Second Half Blitz Sinks Ruthin

After an even first hour, Nomads struck four times in the last third of the game to return to the top of the table. Gary O'Toole took his season's tally to 26 after Ben Collins had opened the scoring while Sam McNutt and George Baxter each scored for the first time in the current campaign.

With Ben Alston away and his brother Andy serving the last game of his suspension, James McIntosh was restored to the side having been cup-tied for the UWIC game on Saturday. The first period was very similar to the game at Ruthin last October, with our visitors seeing a lot of the ball and keeping Nomads' defence occupied. Louis Mackin had to be alert to tip one effort over his bar and then watched as a Simon Smith free-kick went the same way.

The deadlock was broken when Ben Collins raced into the Ruthin penalty area and fired past two defenders and goalkeeper Ben Jones in the 27th minute. It was the full-back's 8th goal of a highly productive debut season. Before half-time James Mcintosh saw a shot tipped round the post by Jones while Mark McGregor headed over just before the interval.

Ruthin continued to pile forward after the break and Smith tried a 25 yard drive that Mackin held safely. On the hour Jamie Petrie saw his effort from a free-kick deflected for a corner and two minutes later Nomads doubled their lead when Gary O'Toole scored from the penalty spot after being brought down in the 'box.

That was the signal for the home side to dominate proceedings. McIntosh saw his effort deflected for a corner on 64 minutes and a minute later a chip into the area by Craig Jones was headed down by McGregor for O'Toole to turn past Jones.

Jamie Petrie tested left-back Joe Garner pulling the ball back for Dean Thurston to thump a shot against a defender while O'Toole was put clean through by McIntosh only to fire straight at the 'keeper. When Ruthin did get forward they rarely managed to trouble Nomads back line prompting Garner to send in a piledriver from 30 yards which Mackin had to palm over the bar.

With seven minutes remaining, O'Toole was bundled to the floor on the edge of the area and substitute Sam McNutt fired the free-kick into the top corner just two minutes after entering the fray. Teenager George Baxter was sent on for his second brief cameo in three days and he was rewarded with a first senior goal, two minutes from time, tapping in from close range after another penetrating run down the wing by Petrie.

NOMADS: Louis Mackin, James McIntosh, Ben Collins (Sam McNutt 81), Mark McGregor, Tom Baker, Craig Jones, Jamie Petrie, Alan Hooley, Gary O'Toole, Dean Thurston (Danny Forde 73), Stuart Scheuber (George Baxter 84).
Substitutes not used: Rob Jones and Scott Baker.