Connah’s Quay Nomads 2-1 Llanelli Town
- JD Welsh Cup Semi-Final
- Park Avenue, Aberystwyth
- Saturday, 15 March
JD Welsh Cup holders Connah’s Quay Nomads booked their spot in this season’s final with a 2-1 comeback win over Llanelli Town.
It was an entertaining start to the encounter at Park Avenue, with both sides hitting the woodwork in the opening quarter of the game.
Nomads midfielder Rhys Hughes clipped the crossbar with a free-kick from the edge of the area, before Ethan Cann was played in by Theo Wharton and finessed a shot that hit the bar and almost bounced in.
Llanelli broke the deadlock soon after in the 26th minute when they were awarded a penalty for Kris Owen’s foul on Taylor Jones in the box. Liam Eason stepped up from the spot and sent George Ratcliffe the wrong way for his fifth goal in his last three matches.
Billy Paynter made two changes at the break as Sam Durrant and Fumpa Mwandwe were introduced to the action and the latter was involved straight away as the Nomads found an equaliser inside the first minute of the second half. Mwandwe squared the ball for Callum Bratley who played in Max Woodcock, with the striker providing a clinical finish past Scott Coughlan.
A stunning turnaround was complete four minutes later. This time Mwandwe played through Declan Poole on the right wing, and his cross into the box was not dealt with Kurtis Rees as the ball fell for Bratley to volley home.
Llanelli were left shell-shocked but regrouped and dominated the attacking play for the remainder of the second half as they searched for an equaliser. Bradley Gibbings came closest to levelling the contest in the 89th minute but George Ratcliffe made a strong save down to his left, as the Nomads held on to continue their defence of the trophy.
The Nomads will meet either Cambrian United or The New Saints in the JD Welsh Cup Final at Rodney Parade on Sunday 4 May. Those two sides face off in the second semi-final at Park Avenue on Sunday 16 March (KO 12:45).
