Max and Rhys on target as Nomads secure dramatic win over Bont

Connah's Quay Nomads celebrated their European qualification with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Penybont at the Essity Stadium in the JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference on Saturday.  

Max Woodcock gave the Nomads a dream start with his early header from Marco Fregapane's cross before Bont levelled the scoreline through Alex Cvetkovic late on.

A straight red card for Nomads substitute Jack Kenny would have looked to have put the Nomads in danger on paper, but Rhys Hughes ran half the pitch and slotted home in stoppage-time to round off a brilliant solo goal and secure back-to-back victories in the Championship Conference.  

The victory proved to be joyful for many of our academy players who were in attendance, but they also got the chance to celebrate our UEFA Conference League qualification achievement with our First Team following full-time in a wholesome moment. 

Team News

Nomads manager John Disney made four changes from last Friday's 4-2 win at Caernarfon Town as Freddie Redshaw came into the side to make his first start for the club, while Max Woodcock, Marco Fregapane and Dan Roberts also returned. Kit Margetson and Abdi Sharif were both included in the starting lineup following their international call-ups for Cymru U21s and Somalia earlier this week, while Steven Gerrard Academy scholar Conor Partridge was named amongst the substitutes. The average age of the Nomads' starting XI calculated to just 23-years-old, which was our youngest lineup this season. 

Declan Poole was named Player of the Match from the win over Caernarfon, but missed out here with a minor injury. Ben Nash and Chris Marriott were sidelined through illness, meaning James Jones continued to wear the captain's armband. 

Penybont manager Rhys Griffiths was suspended for this fixture and had to watch from the gantry. The visitors were unchanged from their 2-1 loss to The New Saints last weekend and were depleted on the bench with just four outfield players named.   

First Half

The Nomads made a fast start and took the lead after just four minutes played with a lovely team goal as Marco Fregapane's pinpoint first-time cross found Max Woodcock, who got in front of Mael Davies and guided his header into the bottom corner for his fourth league goal of the season.   

Harry Franklin nearly added his name to the scoresheet on 26 minutes when he latched onto Redshaw's lofted ball and raced through on goal, however Bont goalkeeper Archie Matthews was there to deny him. 

Margetson made a vital catch to keep out Kane Owen's cross-turned-shot and Fregapane made a sliding block to prevent Ethan Cann's low strike creeping towards the bottom corner as the Nomads defended well to keep their lead. 

Nathan Wood had arguably Bont's best chance of the first half in the 42nd minute when a loose ball broke into his path, but the former Newport County man could only watch his tame volley trickle past Margetson's post. 

Second Half 

The Nomads forced Matthews into a quickfire double save immediately after the restart as Franklin's effort when one-on-one with the goalkeeper was kept out before Redshaw's curling effort on the follow-up was safely tipped away.  

The first change for the Nomads saw Noah Edwards replace Redshaw, and there was another glorious chance to double the lead five minutes later as Callum West's low ball proved to be too pacy for an unmarked Woodcock, who could only fire over the bar from a tight angle.  

Jack Kenny was introduced in place of Franklin, who was on a yellow card, and the returning no.7 nearly had a goal just two minutes after entering the pitch as he received's West's threaded pass but fired straight at Matthews, who got down low to save with his feet.  

Straight up the other end, Bont came agonisingly close to an equaliser as Ethan Cann's low volley ricocheted back off the post, allowing the Nomads to clear safely. 

Abdi Sharif nearly had his first Nomads goal on 75 minutes when his looping header dropped into the net from Woodcock's free-kick, but the goal was disallowed for offside at the back post. Three more substitutes then arrived for the Nomads as Rhys Hughes, Jason Oswell and 17-year-old Conor Partridge replaced West, Woodcock and Callum Bratley.

Bont levelled the scoreline with nine minutes of normal time remaining as Edwards' headed clearance fell to Alex Cvetkovic on the edge of the area, allowing the midfielder to pick out the bottom corner with his low shot. 

The Nomads were reduced to 10 men in the second minute of stoppage-time as Kenny was shown a straight red card for an altercation with Davies, meaning the forward will miss our final three remaining league fixtures this season.

However, the Nomads were not fazed by the numerical advantage, and Hughes certainly was not as he picked up the ball in midfield, evaded a deliberate block from Billy Borge and sprinted into the box before staying calm under pressure to slot beyond Matthews and send the Essity into bedlam. 

What's Next?

With European qualifcation already guaranteed, the Nomads will now be looking to finish the JD Cymru Premier campaign with three more fixtures to follow. 

John Disney's side are back at the Essity next Sunday, 29 March as Barry Town United head to Flintshire (2:30pm KO). Callum West, Noah Edwards and Rhys Hughes were all on the scoresheet as the Nomads earned a 3-1 win over the Linnets in January's Phase One fixture at the Essity. 

Match Report by Adam Angerer