O Toole Treble Keeps Nomads Top

On fire striker Gary OToole netted a stunning hat trick to hand Nomads the points in a win at Y Traeth. The hotshot frontman plundered his second treble of the season to take his tally to 17 goals in all competitions and, with it, maintain Nomads' position at the top of the Huws Gray Alliance league table.

Player-manager Mark McGregor handed a debut to new arrival Adam McGee, who was brought in to replace the departing Terry McCormick between the sticks, and the former Rhos Aelwyd stopper was joined in the starting X1 by Jamie Petrie, in place of Tom Baker, in an otherwise unchanged line-up.

Nomads took the game to their former Welsh Premier League rivals from the first whistle, utilising the speed and trickery of the returning Petrie on the right flank to dangerous effect.

Petrie's inroads caused the home defence problems inside the first five minutes, creating a chance for O'Toole but the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City youth blazed well over goal when well positioned.

Dean Thurston, operating in his now familiar position behind the front pairing of O'Toole and James McIntosh, went even closer when he drove a low shot just past the post from a Ben Collins corner.

But Porthmadog were not to be reprieved when O'Toole found himself through on goal with Petrie's inch-perfect pass from deep - the talented striker driving across home 'keeper Richard Harvey and into the bottom far corner to hand Nomads an eighth minute lead.

Within a minute Petrie turned opportunist himself, cracking a volley from Alan Hooley's long high ball, but his chance to double the advantage was denied by a solid stop from Harvey.

Nomads dominated proceedings, with McGee's only excitement coming from watching his team-mates make wave after wave of attacks on the home side's goal. 

A series of corner kicks midway through the half resulted in left wing-back Ben Collins chesting the ball down and volleying inches wide from the edge of the area - to the relief of the Porthmadog players.

The constant pressure on the home goal told some ten minutes before the break when central defender Andy Alston charged forward, playing a neat one-two with Hooley before picking out O'Toole outside the area, who stepped inside his marker to drive a low right-footed shot into the bottom far corner.

Immediately, another testing Petrie cross from the right was flicked on and headed clear at the far post with Nomads' attackers lurking, as the visitors continued to press forward with force.

Three minutes before the interval, Porthmadog were handed a lifeline when they were rewarded a free kick 20 yards from goal. Star striker Marcus Orlik stepped up to despatch a curling effort over the wall and beyond a rooted McGee to half the deficit. 

In the final moments of the half, McIntosh and O'Toole both came close to restoring Nomads' two-goal cushion as the visitors continued their onslaught on Porthmadog's goal.

But Orlik's strike before half time roused the home side, who began the second half intent on clawing level and almost did within a minute when Jack Jones shot over following a neat move involving Orlik and Gareth Jones Evans.

Jones Evans then had three gilt-edge chances to equalise himself, first firing inches over, before calling McGee into action then later driving a low effort inches wide from the edge of the area.

Port were well on top and another Orlik free kick, following a foul and the inevitable booking for captain Craig Jones, tested the Nomads' wall but curled too far wide of McGee's right-hand post.

Then, on 68 minutes, Nomads were handed some much-needed respite when O'Toole slammed in his hat-trick goal in fine style.

Craig Jones' high looping header from deep was poorly cleared by the home defence and O'Toole cracked a 20-yard thunderbolt on the volley that arrowed inside the post, leaving Harvey for dead.

Rob Jones was brought on to replace the tiring Thurston and shortly later he was almost on the end of a neat Petrie cut-back from the right byline, but the home defenders were quicker to react and cleared their lines.

Soon after, another dangerous Petrie break found Andy Alston and Hooley on the edge of the area but both players collided when well-positioned.

At the other end, Port continued their attempts to restore parity, with Ryan Davies heading wide from an Orlik corner and Paul Roberts forcing a smart stop from McGee - who was, by now, enjoying the action he was called into.

The last real opportunity saw Roberts send a first-time drive from distance whistling past McGee's post but, despite the late rally, a goal would only have been a mere consolation and Nomads held out for their second win of the week to remain top of the table.

NOMADS: Adam McGee, Ben Alston, Ben Collins, Mark McGregor, Andy Alston, Craig Jones, James Petrie (Tom Baker 82'), Alan Hooley, Gary O'Toole (Scott Baker 90'), James McIntosh, Dean Thurston (Rob Jones 67'). 

Sub not used: Danny Pinch.

Booked: Craig Jones 63'