Salford strike late in Deeside draw

The Nomads drew 1-1 with Salford City in a pre season friendly on Saturday afternoon.  Ian Kearney sent The Nomads ahead in the 48th minute, before Salford equalised late on via Matty Warburton in the 88th minute.

The match was a vital step in both sides’ pre season preparations, with The Nomads just two weeks away from the start of their Dafabet Welsh Premier campaign and Salford preparing for their debut into the National League North in a week’s time.

The Nomads started a lineup including the likes of Jon Rushton, John Disney and Ashley Ruane with fellow senior players such as John Danby, George Horan and Lewis Short on the bench.  Salford meanwhile announced one of their strongest lineups in order to see in their pre season with Mark Warburton and James Poole leading the line.

The game began and it was The Nomads who first created major chances, with Matty Owen having a shot blocked from 15 yards before Ashley Ruane went through on goal only to hit the underside of the crossbar and have his chance cleared in the eighth minute.

Salford soon attacked The Nomads' end with Phenix looking to have scored when he controlled the ball over both Linwood and Rushton in the Nomads area, but Ben Nash was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

The first half settled for the majority of play, but chances came thick and fast as the interval neared.  Nick Rushton made a great run in the middle of a fantastic attacking move from The Nomads, which saw Ruane cross to Davies who had his header from yards out saved by 'keeper Lynch.

Matty Owen had The Nomads’ final chance before the first half on 38 minutes when he sent a volley shot just wide of the Salford goal.  The visitors nearly claimed a goal on 43 minutes  when Warburton sent a controlled effort just past The Nomads’ right post.

Half time saw Nomads make wholesale changes, with  Horan, Kearney, Field, Wilde, Short, and Danby replacing Jon Rushton, Ruane, Linwood, Nash, Matty Owen and  Jay Owen.

Spectators had only three minutes to wait for a goal in the second half when two of the half time substitutes combined as from a Tom Field corner, Ian Kearney sent an excellent header low into the goal.

Salford remained well in the game and searched for their equaliser, but The Nomads coped against numerous attacks, with Horan and Kearney making good challenges to deter the Salford front line.

Ashley Ruane made a run up field in the 77th minute only to be pulled back and win a free kick.  From the free kick he tried to latch onto a ball in the Salford area but defender Clark cleared his lines.

With time running out for Salford, John Danby was forced into two great saves in the 83rd minute, before play was paused for referee Nick Pratt to neutralise both teams during a scuffle on the pitch, for which Jay Owen was substituted at the referee's request.

With just two minutes to go, Salford struck via Warburton who headed his goal in from close range, connecting from a cross by King.

The game ended with the score a deserved draw, with both sides creating good chances on an afternoon that could well have seen more goals.

The Nomads now move onto their final pre season friendly at Caernarfon Town for a 2:30pm kick off at the Oval, before they begin their Welsh Premier campaign away at Carmarthen Town in a live S4C game, for a 5:15pm kick off.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall