Petrie Stars As Tudno Eased Aside

Jamie Petrie ran the show as Nomads signalled their intent to the rest of the division with a comprehensive Friday night victory over a previously resurgent Llandudno side to guarantee top spot for the weekend.

The quick-footed winger scored one and single-handedly created two of the hosts' four goals as a disappointing 'Tudno were brushed aside with relative ease, though the visitors were not helped by the dismissal of midfielder Tom Dix shortly before half time for a late challenge on Nomads' skipper Craig Jones.

By that point, however, early strikes by Michael Robinson and Gary O'Toole had effectively decided the outcome, and the impressive Petrie added a third midway through the second half before teenage substitute Rhys Healey completed the impressive rout.  

Mark McGregor was forced into two changes to the side that ended 2011 with a crucial derby victory at Flint Town United on Boxing Day, owing to the departure of flying left wing-back Ben Collins to Bala Town earlier this week and the absence of target man James McIntosh. McGregor, himself, returned to a reshuffled defence whilst Rob Jones, the match-winner at Cae-y-Castell, was rewarded with a starting place behind Petrie and Gary O'Toole in attack. 

Both sides looked to maintain their traditional passing games whilst offering little to the opposition in the early exchanges, but Nomads shaded the opening few minutes and the first chance fell for Rob Jones but his side-foot shot was comfortably gathered by visiting 'keeper Andy Rooney following a neat cut-back by Alan Hooley - now operating on the left flank.

With just nine minutes on the clock, the hosts' were rewarded for their early in-roads when Robinson towered over the static 'Tudno defence to meet Rob Jones' high free kick from deep and sent a looping header over Rooney and under the crossbar to open the scoring, his second goal against the coastal club this season.

The goal appeared to briefly spark the visitors into life and, after Rob Jones had failed to bring a defence-splitting pass by namesake Craig under control, Lee Thomas and Darren Gowans both offered long range efforts at the other end - the first blazing high and wide and the second well held by John Rushton in the Quay goal.

Soon after, though, Petrie served up the first of his terrorising bursts along the flank to produce Nomads' second on 23 minutes. After another testing Rob Jones set piece caused mild consternation for Rooney - who gathered the sailing ball directly under his crossbar - Petrie darted forward to meet Jack Rowlands' pass on the right touchline and knocked the ball beyond the visiting full back before sliding to cross from the byline for an unmarked O'Toole to deftly flick a volley across the 'keeper and inside the far post.

It was the hit-man's 19th goal of the campaign and his third in as many matches since returning from a lengthy suspension, offering comprehensive proof that last season's Huws Gray Alliance golden boot winner will, like his club, not be giving up his title with any ease. Four minutes later, he was left unmarked inside the six yard box but somehow contrived to send Hooley's dangerous whipped cross back from where it came, then Hooley sent a pile-driver narrowly over Rooney's crossbar from Craig Jones' through-ball to the left channel as Nomads continued to attack.

Although 'Tudno enjoyed a comfortable spell of possession, their attempts to reduce the deficit were largely restricted to long range efforts as the Nomads defence, particularly the cultured Robinson, remained untroubled. Gowans curled a free kick around the wall but straight at Rushton, who then dealt with a quick-fire effort from Kevin Fields before another counter attack released Gowans on the right side but the home defence managed to steer the danger clear.

The visitors' mountainous task was made incredibly more difficult four minutes before half time by the sending off of influential midfielder Dix for a rash tackle on Craig Jones on the main stand touchline. Although there was some consensus that Dix was a tad unfortunate as the Nomads captain narrowly beat him to the ball by a split second, the offender was believed to have led for a considerable amount of time with his studs showing and the connection with Jones' thigh made the decision for referee, Mark Farrington.  

In first half stoppage time, O'Toole charged into the penalty area under close contention by two visiting defenders but his quick-fire shot was diverted away by the on-rushing Rooney as the home side ended the half with no mercy for a now depleted and overwhelmed 'Tudno.  

With a two-goal cushion and a man advantage in Nomads' favour, the second period lacked the intensity of the first, in truth, and there was very little goalmouth action in the opening 15 minutes of the half - aside from former Deeside Stadium striker Chris Melia tumbling inside the penalty area, though any penalty appeals went unnoticed. Melia then blocked a shot by his own team-mate Thomas, who had cut inside from the right flank to strike, as Rushton remained untested.

Nomads were now employing a narrow 3-3-1-3 system, in effect, as Hooley and Petrie surged down the wings to support lone front-man O'Toole and Rowlands pushed further forward on the right to assist Craig Jones and Danny Forde as the hosts looked to typically turn their advantage into further goals. Just past the hour mark, Petrie evaded the offside trap to cut inside from the left before firing low inside the near post from 18 yards to do just that, punishing 'Tudno for holding a risky high defensive line in the process.  

The floodgates were open, and the irrepresible wing-man came close to doubling his tally on 68 minutes but shot straight at Rooney after Rob Jones' through ball sent him clear, then Forde curled wide of the far post with an ambitious effort from the left side of the area. Just ten minutes after the third strike, Nomads added another through teenage striker Healey, who had been on the field of play for barely a minute. The Academy graduate, currently enjoying a long-running trial with Manchester City, bundled Petrie's pacy cross over the goalline from a yard out for his fourth strike of the season - with the referee over-ruling his assistant who had flagged the youngster offside.

Two minutes later, a similar turn of events this time spared 'Dudno's blushes when a dangerous left-sided cross by Hooley was diverted into the bottom corner by two white-shirted players but the referee chose to concur with his linesman on this occassion, though this proved no consolation for the visitors who could only muster up a late free kick which Rushton palmed away as the home side continued their onslaught. Indeed, Healey sent a free header just past the post in the closing minutes, before Rob Jones fired narrowly over the bar, then Healey was denied by the 'keeper with Jones awaiting a square pass as the defending champions capped their performance with a typically strong finish to the match to complete a third successive victory.

NOMADS: John Rushton, Ben Alston, Jack Rowlands (Rhys Healey 70'), Mark McGregor, Michael Robinson, Craig Jones, Jamie Petrie, Danny Forde, Gary O'Toole (David Dempsey 73'), Rob Jones, Alan Hooley (George Baxter 83').

Substitutes not used: Jamie Wynne, Ryan Jones.

Booked: -

Attendance: 168