Connah’s Quay Nomads closed the gap on JD Cymru Premier leaders The New Saints to just one point with a pair of wins either side of the New Year’s fireworks.
Most impressively was a statement 3-1 victory over the Saints at the Essity Stadium on New Year’s Eve, which was a first defeat away from home in the league for Craig Harrison’s side this season.
The Nomads were awarded a penalty with just nine minutes on the clock when Jordan Marshall brought down Harry Franklin inside the box, with Rhys Hughes bagging his 10th league goal of the season by squeezing his spot-kick beyond Nathan Shepperd.
Substitute Max Woodcock, who replaced the injured Franklin towards the end of the first half, made an instant impact just six minutes after his introduction as he doubled the hosts’ lead by turning the ball home from Noah Edwards’ cross.
The league’s top scorer Jordan Williams bagged his 20th goal of the campaign to halve the deficit for TNS early in the second half, as he latched onto Ryan Brobbel’s lobbed through ball and slotted past Kit Margetson.
The league leaders pushed for an equaliser, but a moment of brilliance from Callum West sealed victory for the Nomads late on. The 20-year-old dispossessed Dominic Corness in midfield and went on a stunning solo run, which saw him skip past Danny Davies and Shepperd before firing into an empty net.
The Nomads then made it eight consecutive league wins by coming from behind to triumph 3-1 over Barry Town United at the Essity Stadium on Saturday.
It was the visitors who led at the break after Ieuan Owen turned home Ben Margetson’s cross from the right flank in the 19th minute.
Steve Jenkins’ side held that advantage for almost an hour, but the Nomads turned the contest on its head with two quickfire goals to lead after 78 minutes. Callum West equalised with a superb strike into the top corner from the edge of the box, before Noah Edwards showed quick feet in the box to neatly turn away from two defenders and fire home.
Rhys Hughes clinched the win with a trademark finish in the 90th minute, as he cut onto his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable strike from range.
With TNS’ fixture against Bala Town postponed on Saturday, the Nomads are now only a point behind the league leaders but have played a game more.
Barry’s defeat at the Essity Stadium means that the race for the top six will go down to the final matchday of Phase One, after the Linnets were also beaten 2-1 away at Briton Ferry Llansawel on New Year’s Eve.
Ferry led after just seven minutes as Tom Walters sent a sweetly struck free-kick into the bottom corner, while captain Alex Gammond came agonisingly close to doubling the lead moments later but saw his back post header denied by the crossbar.
The Reds had another chance to make it 2-0 when they were awarded a penalty in the 15th minute following Will Richards’ foul on Ollie Anderson inside the box. However, Barry goalkeeper George Ratcliffe denied Gammond from the spot.
Barry levelled the scoreline on the hour mark as defender Ben Margetson scored for the second consecutive game, tapping home on the line after Richards’ header was saved.
However, Margetson went from hero to zero as he gave away a penalty moments later, with teammate Keston Davies shown a second yellow card for his appeal of the decision. Gammond stepped up from the spot for Ferry for a second time, but once again Ratcliffe remarkably pulled off the save.
Nonetheless, the hosts found a crucial winning goal on 71 minutes when Anderson met Mitchel Bates’ corner and nodded in at the back post. It was enough to earn Andy Dyer’s side a first league win since the start of November and they are now two points clear of the relegation zone.
Barry currently occupy sixth place in the table, ahead of seventh-place Cardiff Met on goal difference only after the Archers drew 0-0 against Haverfordwest County at Cyncoed Stadium on Tuesday.
Matt Chubb went closest to scoring for the hosts as he met Ryan Reynolds’ lofted free-kick with a header that rebounded back off the post, while Haverfordwest almost grabbed a late winner but Sam Seager produced a remarkable fingertip save to keep out Greg Walters’ header.
Met will need to better Barry’s result on Matchday 22 to overtake them into the top six, while Haverfordwest are not mathematically out of the race but must win and hope Barry lose, with a significant goal difference swing needed too.
Colwyn Bay failed to confirm their top six as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Flint Town United on New Year’s Day.
The Silkmen had a number of first half opportunities but did not break the deadlock until six minutes into the second half when Josh Jones, making his first league start in over a month, latched onto Sidi Fofana’s header and coolly slotted through the legs of Alex Brown.
Jamie Cumming’s looping header rattled the crossbar as Bay searched for an equaliser, which eventually came in the 77th minute as George Hughes fired home a loose ball into the bottom corner.
A point would have confirmed the Seagulls’ top half spot, but there was stoppage time drama as Mikey Burke’s corner was met by a header from Flint captain Harry Owen, which crept over the line despite Brown’s best efforts.
Despite defeat, Bay’s chances of finishing in the top six in their first campaign back in the JD Cymru Premier remain strong as they sit three points clear of seventh place Cardiff Met and possess a better goal difference.
A first win in nine league games lifts Flint out of the relegation zone, with Bala Town now in the bottom two following their 1-0 defeat against Caernarfon Town at Maes Tegid on New Year’s Eve.
The decisive goal came two minutes before half-time as a swift counter attack from the Cofis led to Joel Torrance parry out Sion Bradley’s low drive straight into the path of Danny Gosset, who tucked away the rebound from close range.
Caernarfon duo Phil Mooney and Morgan Owen both made crucial blocks in the six-yard box to deny low efforts from Will Bell and Hussein Mehasseb respectively in the second half, as the Cofis’ first league win in six matches confirmed their top six spot.
Third-place Penybont returned to winning ways with a narrow 1-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Llanelli Town at Stebonheath Park on New Year’s Day.
Bont goalkeeper Daniel Higgs was forced into two crucial saves in the first half as he kept out Danny Williams’ free-kick and Sam Parsons’ dipping volley from distance.
The Reds continued to show bright spells, but were outdone on the counter-attack eight minutes after the break as Owen Pritchard saw his strike saved by Alex Pennock, only for Alex Cvetkovic to provide a simple finish on the rebound for his first goal for the club. Bont saw out the remainder of the contest to earn their first clean sheet away from home in the league in almost three months.
Results in full:
Cardiff Met 0-0 Haverfordwest County
Bala Town 0-1 Caernarfon Town
Briton Ferry Llansawel 2-1 Barry Town United
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3-1 The New Saints
Colwyn Bay 1-2 Flint Town United
Llanelli Town 0-1 Penybont
Connah’s Quay Nomads 3-1 Barry Town United
The New Saints P-P Bala Town
