tussled on the floor before Green appeared to stamp on Curran whilst getting up, but play resumed with only a free kick to the hosts given.

Nomads remained well in the game as half time neared, but went in for the interval trailing after Kavanagh's opening goal.

The match resumed and Nomads immediately created a good opportunity just 20 seconds into the half as Aron Williams broke down the right wing, sending a low cross towards goal, but Jamie Insall was denied at the near post by keeper Lewis.

Barry then hit back with attacks from frontman Kayne McLaggon who had a volley in the Nomads area in the and 49th minute blocked, just minutes after a vital headed interception from Horan denied McLaggon a header on goal.

In the 55th minute, Nomads were dealt a blow when John Disney was shown a straight red card for taking down Kavanagh on a run down the left wing.

Now down to 10 men, Andy Morrison's side had a major challenge on their hands to take a result from Jenner Park on the day.

But just four minutes after the red card, they were dealt more misfortune when Aron Williams awkwardly fell off the pitch whilst trying to keep the ball in and was forced off with injury to be replaced by Harrison Webster.

After the hour mark, Nomads continued to battle, seeing another chance go close when Curran sent a shot wide in the 62nd minute as Jamie Insall laid off a pass inside the box only to see Curran's effort go wide.

With 20 minutes to go the game was very much alive as Connah's Quay kept finding ways into the Barry area, seen in the 78th when Horan narrowly missed a free kick into the box from Webster.

It was a chance that would unfortunately sum up the afternoon for Connah's Quay, who couldn't find the final finish to equalise as the game headed into injury time.

Full time confirmed a first league defeat for Nomads, who now turn their attentions to another key JD Cymru Premier clash with Bala Town next Saturday 18th September at Deeside for a 2:30pm kick off.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall