Nomads unbeaten run comes to an end at Latham Park

Never able to adapt to appalling conditions on a gluepot of a pitch, the Nomads lost to a single goal scored with virtually the last kick of the first half.  Another very good performance from John Rushton kept the scoreline down but although the Nomads kept plugging away for an equaliser, this was not one of their better performances and in a game punctuated by misplaced passes, they were unable to convert the chances they created.   

There were two changes from the line-up for the Aberystwyth game, with Sean Breen starting in place of Mike Hayes who had been recalled to Airbus, and Danny Forde taking the place of Ryan Edwards who was on the bench.

The early stages of the game saw Newtown on the offensive and they had an appeal for a penalty turned down in the 6th minute with the Nomads relieved to scramble the ball away for a corner.  A minute later, Rob Jones hit the Nomads’ first attempt on goal as he sent a shot just wide of the goal from about 25 yards. 

With neither side able to settle into any pattern of play, there was little action of note until the 25th minute when John Rushton produced a fine save down to his right as Newtown sent in a free kick awarded for obstruction by Michael Robinson who was booked for the offence.  After Rushton had pushed the shot away he was called into action again immediately as he was forced into tipping the resulting cross over the bar for a corner.  The Nomads then put pressure on the Newtown defence as John Hardiker made a strong run into their half and then an Alan Hooley interception saw his pass inside present Sean Breen with an opening but his shot was not strong enough to trouble the keeper. 

As the Nomads continued to press, another chance was created when a free kick from Craig Jones found Mark McGregor free to head the ball into the goalmouth where it was cleared by the Newtown defence.  This was followed a couple of minutes later by Rob Jones hitting a lob shot which just cleared the bar and landed on the top of the net.

With signs that they were starting to find some sort of rhythm to their play, the Nomads produced the best move of the game so far as they passed the ball swiftly downfield with Rob Jones ending the move with a shot which was only narrowly wide.  With half time approaching, Ricky Evans forced the home keeper into a brilliant save as he hit a goalbound shot from about 20 yards, the keeper turning the ball round the post with a spectacular flying save.

Back upfield the Nomads found themselves defending two free kicks in quick succession as they tried to go in for the half-time break on equal terms.  From the second of these, in the one added minute at the end of the half, disaster struck as they were unable to clear the ball and it fell to Matthew Cook whose shot from about 8 yards appeared to strike a diving John Rushton before crossing the line. Coming so late in the first half, this was a cruel blow to the Nomads and there was only time to restart the game from the centre spot before referee Petch blew his whistle for half-time.

The second half started with the Nomads looking determined to get back into the game and after Ricky Evans had won the ball in midfield he put in a very good crossfield ball to Jamie Petrie but his shot was collected by the keeper.

As the game progressed the misplaced passes which had been a feature of the first half returned and as the pitch cut up a number of players were finding it difficult to keep their feet.

John Rushton was being kept the busier of the two keepers and he rescued the Nomads in   the 58th minute as he pushed the ball out for a corner after Newtown had broken down the left side.  Then two minutes later he was forced into pushing the ball over the bar from another quick Newtown break.

The 62nd minute saw the introduction of Ryan Edwards in place of Sean Breen and a few minutes later he sent in a good cross which Ricky Evans headed just over the bar. 

With the Newtown defence proving difficult to break down, Mark McGregor pushed himself forward and after he received a pass out on the right wing in the 75th minute he fed a pass through to Jamie Petrie, with his shot being diverted for a corner.  From the resultant corner the Newtown keeper made a goal-line clearance from a poke shot from John Hardiker.

John Rushton was called into action again in the 78th minute and then Danny Dobbins was brought on in place of Rob Jones.   Dobbins almost scored with his first touch as he met a Jamie Petrie cross but the Newtown defence survived again.

The rest of the game was played without any signs that the Nomads could break down the Newtown defence but there were two final chances in the three added minutes after the 90th minute.  The first came as Danny Dobbins headed the ball into the goalmouth but there was no one there to meet it and the second fell to Michael Robinson after the Nomads had pumped the ball into the goalmouth but his volley from about 6 yards went over the bar.

A disappointing defeat and not one of the Nomads’ better performances.  Despite some promising sign in the later stages of the first half, the general play was not of the standard seen in the earlier parts of the season and this will be a game they will want to put behind them.