Nomads topple Roosters

Gaining three points from the visit of Penrhyncoch was always likely to be a difficult task and so it proved. The Roosters had lost only one of their previous eight league games and were unbeaten in league and cup fixtures since the week before Christmas. Add to that the fact that ten of their starting eleven had over 650 Welsh Premier League appearances between them and the size of Nomads’ task becomes apparent.

Perhaps the foregoing explains why the first half of the game was evenly contested. The champions pressed forward, assisted by a strong wind at their backs, but many attacks foundered upon a solid back line well marshalled by Dan James and Jonathan Foligno. When the home side did break through goalkeeper Richard Morgan, a veteran of 169 senior games for the likes of Aberystwyth Town, Rhayader Town and Porthmadog, was there to clear up.

With Gary O’Toole unavailable Rob Jones again wore the number 9 shirt and was involved in several early forays into the visitor’s half, twice being caught offside as the Roosters defended high up the field. Having settled into the team, Ricky Evans has begun to make his presence felt in the midfield ‘engine room’ and his tackling and prompting was at the heart of much of Nomads’ attacking play.

The breakthrough came on the half hour when Rob Jones chased a long ball down the right wing. Though under pressure from Foligno, Jones sent a fine cross into the penalty area where Jamie Petrie was able to turn the ball home for his 13th goal of the season and the seventh he has netted in the last nine games.

Despite the visitor’s solidity, John Rushton in the home goal was rarely tested yet the lead continued to look slender. It took a hamstring injury to left-back Danny Dobbins to change the complexion of the second period. Nomads introduced teenager Rhys Healey and adopted a 3-5-2 formation. Almost immediately Penrhyncoch were pushed back as Evans orchestrated a number of attacks.

On 72 minutes his left foot shot from 20 yards was turned onto the bar by Morgan who then saved at Healey’s feet from the rebound. A minute later Evans sent in a low cross which Healey shot at Morgan. In the 77th minute Jamie Petrie latched onto a scrambled clearance from a corner before striking at goal from 25 yards. Morgan parried the ball which fell to Michael Robinson and the Nomads centre back side-footed his sixth goal of the campaign.

With ten minutes remaining Craig Jones sent a lovely through ball for Healey to run onto but the striker fired across the face of goal and seconds later, from Healey’s long throw, Mark McGregor saw his header finger-tipped off the line by Morgan at full stretch.

There was little respite for the Roosters as the Quay swept forward. In the 84th minute Ricky Evans danced around three defenders before crashing his shot against the crossbar and a minute later he put Healey though yet again but Morgan was able to block the teenager’s effort. In the end Nomads had to settle for just the two goals but were delighted to hear that challengers Rhyl and Cefn Druids had both suffered defeats on their travels.