Arch rivals win to set up an early showdown

THE stage is set for the biggest game in Welsh football to date this season tomorrow night after both Connah’s Quay Nomads and The New Saints held onto their unbeaten records in the JD Cymru Premier League.

Cardiff Met seemed to be on course for the shock of the season when they led 1-0 with 75 minutes on the clock. But the Nomads hit back with two goals in the closing minutes to take all three points.

The students hit the front with a Dylan Rees goal on the stroke of half-time and were good value for their lead as they chased their first home win of the campaign. But they left Priestley Farquharson unmarked and he headed home in the 77th minute.

The Nomads smelt blood and Craig Curran provided the killer touch with two minutes left. It means they will go to Park Hall tomorrow still one point clear of arch rivals TNS.

TNS warmed up for the showdown with a comfortable 4-0 win at Penybont. The damage was done early on as Louis Robles chipped the home goalkeeper for the opener in the fourth minute and he doubled the lead in the 18th minute after Greg Draper played him in.

Draper added to his recordbreaking league goal tally for the club when he converted a penalty two minutes after the restart and then added a second.

Penybont’s miserable afternoon went from bad to worse when they lost Nathan Wood to a second yellow card in the 75th minute and ended with nine men after Kostya Georgievsky was also shown red.

Jack Wilson and Jack Williams struck late goals for Haverfordwest County to earn a 2-0 win at Flint Town, while Barry Town United hit back to claim a 1-1 draw at Newtown thanks to a 94th-minute penalty from Kayne Mclaggon, his 50th goal for the club.

Bala Town fought back after conceding a 24th-minute goal to Marc Williams for Aberystwyth before picking up all the points in a 5-2 home win. Will Evans and Sean Smith made it 2-1 at the interval and secondhalf strikes from Chris Venables (two) and Raul Correia completed the job.

Cefn Druids picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 triumph at Caernarfon. Two goals in the opening 20 minutes from Iwan Cartwright and Alex Darlington set them on their way. Caernarfon hit back with a 64th-minute goal from Paulo Mendes.