EARLY CUP EXIT FOR OLD GOLD
CARMARTHEN TOWN........1 CONNAH’S QUAY.................3
CARMARTHEN Town bowed out of the JD Welsh Cup at the last-16 stage when beaten 3-1 by Connah’s Quay Nomads.
The Old Gold went into the tie hoping to repeat their thrilling league victory over the North Walians a fortnight ago when Liam Thomas clinched the points with a 95th-minute penalty.
But the cup holders continued their defence of the trophy with a comfortable win.
The visitors dominated play for significant periods and finished worthy winners.
Yet in the opening stages the Old Gold performed with the flair and determination they had displayed in the league match. Luke Cummings struck a long free-kick to the far side of the penalty area where Greg Walters and Luke Bowen combined to provide Thomas with a decent opportunity, but he planted his header narrowly over the bar.
Town continued to produce a series of rapid counter-attacks and in the eighth minute this led to the opening goal of the match.
Mael Davies took the ball along the right flank, then fired an excellent cross to the edge of the area where Thomas was brought down by a defender. The referee awarded a penalty and for the second successive match Nomads keeper John Danby faced Thomas from 12 yards — and once again he was comprehensively beaten as Town’s top scorer drilled the ball into the back of the net.
In response to that setback Connah’s Quay poured forward, and they went close to getting back on level terms when a Michael Bakare freekick found George Horan, but he sent his close-range header just wide.
Moments later they were gifted another opportunity when a poor clearance went straight to Jay Owen, whose 20-yard drive was turned around the post impressively by Town keeper Lee Idzi.
The absence of defenders Dave Vincent and Jordan Knott through suspension and injury was a significant setback for the Old Gold, with manager Neil Smothers forced to play key midfielder Greg Walters in central defence. And although he performed admirably in unfamiliar surroundings, the loss of his energy and vision in midfield was a noticeable consequence.
And in the 33rd minute Connah’s Quay drew level, capitalising on some slack defending in the home area. Nathan Woolfe fired a routine corner into the goalmouth where Michael Wilde was allowed the time and space to fire the ball from close range into the back of the net.
And the visitors went close to taking the lead when Woolfe delivered an inviting cross into the area, only to see Wilde direct his header narrowly over the bar.
After the interval the Nomads, assisted by a spell of dismal Old Gold defending, made an explosive start and within four minutes had scored twice to effectively secure their place in the next round.
The first goal came when Danny Holmes fired a free-kick deep into Carmarthen’s goalmouth and while defenders failed to react to the potential danger, Owen arrived with perfect timing to plant his closerange header past Idzi and into the back of the net.
And worse was to follow when Owen took the ball into the area and was tripped by Lee Surman’s clumsy challenge. Callum Morris clinically converted the penalty.
Connah’s Quay effectively controlled the rest of the game by monopolising possession and containing Town’s sporadic attempts to counter-attack. One such attempt came when a Cummings free-kick found its way to Ceri Morgan, but his 20-yard strike was too straight and was comfortably gathered by Danby.
Then as the match drifted into added time, Cummings sent an inviting right-wing cross into the goalmouth where Nomads defender Danny Harrison, attempting to clear the danger under pressure from strikers Bowen and Thomas, headed the ball narrowly over his own bar.
Town’s next fixture is at Richmond Park on Saturday (2.30pm) when they entertain Cardiff Met at the start of their Welsh Premier League second-phase programme.