Down to the wire, but Nomads retain the title
IT went down to the wire, but in the end there was no denying Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Their 2-0 win at Penybont trumped the 2-0 home win by
The New Saints over Bala and maintained their two-point cushion at the top of the JD Cymru Premier League.
From the moment ‘Captain Fantastic’ George Horan headed home the vital opening goal in the fourth minute to give the Nomads the lead at Penybont there was no way the champions weren’t going to make it back-to-back titles.
For the 39-year-old Horan it was another day when he led by example, rising highest at the far post to meet Aeron Edwards’ inch-perfect cross to nod in yet another vital goal for a club he first represented as long ago as 2000.
The Nomads needed to win the game to secure the title, while TNS were waiting for a slip-up to bring into play their much superior goal difference to sneak over the line if Penybont forced the draw.
TNS boss, Anthony Limbrick, had asked his players to concentrate on their business and not worry about what was going on in south Wales. They did just that as they came up with a ninth-minute goal from Ben Clark and a 53rd-minute effort from Adrian Cieslewicz in a game that saw them go down to 10 men after only 19 minutes when Ryan Harrington was sent-off.
But it was Horan who grabbed the headlines, and a third Welsh Premier title, as he scored the first Nomads goal in Bridgend in three visits. It couldn’t have been more important.
While it remained a singlegoal lead there were still plenty of nerves around the Nomads dug-out, but in the 75th minute, Edwards turned from provider to scorer with an unstoppable header than guaranteed him a 10th Premier League title after nine with TNS.
“We were taunted as being plastic champions last year when we were awarded the title and then had to wait for a decision in the High Court before we got the trophy,” admitted Nomads manager Andy Morrison.
“I’m delighted for the players and immensely proud of them. It has been a tough season with fire breaks and lockdowns and it was a challenge to keep them motivated at times.
“But we wanted to make it backto-back titles and we’ve done that. Hats off to TNS for finishing second, but there was no way we were going to let the title go.”
Morrison toasted his side’s success by wearing a leather cowboy hat similar to the trademark headwear of TNS chairman Mike Harris and claimed he could be poised to quit as manager after six years in charge.
“I’m tired. I’ll sit down with my chairman next week and have a chat about the future,” he said.
In the other game in the Championship Conference, former Welsh international David Cotterill fired home a penalty for Barry
Town United to level things up at Jenner Park after Darren Thomas had given Caernarfon the lead 12 minutes earlier.
Barry took the lead for the first time five minutes later when Rhys Kavanagh hit the back of the net. They then added another from Jordan Cotterill nine minutes from the end before the visitors clawed one back with a second from Thomas to make it 3-2.
In the Play-Off Conference, Aberystwyth Town went on the rampage at Latham Park against conference winners Newtown thanks to goals from Matthew Jones, David Evans, Owain Jones and Harry Franklin to seal an impressive 4-0 win.
Cardiff Met had an 85th-minute goal from Liam Warman to thank for their 2-1 home win over Flint Town United, while Cefn Druids bowed out of the top flight with a 2-0 defeat at Haverfordwest County.