Match Report by Ray Brown.

Despite taking the lead in the 20th minute, the Nomads ended on the wrong side of a final scoreline of 6-2, once again losing out to the old enemy Bangor City. To add to the Nomads’ woes, defender Michael Robinson had to leave the field after sustaining a knee injury and midfielder Ricky Evans will be suspended for three games after receiving a straight red card from referee Lee Evans.

The Nomads made one change from the previous week’s lineup with Rob Jones starting in place of Rhys Healey. The game started slowly with neither side able to settle into their game and the first chance of the game came in the 10th minute when Rob Jones hit his shot over the crossbar after Ricky Evans had won the ball from a Bangor defender. Soon afterwards, Nomads’ defender Michael Robinson was injured after landing awkwardly but was able to return to the field after being treated on the sideline.

Bangor’s first opportunity came in the 17th minute when Les Davies latched on to a through ball but hit his shot wide of the right post. The game was staring to be more to end with Nomads trying to play their short passing game and Bangor hitting long balls up to their lively forwards. It was the Nomads who started the scoring when in the 20th minute a long throw from Rob Jones was headed into the goal with the slightest of touches by Michael Robinson. 

The travelling army of Bangor fans were stunned by this and thought they were back in the game when Bangor had the ball in the net a few minutes later but the Nomads were relieved to see an offside flag raised. Another long throw from Rob Jones caused problems for the Bangor defence and the Nomads put the visitors under pressure with Ricky Evans getting a number of good flick-on headers forward towards Dean Canning.

Then, in the 28th minute Bangor were on equal terms at 1-1 when from a corner kick Peter Hoy was allowed to rise unchallenged on the far post to place a simple header into the net. It was the Nomads’ fans turn to be stunned. but three minutes later Rob Jones almost restored the lead when Lee Idzi had his hands stung by a fierce shot from 15 yards. Unfortunately there was no one to seize on the rebound and Bangor were able to retrieve the ball. Bangor were continuing to play the long ball and this was effective when in the 33rd minute, Chris Simm latched on to a through ball after Les Davies had collected another long ball. Simm showed clinical finishing as he blasted the ball past John Rushton. 

Another chance fell to Bangor as Dave Morley hit just wide of the post and then Nomads suffered a severe blow as Michael Robinson sustained another injury and had to leave the field, with Michael Thompson coming on in his place. Bangor were now putting Nomads under a lot of pressure and they went further ahead in the 42nd minute after Alan Hooley scored an own goal. The Nomads defence struggled to clear the ball and in trying to make a goal line clearance, Hooley could only help the ball into the net. The four added minutes at the end of the first half saw two more chances as Ricky Evans sent a header straight at Idzi after good work by Dean Canning, then Chris Simm lobbed just wide after being put clear of the Nomads defence.

The second half started with Bangor being two free kicks in quick succession and then in the 48th minute Les Davies hit his shot straight at John Rushton when well placed to score. Davies made quick amends however when in the 51st minute the Bangor defence broke up a Nomads attack and once again used the long ball downfield where Simm forced John Rushton into a good save which rebounded to the edge of the box from where Les Davies hit a very good shot straight back and into the net. At 4-1, the Nomads appeared to be playing for their pride and Bangor were putting the Nomads defence under siege. 

Nomads’ second substitution came in the 58th minute when Rhys Healey was brought on in place of Dean Canning. The pace of Rhys immediately put the Bangor defence under pressure but Bangor again used the long ball clearance out of defence to good effect, when in the 62nd minute, Les Davies rose above the Nomads defence out on the right of the penalty area to head the ball into the goalmouth and Chris Jones scored with a close range shot to make the score 1-5. With almost 30 minutes remaining, Bangor looked to be in the mood to score more goals and having lost Michael Robinson so early in the game the Nomads defence was having a difficult time. 

Referee Lee Evans was kept busy as he first booked Mark McGregor for dissent in the 65th minute and then a minute later after an altercation between Ricky Evans and Dave Morley, he first showed Morley a yellow card and then Evans a straight red, presumably for violent conduct as he retaliated to Morley’s tackle.

Down to 10 men, the Nomads faced an even more difficult task to contain Bangor and Les Davies scored again in the 74th minute to make the score 1-6. Despite the score, the Nomads continued to push forward when they could and Rhys Healey hit a very inviting cross into the goalmouth, but there was no one there to latch on to it. Rhys again showed his skill as he went past four Bangor defenders before passing the ball out to Michael Thompson, who hit his shot over the crossbar.

The last few minutes of the game saw the Nomads have a couple more chances with Rhys Healey hitting wide after he and Rob Jones had worked hard to win the ball in a tussle with Bangor midfielders. Then in the 88th minute, Jamie Petrie scored a late consolation goal from close in to make the final score 2-6.

This was very disappointing result in front of Nomads biggest crowd of the season. Bangor did not look anything special for the first 30 minutes, but thereafter the Nomads found it difficult to cope with their direct long ball approach and were severely punished for defensive lapses. Losing Michael Robinson was a major blow and his probable absence along with the suspension of Ricky Evans will stretch the Nomads squad over the next few games.