Connah’s Quay Nomads reached the JD Welsh Cup final for the first time in twenty years on Saturday evening, with a resounding 6-1 victory over Bangor City.
Goals from Andy Owens, Ryan Wignall, Michael Bakare and Nathan Woolfe saw Nomads book their place in the final with one of their greatest ever domestic results.
The match was dubbed ‘the biggest game in Welsh domestic football this season’ as it pitted The Nomads against Bangor City, who they are joint on points with in the JD Welsh Premier League.
The Nomads came into the game after a 100% win record in March including dramatic wins over Cefn Druids and The New Saints. Bangor came into the game having beaten TNS in the league and with three wins and one loss against The Nomads so far in the season.
Andy Morrison started an unchanged line up from his side’s 3-0 win over Cardiff Met last week while Bangor City started the likes of Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Luke Wall.
The game began and there was little between the two clubs in the opening ten minutes as Andy Morrison and Kevin Nicholson looked to establish their game plans.
But it was soon The Nomads who looked on top, as the likes of Michael Bakare and Ryan Wignall made darting runs down the wing to threaten the Bangor area.
The Nomads’ pressure earned them no less than five corners in the opening 20 minutes, from which Rob Hughes targeted the goalmouth. Despite the early corner balls, Bangor held off with in-form stopper Matthew Hall collecting the ball in the air regularly.
But as The Nomads’ dynamic attacking game unravelled, they eventually broke down the Citizen’s defence on 27 minutes.
Ryan Wignall burst down the left wing and sent a cross into the Bangor box, which was headed into the goal from six yards by the towering Andy Owens.
27’ GÔL / GOAL!
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
ANDY OWENS ?@the_nomads 1-0 Bangor
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#CwpanCymruJD ???????? pic.twitter.com/wyDkJ3hORt
The threats kept coming from the dominant Nomads, as on 32 minutes Jonny Spittle headed just over from a Rob Hughes cross.
With 34 minutes played Ryan Wignall followed up his assist with a goal, running into the Bangor area to connect with a back heeled through ball from Bakare. Wignall ran straight at goal and slotted home to put Nomads in the driving seat.
34' GÔL / GOAL!
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
WIGNALL ?@the_nomads 2-0 Bangor
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Just three minutes later Nomads grabbed their third via Bakare, who ran into the area, rounded the keeper and slotted into the open goal to confirm an outstanding 3-0 lead for Nomads at half time.
37' GÔL / GOAL!
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
BAKAREEEE ?@the_nomads 3-0 Bangor
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After a sensational first half, The Nomads came out looking to build on their lead against a Bangor side desperate to get back into the semi final.
The Nomads showed no signs of slowing down after the restart, winning a corner in the 46th minute before Bakare was denied by Hall from ten yards in the 47th.
Any hopes of a comeback from the Citizens were dashed in the 56th minute, when Andy Owens showed off his skill and strength in front of the live Sgorio cameras to make it 4-0.
56' GÔL / GOAL!
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
Ail gôl o'r noson i Owens / Andy Owens scores his second ??@the_nomads 4-0 Bangor
Yn Fyw | Live: @S4C + https://t.co/NtHy8Ys8Rg #CwpanCymruJD ???????? pic.twitter.com/gPLU4fw72O
Owens powered into the Bangor end and turned a Bangor defender to strike into the bottom right corner of the Bangor net.
And he wasn’t finished there, as the Nomads striker sealed his hat trick with an almost identical goal in the 60th minute. Receiving the ball from Bakare on the break, he controlled it from 15 yards before smashing it into the bottom right corner.
60' GÔL / GOAL!@the_nomads 5-0 Bangor
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
Hat-ric i Owens!!! / Andy Owens nets hat-trick ????????????
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With the score 5-0, The Nomads were in control of the encounter and limited Bangor’s movement in their half. Rob Hughes was replaced by Danny Harrison who sought to help Nomads see the game out, with just 15 minutes separating them and the JD Welsh Cup final.
On 69 minutes Andy Owens nearly scored his fourth of the night, going one on one with the keeper before trying to slot it under Hall who made a good block.
With a goal and assist in the bag, Ryan Wignall was replaced for Nathan Woolfe on 73 minutes.
Bangor got one back on 75 minutes, when after Kai Edwards was adjudged to have handled the ball in his area, George Harry stepped up to convert a penalty for the Citizens.
But Nomads hit back just one minute later, as Nathan Woolfe received the ball in the Bangor area from 10 yards out and finished low into the net to make it 6-1.
76' GÔL / GOAL!
— sgorio (@sgorio) 7 April 2018
WOOLFE ?????@the_nomads 6-1 Bangor
Yn Fyw | Live: @S4C + https://t.co/NtHy8Ys8Rg #CwpanCymruJD ???????? pic.twitter.com/NaPQ619onn
With 10 minutes left to play and the competition all but over, Nomads introduced Jake Phillips in place of Declan Poole before Andy Owens had another attempt on goal which was saved by Hall.
At full time Nomads could celebrate their place in the semi finals after one of their greatest ever performances in the club’s modern era.
They will now await their JD Welsh Cup final opponent, which will be decided in Sunday’s semi final between Aberystwyth and Newtown.
Nomads move onto finishing the JD Welsh Premier League campaign with their final three fixtures. They play their final home game of the season next Saturday 14 April when they welcome Bangor to Deeside.
Match Photos
Match Report by Will Catterall
Date: Saturday 7th April 2018
Kick Off: 7:35pm
Venue: Match played at Corbett Sports Stadium, Rhyl
Attendance: 398
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