Sound Strikeforce Settles The Spoils

Three members of gap Connah's Quay's potent forward line found the net as the defending champions cruised to a largely comfortable home victory over struggling Llangefni Town this afternoon.

Following a brief one-match suspension for his dismissal in the derby defeat to Flint Town United, Gary O'Toole made a swift return to the scoresheet with a goal in each half before fellow forwards James McIntosh and Iwan Williams completed a dominant display with close range finishes to send the visitors, who lifted the league title in 2009/10, slipping into the bottom three.
 
Cefni underwent a tumultuous summer of mass changes and their new, youthful squad of players - now under the tutelage of former Bethesda Athletic coach Marc Poole - looked a pale shadow of last season's talented group as they slumped to their fourth defeat in five outings.

In truth, the scoreline reflected Nomads' complete control of the game with young 'keeper John Rushton, appearing between the sticks in the absence of Louis Mackin, enjoying a relatively care-free afternoon in his competitive debut for the club.

His first half contribution, in fact, was restricted to a routine save from Luke O'Mahoney's long range shot inside the first minute - though Cefni's tricky left winger briefly troubled the home defence once more moments later with a surging run and shot which centre back Michael Robinson blocked.

Robinson, featuring against his former side, has slotted into the backline comfortably since his summer arrival to keep more established names such as Andy Alston and Jack Rowlands out of the side recently and his assured defending alongside player-manager Mark McGregor laid the foundations for Nomads' vibrant attack to take the game to the visitors.

With the talented Rob Jones controlling the play behind the front two Nomads began to press forward and create some clear-cut opportunities with O'Toole flashing a half-volley across goal, Ben Collins snatching his low effort tamely wide of the post and Jones, himself, seeing his 25-yard strike gathered at the second attempt by Kyle Williams in the Cefni goal.

Jones and Collins were routinely involved as Nomads attacked largely from the left side, both players seeing charges into the box ended by guarding yellow shirts whilst Collins and Danny Forde both shot off target when well placed from inventive Jones passes.

With Nomads testing the waters through distant efforts for the majority of the opening stages Jamie Petrie, who had until now been somewhat subdued, beat 'keeper Williams to meet a lofted ball on the goalline and cut it back for O'Toole to slide in at the near post to finally break the deadlock with his sixth goal of the season on the half hour mark.

The remainder of the first half was played out almost entirely in and around the Cefni penalty area, though the only notable moment came when Petrie's left-wing cross struck a defender's hand only for the referee to ignore claims for a penalty, whilst the introduction of Andy Alston for the first time this season - in place of injured brother Ben shortly after the goal - added a new dimension to Nomads' attacking set pieces.

Yet the final whistle of the opening period sounded with the hosts rueing missed opportunities to take a more comfortable lead into the break.

A far more clinical second half, however, was typified by an eight-minute spell at the midway point when forward pairing O'Toole and McIntosh put the game well and truly out of the visitors' reach - but not before Petrie blazed wide then Forde struck tamely at Williams following a neat interchange involving O'Toole, Collins and Rob Jones.

Cefni, still only a goal behind despite the home side's territorial dominance, carved out a couple of half chances of their own through O'Mahoney who fired over the top of Rushton's crossbar then saw a powerful long-range effort safely held by the rookie stopper.

But the one-man attacking band could only watch as his team-mates were over-run in a short spell around the hour mark when, first, O'Toole barged forward in true battering ram style to drill a low shot inside the near post for his, and Nomads', second goal on 58 minutes - then Petrie squeezed a low cross which McIntosh met to slide the ball beyond Williams for his first strike of the season eight minutes later.

With Nomads' efficiency seemingly having won the game McGregor urged his players forward in a now trademark move to better their goal tally, resulting in a host of chances as the visiting defence became increasingly over-worked.

Petrie, who had earlier been cautioned for dissent to join Forde in the referee's notebook, helped Collins' drilled cross on to McIntosh but the former Airbus UK Broughton and Buckley Town hitman saw his powerful strike well blocked by an outstretched leg to deny him a second goal.

On 70 minutes, Forde was handed acres of room to send a curling effort goalbound which drew a tremendous save from Williams who pushed the ball over the bar, then O'Toole squeezed a shot across the face of the goal from a tight angle on the right of the area before Petrie headed waywardly wide - though he had to stretch to meet Forde's over-hit cross.

As Nomads continued to surge forward to increase their lead, Cefni found a couple of breaks at the other end but both substitute Arron Richmond and John Owen were particularly wasteful when well placed, whilst Michael Garside curled a 20-yard free kick woefully over the bar.

But, the fourth goal which had been threatened for some 20 minutes duly arrived in the 86th.

After a trademark Andy Alston throw-in was hooked over the bar by substitute Shaun Roscoe, who had replaced the tiring Rob Jones, fellow introductee Williams was handed the simplest of tap-ins from O'Toole's unselfish square pass to cap a thoroughly successful afternoon for Nomads' forwards. 

The dying stages continued in much the same vein, but a combination of offside flags, well-timed interceptions and the sounding of the final whistle prevented the dejected Cefni defence from further embarrassment at the hands of a Quay side that appear to be back to their rampant best.

NOMADS: John Rushton, Ben Alston (Andy Alston 32'), Ben Collins, Mark McGregor, Michael Robinson, Craig Jones, Jamie Petrie, Danny Forde, Gary O'Toole, James McIntosh (Iwan Williams 75'), Rob Jones (Shaun Roscoe 78').

Substitutes not used: Jack Rowlands, Alan Hooley.

Booked: Danny Forde, Jamie Petrie, Craig Jones.

Attendance: 125