Connah’s Quay Nomads tasted defeat in Saturday afternoon' pre-season friendly at Ewen Fields as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Hyde United.      

• Big Khamsuck struck on the stroke of half time to give Hyde the lead
• Tom Pratt struck a left footed half volley in the 60th minute to double The Tigers’ advantage
• George Horan scored in the 70th minute to bring The Nomads back into the game
• Andy Morrison pleased with performance despite defeat

The Nomads travelled to the outskirts of Manchester to their third friendly fixture un seven days on the back of an impressive 7-3 victory over Colwyn Bay on Tuesday night.  Hyde started brightly, forcing a corner in the opening seconds of the game, however The Nomads quickly responded with a Matty Owen effort which the Hyde goalkeeper did well to hold onto in a crowded area.

The opening period of the game was a competitive one that had no hallmarks of a friendly with both sides attacking well.  Inside the first 10 minutes, Nathan Woolfe sent a free kick just over the Hyde bar minutes after a Hyde cross was flashed across the face of John Danby’s goal.

Woolfe was then involved in another good chance for The Nomads as he cut in from the right to find Michael Wilde, who chested the ball down to Matty Williams, who unfortunately couldn’t find the target with his left footed strike.  Wilde again played the role of assistant as he nodded down a long ball to Matty Owen who struck a left footed strike a few yards wide from 25 yards out.  Shortly after, a huge John Danby clearance seemed to present an opportunity to Nathan Woolfe who was through on goal, only to be denied at the last gasp by a great defensive clearance as he was about to strike.

Declan Poole was then denied by the Hyde keeper before Hyde’s tall number nine turned on the edge of The Nomads’ box to send a strike inches over John Danby’s goal.  The effort seemed to spark Hyde’s attacking ways as they took good possession of the ball for the remainder of the half and were rewarded on the stroke of half time as that same striker won a header within The Nomads’ box, heading down to Big Khamsuck, who smashed a volley through John Danby to give Hyde the lead on the half time mark.

The second half saw the introduction of Jay Owen and Danny Harrison who replaced Matty Owen and Matty Williams, and The Nomads started the half brightly, with a neat piece of play between Declan Poole, Jay Owen and Callum Morris leading to a Nomads corner within three minutes of the restart.  The resulting corner was whipped in by Nathan Woolfe but the attacking desire of Jay Owen and George Horan saw them collide with two Hyde defenders as they both lunged to head the ball and the referee gave Hyde a free kick.

The Nomads continued to attack with Jay Owen being fouled on the edge of The Tigers’ box – the resulting free kick fell to Callum Morris who saw his shot blocked en route to goal giving The Nomads another corner.  Woolfe found Horan at the back post who volleyed for goal only to see his effort cleared off the line, and it was to prove a pivotal moment as just three minutes later, Hyde double their advantage.  As Kai Edwards stepped forwards in the left back position, his forward ball was intercepted – the ball then found Tom Pratt free inside The Nomads’ box who had time to hit a left-footed half volley beyond John Danby and give the home side a two-goal advantage.

Following the goal, Mike Pearson and Sean Smith were introduced in place of Declan Poole and Joe Heath, however the latter had a moment to forget just two minutes after coming on, as he underhit a backpass to John Danby which Big Khamsuck lathced onto and struck for goal only to be denied by a fine one-on-one save by Danby.

On the 76th minute, The Nomads found their way back into the game as Jay Owen broke down the right side of the Hyde box and found George Horan centrally, who bundled the ball into the net to make the scoreline 2-1.  The goal gave The Nomads the impetus in the final 14 minutes as they continued to attack, but it was not enough to claw back the home side as the referee signalled the end of the game.

The Nomads now move onto their final pre-season friendly fixture on Friday 4th August as they host Flint Town United at Deeside Stadium.

Match report by Nik Mesney