Magic Mike Hayes inspires Nomads to big win

gap Connah's Quay Nomads moved to within a point of leaders Cefn Druids at the top of the Huws Gray Alliance after a fine 5-1 away win at defending champions Llangefni Town - with Michael Hayes netting four.

Mark McGregor's side were aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 home defeat by Rhyl last weekend with a win at Cae Bob Parry and they did so in style.

This, despite missing the services of suspended striker Gary O'Toole and injured duo Danny Forde and Sam McNutt.

Dean Thurston was handed a start alongside hot-shot Hayes, whilst influential midfielder Craig Jones returned from a recent three-match ban. Rob Jones and Jamie Petrie both dropped to the bench, where they were joined by 16-year old Academy graduate Jamie Wynne.

The visitors began the afternoon trailing Cefn Druids by four points - albeit with two games in hand over an Ancients' side who were involved in League Cup action - and set about their task of reducing the deficit from the first whistle, taking the lead inside three minutes.

Without leading scorer O’Toole and after Chris Herbert’s midweek departure to take over the manager’s hotseat at rock bottom Technogroup Welshpool, the onus was on Hayes to continue his impressive scoring record since arriving at the beginning of last season – and he did just that.

A long punt into the Llangefni area troubled the home defence and after one blocked effort, Hayes was the quickest to react to fire past Simon Williams from close range.

Llangefni went into the game with a new management team after Gus Williams returned to the club to replace Lee Dixon last week. Assisted by Steve Kehoe and Alan Bickerstaffe, Williams is attempting to overturn a poor start to the season that has seen Cefni garner just a solitary point on their home patch.

Peculiarly, the defending champions have claimed all four league victories so far this term away from Anglesey, drawing 2-2 at Rhyl before hammering Rhydymwyn 6-0 and Technogroup Welshpool 8-3 on their last two travels.

But back on home soil they were no match for a rampant Nomads and, in particular, an on-fire Hayes who doubled his tally six minutes before the break when he raced beyond the home defence to beat the advancing Williams to the ball and chipped in under the crossbar.

That strike was Hayes' eighth in the league and 12th overall this season, moving the former Chester and Wrexham youngster level with O'Toole at the top of the Nomads' scoring charts to hand the visitors a comfortable half-time lead.

Llangefni, though, were beginning to pose a threat and hauled themselves back into proceedings within three minutes of the restart.

A scramble in the Nomads penalty area brought Terry McCormick - who was largely untroubled for much of the first half - into action but despite keeping out an initial shot, he could do nothing to prevent Graham Austin from heading in at the far post.

Nomads survived a spell of pressure to restore their two-goal advantage in the 63rd minute. Stuart Scheuber's long distance free kick was floated into the Cefni area and player-boss McGregor found room in the ensuing melee to loft the ball high into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

Andy Alston was floored in the build up to McGregor's fourth goal of the campaign and, following a five minute delay to receive treatment, he was withdrawn for midfielder Rob Jones.

The switch brought a change in formation from the familiar 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 line-up as Jones partnered his namesake Craig in midfield, whilst Jamie Petrie later replaced Scheuber to take up a position on the right flank.

The substitutions also brought a bizarre booking for visiting ‘keeper McCormick who saw yellow for what was deemed to be a time-wasting tactic as he waited for his on-coming team-mates to take up their positions.

With Nomads comfortably in the driving seat, Llangefni were reduced to ten men following a dangerous two-footed lunge on Alan Hooley’s shins by substitute Steve Kerde, before Hayes hoisted himself to the top of the scoring charts with two close-range finishes inside the final two minutes to wrap up the scoring.