Nomads edge closer to Europe with emphatic win at Cofis

Connah's Quay Nomads edged closer to automatic European qualification with an emphatic 4-2 win over Caernarfon Town at the Go Goodwins Stadium on Friday night.

The Nomads made a dream start as Harry Franklin scored with just 20 seconds on the clock, only for Caernarfon to quickly draw level with Phil Mooney's header. 

However, Rhys Hughes' penalty restored our lead with nine minutes of the first half remaining before clinical, quickfire finishes from Noah Edwards and Callum West opened up a healthy three-goal cushion.

Caernarfon youngster Rio Owen headed home for the hosts in the stoppage-time, but that only proved to be a consolation as the Nomads secured their first victory of the JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference. 

Our automatic European qualification spot will be confirmed this weekend if Penybont lose to The New Saints and if Barry Town United drop points against Colwyn Bay. 

Team News

The Nomads made two changes from the narrow 2-1 loss to TNS earlier in the month as Declan Poole and Noah Edwards returned to replace Dan Roberts and Marco Fregapane, who were both named on the bench. With Chris Marriott and Ben Nash ruled out due to illness, James Jones continued to wear the captain's armband. Jack Kenny was the only absentee through injury, while manager John Disney served his one-match touchline ban. 

Caernarfon manager Richard Davies made three changes from his side's 2-1 win over JD Cymru North side Rhyl 1879 in the JD Welsh Cup semi-finals last weekend as Josh Lock, Iwan Lewis and Zack Clarke replaced Rio Owen, Darren Thomas and Kyle Harrison. Former Nomad Paulo Mendes started in attack for the Cofis. 

First Half 

Harry Franklin left everyone inside the Go Goodwins Stadium stunned as he put the Nomads ahead with just 20 seconds on the clock by latching onto Edwards' long ball, holding off Phil Mooney and calmly slotting beneath Connor Roberts for his 13th league goal of the season. 

However, Caernarfon levelled the scoreline in the 14th minute as Phil Mooney rose highest at the back post to head in from Josh Lock's floating corner.  

The next 20 minutes remained quiet with neither side creating any major opportunities, but the Nomads were suddenly awarded a penalty after Mooney's rash challenge on Edwards inside the area. Rhys Hughes stepped up from 12 yards and calmly dispatched his effort into the bottom corner. Hughes has now scored his last seven spot kicks - a major turnaround after two missed penalties within the space of a month earlier in the campaign.

The Nomads continued to enjoy most of the possession towards the end of the first half and a neat attacking move nearly led to a third goal as the ball was switched left to right before Abdi Sharif eventually fired narrowly wide of the near post from West's lay-off. 

Second Half 

Hughes and Franklin both nearly bagged their second goals of the evening just nine minutes after the restart. Hughes raced onto West's diagonal ball, cut inside and had his powerful drive blocked before Franklin met Hughes' cross from the resulting corner and saw his looping flick tipped over the bar by Roberts. 

However, it would not be long before the Nomads eventually did have their third goal as Franklin's pass ricocheted off Iwan Lewis, allowing Edwards to pick up the pieces and fire into the bottom corner, leaving Roberts no chance of the save. 

Things would get even better for John Disney's side two minutes later as West made it four by running onto Franklin's flick-on and squeezing the ball past Roberts and into the bottom corner for his eighth league goal of the season. 

Max Woodcock, Freddie Redshaw and Dan Roberts were all introduced late in the evening to replace goalscorers Franklin, Hughes and West. 

There were no major chances in the closing stages, although Caernarfon did grab themselves a consolation goal in the fourth minute of stoppage-time as teenager Owen headed into the roof of the net from Mendes' cross. 

A convincing display and a crucial three points puts the Nomads on the brink of reaching Europe, while the result also confirms that we have beat every other 11 teams in the JD Cymru Premier for the first time since our 2020/21 title-winning season. It is also the first time we have scored four goals in a league fixture away from home for 18 months. 

What's Next? 

We may have a spot in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers confirmed this weekend, but regardless of that, we will put everything into our next fixture on Saturday, 21 March as we host Penybont at the Essity Stadium (2:30pm KO). 

Rhys Hughes scored three goals across our impressive 1-0 and 4-0 wins over Bont in Phase One, but missed opportunities were rued in a tight goalless draw in Phase Two's reverse fixture. 

Saturday's match will be the first of three home games we have left of our four remaining Championship Conference fixtures, with Barry Town United and Colwyn Bay also making the journey up to the Essity in the coming weeks. 

Match Report by Adam Angerer