Morris penalty pushes fight for Europe on

The Nomads cemented another important Dafabet Welsh Premier League victory against Newtown on Saturday afternoon.  A solitary second half penalty from Callum Morris was enough to see The Nomads claim the win.

The Nomads came into the game on the back of an impressive away win against their derby rivals Airbus UK Broughton, but faced a long time bogey team in Newtown AFC.

In their last seven visits to Deeside, Newtown had won on five occasions.
Furthermore, the Robins had already completed a double over The Nomads with
2-0 and 4-2 wins during phase one.

The game began and it was The Nomads who enjoyed more of the ball in the opening stages.  Les Davies got just inside the Newtown area, but had his shot blocked by the Robins’ defence.  Parry then tried to skill his way through to goal on the left wing, but was held by the strength of defender Rob Williams.

Newtown grew into the game after a quiet opening, and claimed the first real chance of the game on 13 minutes.  Jamie Tolley broke through onto goal to the right of The Nomads’ area, but Danby saved his low shot which was heading for the bottom left corner of the net.

Kevin McIntyre, who came into the starting 11 for the game, then took a long throw into the Newtown area, where Les Davies sent the ball across the goal mouth only for no one in a red shirt to convert the chance.

Following this, Les Davies sent a half volley tamely towards Newtown 'keeper, Jones, who saved comfortably.  This was typical of The Nomads in the first half who created chances but never really threatened the keeper.

Deeside Stadium then thought Sean Miller had scored the opener on 26 minutes with a half volley from seven yards, but during Miller’s celebration was cut short as the linesmans’ flag went up in a late offside decision.

For the remainder of the first half both sides kept attacking to make the game an end to end spectacle, but this was without a breakthrough from either side thanks to two well drilled and organised defences.

The Nomads started the second half with a substitution of Jamie Crowther replacing Robbie Parry.  There was then another dramatic moment at the Newtown end, when Jones dropped a headed attempt from Horan, with a second attempt on goal cleared off the line before Newtown were awarded a free kick.

In the 53rd minute Jason Oswell got on the inside of Paul Linwood, but sent his shot looping over the crossbar.

Linwood was again in the thick of the action when he headed a Baynes corner just over the Newtown crossbar in what was the biggest goal-scoring opportunity of the game so far.

Neil Mitchell, who scored in his two previous games against The Nomads, had a volley blocked inside the area which led to shouts for a penalty, which the referee waved away.

In the 62nd minute the game finally saw a goal, when Callum Morris converted a penalty, awarded after Rob Williams' rash tackle on Nathan Woolfe.  In his ninth goal of the season, Morris coolly stepped up and sent the ball to the left of Jones.

As the game entered it's twilight phase, both teams looked to strengthen with Rimmer solidifying the defence for The Nomads and Scott Ryan replacing Sean Evans, who had caused The Nomads problems on the attack.

In the 79th minute Wes Baynes used his skill and power to dribble into the Newtown area, but took too long on the ball meaning his shot was engulfed by a number of Newtown defenders.

The Nomads had now taken control of the game, but Newtown still threatened their one-goal lead, seen when Jamie Price’s looping effort from the right wing forced Danby to push the ball over his crossbar for a corner.

Morris then had the chance to get his brace in spectacular fashion, when he caught out Jones 30 yards from goal. Morris launched a long range lob attempt, but it was not be, with the effort rolling out wide.

In the final five minutes of normal time, The Nomads held up the ball in Newtown’s area with the help of Ashley Ruane, who was substituted in place of Miller.

In the third minute of the three additional minutes given, The Nomads had a final scare when Newtown chased the ball all the way to The Nomads’ area, where to the relief of the home side the ball rolled out for a goal kick. Following Danby’s kick, the referee signalled for full time.

This was a second consecutive win in the Dafabet Welsh Premier for The Nomads, and their third clean sheet in four games.  They now look ahead to the JD Welsh Cup quarter finals, where they visit Cardiff Met FC in a live S4C Sgorio fixture.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall