Lilywhites Take Charge At The Top

Following the disappointment of last Saturday’s Welsh Cup defeat at the hands of Cefn Druids, Nomads went to Rhyl on Tuesday evening looking for the win that would enable them to leapfrog the Lilywhites to claim pole position in the league table.

In the event it was the home side who garnered all three points thanks to Paul Mooney's late goal, which ensured Nomads' curse of Belle Vue continued. In fact, we have now lost 14 consecutive league games against Rhyl home and away since drawing 1-1 at the Deeside Stadium in November 2004.

Player-manager Mark McGregor was still without the services of suspended hitman Gary O'Toole for the crunch top-of-the-table clash but welcomed captain Craig Jones back into the fold at the expense of recent signing David Dempsey, whilst McGregor himself returned to the starting line-up in place of Ben Alston. The two withdrawn players were amongst an otherwise youthful substitutes bench.

Connah’s Quay certainly enjoyed the bulk of the play in the first-half and as early as the third minute Rob Jones shot across the face of the goal and soon afterwards his curling free-kick from the edge of the penalty area just skimmed over the bar.

After Mooney fired wide for the home side James McIntosh had a chance to score at the other end but was unable to reach the low cross. Instead Rob Jones was on hand to divert the ball goalwards only to see Shaun Dowling slide in to clear off the goal line.

Then McIntosh broke clear and advanced upon highly-rated Ben Jones in the Rhyl goal before a last ditch tackle by Stefan Halewood took the ball away from the Nomads striker. Just before half-time Rhyl’s top scorer Russell Courtney glanced a header from a Mooney free-kick wide of John Rushton’s post.

Rhyl brought on quick winger Tom Rowlands for the second-half, replacing Michael Pritchard, and the home team began brightly with Rowlands, who made three Welsh Premier League appearances for Nomads, delivering some threatening corner kicks.

After punching clear three times, Rushton gathered the fourth kick off Courtney’s head before further corners from Rowlands produced a goal-line clearance and another scramble in the six-yard box.

With another ex-Nomads player, James Gambino, causing problems down the left wing the visitors conceded another set play. This time the ball was cleared only as far as Rowlands who cracked a fierce shot against Rushton’s crossbar. Moments later, the hosts came even closer when the dangerous Mooney curled in a shot that came back off a post as Nomads tried in vain to stem the tide of Rhyl attacks.

The goal that had been coming ever since the interval eventually arrived on 81 minutes. Scott Beckett delivered a fine ball into the area which was cleared only as far as Ryan Williams. His volley was deflected to Mooney who cracked the ball high into the Nomads’ net setting off wild celebrations from the jubilant Rhyl players and the bulk of the 311 crowd.

Connah’s Quay attacked straight from the restart and the Rhyl ‘keeper had to race out of his goal to meet Rob Jones who managed to poke the ball under his namesake only to see Neil Coverley prevent the equaliser with a desperate goal-line clearance. With six minutes remaining Mooney had a great chance to seal the points but Rushton saved brilliantly to keep the deficit to just one goal and then the Nomads custodian denied Gambino as the game drew to a close.

The second half had been frenetic and the visitors were left ruing the opportunities squandered earlier in the game. With Rhyl due to play on Deeside in the last game of the season there could yet be a twist in the tale but, for now, the Lilywhites have the edge to the tune of a four-point cushion at the summit.

NOMADS: John Rushton, Jack Rowlands, Ben Collins, Mark McGregor, Michael Robinson, Craig Jones, Jamie Petrie, Danny Forde, Rob Jones, James McIntosh, Alan Hooley.

Substitutes not used: Ben Alston, David Dempsey, Rhys Healey, George Baxter, Jamie Wynne.

Booked: Craig Jones

Attendance: 311