Nomads lose out as Tudno take spoils

The Nomads lost out against MBi Llandudno on Saturday afternoon by one goal to nil as a Leo Riley goal in the 76th minute was enough for the home side to claim victory on matchday 17 of the Dafabet Welsh Premier League season.

The game was seen as a meeting of two of the league’s in form sides, with The Nomads having won their past three league games and Llandudno entering the fixture in the Welsh Premier’s automatic European qualifying position, second place.

Strong sides started, with Ashley Ruane starting for The Nomads along with Danny Harrison and Les Davies.  Llandudno started the formidable attacking pair of Buckley and Williams, however Tom Dix was unavailable due to a suspension.

Wind and rain swept Maesdu Park and this affected the pace of the game throughout.  The opening phase saw a slow encounter, with neither side managing a shot on target for the first 20 minutes.

Paul Linwood surged forward in the 25th minute, but Nick Rushton was unable to latch onto his through ball.

Linwood again played a part in one of The Nomads' best chances of the game in the 28th minute, when he sent a low header from a Baynes corner towards goal, where Roberts saved amidst a busy Llandudno area.

Enjoying a marginal majority of possession, The Nomads attacked well in the first half but failed to produce a goal, seen when Crowther got in a great position seven yards from goal but poked his effort over the crossbar.

At half time the game was goalless, which was an accurate reflection of a reasonably uneventful first 45 minutes.

In the second half, The Nomads aimed to change gear and came of the stocks fast with Ruane and Baynes both attempting to create chances.  In the 54th minute, Baynes sent a powerful low cut shot towards goal, but it sailed safely past the home goal.

The game then came to life when Danby was intercepted whilst attempting to let a loose ball run out near The Nomads' left corner flag.  Although the 'keeper was way out of his goal, Llandudno couldn’t take advantage with the resulting shot going wide.

A substitution then saw Ashley Ruane leave the field and allow recent loan signing from TNS Robert Parry make his debut for The Nomads.

Parry had an immediate effect, playing a ball to Davies in the Llandudno area which The Nomads' striker failed to head towards goal against the Llandudno defence.

Llandudno then turned the pressure on The Nomads when Connor Tierney forced Danby into a double save, breaking into the area to send a shot towards Danby from eight yards before following up from around five yards.

The breakthrough then came for Llandudno in the 76th minute, when Leo Riley sent a shot towards goal, which owing to a packed Nomads area bounded towards goal before taking a deflection which saw it land in the right hand side of The Nomads' net.

Although some may have called the goal a lucky one, Llandudno’s goal was deserved after a number of chances building up to their goal which would win the game.

During the final ten minutes of action, Llandudno utilised their strength well in muting any Nomads attempt to equalise.

A final chance came when The Nomads were awarded a free kick from 25 yards in the additional three minutes of injury time, but this was cancelled out by a free kick given in the area against The Nomads.

This was a disappointing result for The Nomads, who had lost in the league for the first time in three weeks.  Their next fixture moves away from Welsh Premier action, as they face Prestatyn Town in the JD Sport Welsh Cup on Saturday 5th December.

Match Photos