Match report written by Ray Brown.

A spirited display by the Nomads saw them recover from a 2-0 deficit to beat Llanelli 4-2 and progress into the 4th round of the Welsh Cup, where they face a home tie against Bangor City.  

With captain Craig “Tigger” Jones unavailable again and Alan Hooley sidelined after breaking his foot in training, Jamie Wynne was given a place in the starting line-up, Rob Jones returned after missing the Afan Lido game and Callum Hawthorne took over the goalkeeper duties from John Rushton, who was on the bench.

Llanelli started strongly and put the Nomads defence under pressure in the early stages but the first chance of the game fell to the Nomads after 6 minutes, when Danny Dobbins made a forceful run into the Llanelli penalty area and saw his cross deflected onto the near post by a defender and out for a corner. 

There were signs that it would be an open game and the first goal came to the visitors in the 10th minute. The Llanelli right back made a strong run from the half way line to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a shot on goal which Callum Hawthorne did well to parry, but the ball fell to Craig Moses and he took the opportunity well as he scored from about 12 yards. The Nomads tried to get back onto level terms but were coming up against a resolute Llanelli defence. A good through ball from Ricky Evans gave Rhys Healey a chance to run on towards goal, but the Llanelli keeper saved at his feet. Then in the 27th minute, Llanelli went 2-0 up when Lloyd Grist latched onto a chance and hit the ball into the net from about 10 yards, after the Nomads failed to play the ball out of their own area.

The Nomads now faced another uphill struggle to get back into a game, but playing good football and showing no signs of conceding the game to Llanelli, the fight-back began in the 38th minute when Nomads scored. Rhys Healey showed tremendous skill to slot the ball home from the edge of the penalty area after resisting challenges from the Llanelli centre back and keeper, to meet a great through pass from Ryan Edwards.

Rhys had another chance only two minutes later when he was put through by Ricky Evans, but having turned the defender with the keeper stranded, Rhys hit his shot over the bar. The first half ended with the Nomads trailing 1-2 but showing that they were still capable of taking this tie.

The Nomads were quickly into their stride as the second half started and Jamie Petrie forced a good save from the keeper in the 47th minute with Ricky Evans having another chance just a few minutes later. Nomads started to dominate the game and it looked just a matter of time before the equaliser would come, but we had to wait until the 72nd minute. Dean Canning who was operating on the left flank, brought the ball downfield and inter-passed with Rhys Healey before sending a cross to Jamie Petrie, who cut in from the right and blasted the equaliser.

The equaliser was well deserved but this was only the start of an amazing four minute spell as the Nomads scored a third and a fourth goal in quick succession. The third goal came in the 74th minute when Jamie Wynne scored with a tap in from a corner which had been awarded after a great effort from Dean Canning. Then the icing was on the cake when more great work from Dean Canning in the 76th minute, saw him beat the Llanelli offside trap by running on to a pass down the left wing, before hitting a low cross into the goalmouth for Rhys Healey to hit the net for his second goal. 

In this amazing fight-back by the Nomads, Dean Canning had played a part in all three goals. To their credit, Llanelli tried to get back into the game but the defence were in no mood to give anything away and the Nomads ended the game at a canter.

This was an excellent team performance from the Nomads with outstanding individual performances from Dean Canning and Jamie Wynne. For the third time this season, they had beaten a very talented Llanelli team and after the disappointment of some of the recent league results, the Nomads showed us the high level of performance that they are capable of.