Nomads lost ground at the top of the Huws Gray Alliance table after Conwy United staged a dramatic late fightback to rescue a draw - though Mark McGregor's side have only themselves to blame for throwing away two points in added time after leading for virtually the whole match.

John Rushton took over between the sticks once again while Jack Rowlands, Danny Forde and Alan Hooley all came back into the side after missing the Welsh Cup demolition of Gwalchmai last weekend.

Under scudding grey clouds and with squals of rain in the air, the game began in temperatures more than 20 degrees lower than seven days earlier. Yet Nomads were quick to warm up their band of travelling fans with two early goals.

After James McIntosh had gone close with a header from McGregor's neat flick, it was the Nomads' player-manager who notched the first goal of the game in the ninth minute. Craig Jones hit a long free kick into the Conwy penalty area where McGregor was on hand to send a looping header over Adam Rooney.

Just two minutes later the visitors doubled their lead through Rob Jones who struck a 25 yard cracker which flew inside the post. The goal was set up by Ben Collins following a quick interchange of passes and when Jones received the ball his shot evaded Rooney despite the 'keeper getting a hand on the ball.

Danny Forde, operating on the right flank, was twice into the action bringing a save from Rooney following a powerful effort from close range before another shot which the Conwy goalkeeper managed to palm away one-handed. McIntosh and Gary O'Toole later set up Rob Jones to fire just wide before O'Toole struck an acrobatic overhead kick over the bar following Rob Jones' audacious backheel as the visitors typically looked to press home their early advantage.

Rushton was almost unemployed in the Nomads' goal but following a left-wing free-kick by Scott Reid on the half hour, the visiting 'keeper was forced to leap to palm the ball away. Nomads continued to dominate possession, however, and O'Toole had a chance to score in the 35th minute but hit his half volley wide under pressure from Mark Orme.

The champions had enjoyed a comfortable first half, keeping the ball for long periods and denying the home side very little possession to enter the interval with a thoroughly deserved lead.

There was little to suggest during the first half that Nomads would not take all three points from the game and after the break the game restarted in much the same way with McIntosh leading the charge. The striker, who had scored in each of Nomads' previous two league games, forced a smart save from Rooney before seeing another shot diverted for a corner then heading just over from a Ben Collins cross.

Yet as the second period progressed, Conwy slowly began to gain in confidence helped by a couple of substitutions. Twice Rushton struggled to get near to crosses while one decent effort from the home side was blocked by a fellow home player in an offside position,

Substitute Leigh Craven, a recent capture from nearby Llandudno, was beginning to add a spark to the Tangerines' midfield on his league debut and it was no surprise when the home side reduced the arrears with ten minutes remaining. Ian Pattinson struck a firm shot that Rushton could only parry into the path of another of the Conwy substitutes, Joey Jennings, who fired the rebound into the far corner.

With Nomads attacks offering little threat the likelihood of an equalising goal grew as the game drew to a close - this despite the attacking impetus of Forde and Rob Jones having been sacrificed for defensive duo Ben Alston and Michael Robinson as the visitors looked to hold onto their slender lead.

Twice Nomads took the ball to the corner flag in an effort to play out time and on each occasion lost possession, then two minutes into added time the inevitable equaliser arrived. Jordan Kane crossed from the left wing and as Nomads' defence stood still Orme was allowed space to head over Rushton from six yards out.

If that wasn't drama enough, straight from the kick-off Pattinson and O'Toole became involved in a scuffle which culminated in each player being shown the red card. The dismissal of Nomads' leading marksman rounded off an unhappy afternoon for the champions who contributed much to their own downfall.

NOMADS: John Rushton, Jack Rowlands, Ben Collins, Mark McGregor, Andy Alston, Craig Jones, Danny Forde (Ben Alston 88'), Alan Hooley, Gary OToole, James Mcintosh, Rob Jones (Michael Robinson 88').

Substitutes not used: Iwan Williams, Shaun Roscoe, Jamie Petrie.

Sent Off: Gary O'Toole

Attendance: 143