Horan the hat-trick hero in derby win

The Nomads concluded 2016 with a 5-1 victory over local rivals Airbus UK on Friday evening.

Goals from Matty Williams, Tom Field and a George Horan hat-trick confirmed the victory for The Nomads, with ex-Nomad Ryan Edwards netting a late consolation for the Wingmakers.

The Nomads had already recorded a 3-0 win over Airbus at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium on Boxing Day, as part of a Dafabet Welsh Premier League policy that pits clubs and their closest rivals in back-to-back fixtures over the festive period.

The Nomads were boosted by return of senior players George Horan and Mike Wilde, who were included in the matchday squad after lengthy spells out due to injury - Horan started as captain, with Wilde on the bench.

Airbus started a similar squad to the side The Nomads faced on Boxing Day, with the likes of Wignall and Gray leading the line for the Wingmakers.

The game began and both sides created good chances, with Woolfe and Wignall testing their respective 'keepers.

The Nomads however found the net in just 11 minutes, when George Horan sent a header just over the line of the Airbus goal to send The Nomads 1-0 up.

Seven minutes later, The Nomads doubled their lead, when Matty Williams pounced on a loose ball eight yards from the Airbus goal line and cooly slotted into the bottom left corner.

After going two goals ahead in under 20 minutes, The Nomads looked comfortable and sought to control the game.  Bailey Jackson was just beaten to the ball by John Danby in the 27th minute, whilst Nathan Woolfe and Les Davies continued to put pressure on Airbus goalkeeper Ryan Neild.

The first half could have brought more goals for The Nomads, with Matty Williams lifting a shot just over the Airbus goal before Nathan Woolfe hit the base of the post after connecting well with a half volley just inside the Airbus box.

The second half saw The Nomads all but seal the victory just over five minutes after the restart, with two quick fire goals from George Horan. 

The first came in the 48th minute, when, in a busy Airbus area he slotted the ball past Neild through a crowd from close range.

The second followed shortly after in the 51st minute, when he found himself unmarked inside the Airbus area, connecting with a dramatic diving header to confirm his hat-trick.

Defender Horan’s hat trick was made even more remarkable by the fact that he was making his first appearance for The Nomads since August, having been injured during a fixture at Bangor City.

With a 4-0 lead, The Nomads played some great football for the remainder of the half, entertaining the crowd of 350 at Deeside.

Changes were made which saw Nathan Woolfe and Jay Owen make way for the returning Michael Wilde and Tom Field.  With this change, Wilde was also making his first appearance since fracturing his foot in November.

Field and Wilde made their own impact on the game, with Wilde making a number of runs into the Airbus area whilst Field sought to set up the likes of Williams with some clinical passes.

The Nomads made their final substitution which saw Declan Poole come on for Matty Williams, a move which preceeded Nomads’ fifth and final goal of the evening.

When Johnny Spittle handled the ball in an attempt to stop the game for a stricken Bailey Jackson, the referee awarded The Nomads a free kick on the edge of the box.  Tom Field stepped up from 25 yards out hit the ball into the top left corner of the Airbus goal, his effort brushing the corner of the woodwork before going into the net.

With ten minutes still to play, The Nomads looked to defend their clean sheet but this plan was foiled by their former team mate Ryan Edwards, who hit an 18 yard effort past Danby and into the net’s bottom right corner on 86 minutes.

After two minutes of additional time, referee Lee Evans signalled an end to a game where The Nomads had performed exceptionally well to achieve their highest scoring victory of the season so far.

The result, coupled with Bala’s 2-0 loss at the hands of Rhyl, sends The Nomads into second place for the start of 2017 with a three point gap over third placed Bala Town.

The Nomads are next in action against Bala Town at Maes Tegid on January 14, for a 5:15pm kick off in the final game of the first phase of the Dafabet Welsh Premier League.

Match Photos

Match Report by Will Catterall