Impressive season concludes with Bay draw at Essity

Connah’s Quay Nomads concluded their impressive 2025/26 season with a 1-1 draw against Colwyn Bay at the Essity Stadium on Saturday. 

Our Supporters’ Player of the Season Callum West put the Nomads ahead with a calmly converted penalty, but that was cancelled out just five minutes later through Jamie Cumming’s spot-kick. 

Kit Margetson, who was playing his final Nomads game before he returns to his parent club Swansea City upon the expiry of his remarkable loan deal, produced a top goalkeeping performance to ensure we went home with a point. 

The Nomads finish their JD Cymru Premier campaign with a 50% win rate in John Disney’s first season as manager and we will look forward to regrouping shortly ahead of our UEFA Conference League qualifiers. 

Team News

Disney made three changes from our narrow defeat to The New Saints last time out as Conor Partridge earned a first senior start for the club, while Abdi Sharif and Freddie Redshaw returned. 

Partridge’s fellow Steven Gerrard Academy scholars James Hughes, Joe Bennett, Ryley Berry, Jack Waterhouse were all included amongst the substitutes, along with Tom Malcolm, who was named in the senior matchday squad for the first time in his Nomads career. 

Colwyn Bay manager Michael Wilde made just one change from his side’s 2-0 home defeat to Caernarfon Town a fortnight ago as Nathan Peate replaced Sol Forde in defence. Former Connah’s Quay players Aeron Edwards, Jordan Davies and Aron Williams all featured for the Seagulls. 

First Half

The Nomads started on the front foot and nearly found a way past Alex Brown in the opening stages. 

Harry Franklin received a long ball from Dan Cowan, but could only fire hard into the side-netting, while Redshaw’s cross-turned-shot forced Brown into a fingertip save. 

Margetson was then called into action for the first time on 22 minutes when he palmed away Cumming’s strike at the near post. 

West nearly finished off a lovely team move from the Nomads moments later when he got in front of Ryan Astles to meet Max Woodcock’s teasing cross, but his header flew inches over the bar. 

However, the Nomads’ pressure eventually paid off with a deserved opening goal seven minutes later as Ethan Roberts’ foul on Franklin inside the area resulted in a penalty, which West stepped up to take and fired clinically into the far corner, sending Brown the wrong way in the process. 

Despite dominating the first 38 minutes, the Nomads were pegged back as Bay were awarded a penalty of their own as Woodcock was adjudged to have brought down Roberts inside the area. Cumming took the spot-kick and found the bottom corner to make it one apiece at the interval. 

Second Half

The Nomads made one change ahead of the second half as Jason Oswell replaced Somalian international and AFCON history-maker Sharif. 

Franklin nearly restored the Nomads’ lead four minutes after the restart as he received a low ball from Redshaw, who did well to skip past two Bay defenders, but Brown was able to deny Franklin from point-blank range. 

Bay enjoyed a bright spell, but were unable to find a way past Margetson, with perhaps the Cymru U21 international’s most notable save seeing him deny Nathan Peate’s header towards the top corner.   

Oswell, who scored our goal in a 1-1 draw with Bay on the opening day back in August, nearly scored our last as he met substitute Zeli Ismail’s cross, but saw his header caught by Brown. 

There were more senior minutes for our scholars as Waterhouse and Bennett replaced Franklin and Partridge, who came off to an applause after making his first senior start. 

Both sides went in search of grabbing a late winner, with Bay substitute Issa Kargbo coming closest as he cut inside and fired towards goal, but Margetson got down low to prevent any late heartbreak. 

We finish the 2025/26 JD Cymru Premier in second-place, a massive improvement from our eighth-place finish last season.

What’s Next? 

With several club records broken, a youthful transition and a return to Europe secured, it is safe to say this season has been a revolution under John Disney. 

We’d like to thank every player, staff member and most importantly the volunteers and fans for their incredible hard work and support throughout campaign. We hope you have enjoyed what we have showcased to you at Connah’s Quay Nomads. 

Perhaps two of the most memorable stories from this season are the loan spells of Kit Margetson and Jacob Cook, who have been absolutely outstanding from day one. The pair will return to their parent club Swansea City in the summer and we thank both players for their commitment and dedication. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more on the journeys of Margetson and Cook, including how their time at the Nomads has helped develop two rising stars!

There are players who remain under contract for the 2026/27 season and there are players who have departed the club. All can be found in our retained list: 

https://www.the-nomads.co.uk/news/2026-04-19/retained-list/

Disney and his staff will recruit this summer as we strengthen our squad ahead of the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. 

Thank you for your support throughout the 2025/26 season. We will hope for next season to be just as impressive! 

Match Report by Adam Angerer