PORTHMADOG v CONNAH'S QUAY NOMADS Sat Ko 2.30 || True Nomads Supporters - The Official website of GAP Connahs Quay Nomads. News and Message Boards. For true GAP Connahs Quay Nomads fans.

In one of the closest ever relegation battles in the history of the Welsh Premier League, this weekends results could be decisive, with all of the bottom 6 clubs pitted against each other. Given that none of the current top 3 clubs in the McWhirter Welsh league (South Wales) have applied for promotion, it's looking increasingly likely that only one club will be relegated from the Welsh Premier League this season.

Fri 4 Apr 2008 NEWI Cefn Druids v Caernarfon Town 19:30
Sat 5 Apr 2008 Caersws FC v Llangefni Town 14:30
Sat 5 Apr 2008 Porthmadog FC v Connah's Quay Nomads 14:30

13.	NEWI Cefn Druids	31	10	2	19	39	64	32
14.	Connah's Quay Nomads	30	8	6	16	34	75	30
15.	Caernarfon Town	30	7	6	17	38	69	27
16.	Caersws FC	31	6	6	19	34	68	24

17.	Llangefni Town	30	7	2	21	37	76	23
18.	Porthmadog FC	31	6	4	21	44	67	22

A victory or a draw for Nomads against Porthmadog on Saturday, means they could not overtake us. Portmadog are yet to win a home game all season, but as a proud community club, their support has never wavered. With an average home gate of 211 and the lowest of the season being 153, they will have plenty of support. They will be going all out for their first home victory of the season in the knowledge that 3 points will give them a fighting chance of avoiding relegation. They will draw confidence from the fact that they beat us 2-1 at Deeside earlier this season and completing a double will be essential to their hope of league survival.

Nomads form away from home this season has been dire, with only 7 points coming from away games and 5 of those points coming from teams currently below us in the table. We have conceded 75 goals to date and 52 of those have come from away games. In 7 of our away games we have let in 4 or more goals. On Tuesday we kept our first clean sheet away from home this season. Nomads battling 0-0 away draw against an Airbus team that had only lost once in 6 previous games, was a hopeful indication that we have started to learn the lessons needed. Whilst some Nomads fans expressed their disappointment and disatisfaction on the clubs website about what they perceived as a negative performance, the opinions are heavily outweighed by the facts of our away history so far this season. Another clean sheet at Porthmadog would be more than welcomed however it is obtained, and a win for Nomads would be the icing on the cake.

After the disappointing home performance against Port Talbot, the changes made in the team for the Airbus game, will no doubt have given our Management team a clearer picture of the sort of line-up required to get a successful result against Porthmadog. I would guess that there will be some fine tuning, but I await Jim and Andys verdict with interest. One thing is clear, Nomads need more points to be mathematically certain of safety.

With only three weekends left before the curtain comes down on the 2007/08 season there is still all to play for and there could be a twist or two yet before the final placings have been decided. Llangefni have certainly raised the stakes with their remarkable series of home wins over Port Talbot, Aberystwyth and Neath Athletic. Ironically this weekend sees the bottom six facing each other as Caernarfon visit Cefn on Friday while on Saturday Llangefni visit Caersws and Port entertain Connah’s Quay.
It is still not clear whether one or two clubs will drop out of the WPL but Afan Lido have slipped recently to 5th place 7points behind Dinas Powys in 2nd spot –but there are still nine games left.
Port know that a repeat of the victory over the Nomads at Deeside Stadium is a must on Saturday. Previous records and recent form are not important any more as they must concentrate on picking up three vital points and then move on from there. To achieve this they must end a run of 14 games without a home win. If Marcus Orlik is fit again it could give Port the boost they need. “We need a win on Saturday,” commented Viv Williams. “It’s that simple. If we don’t we really are in trouble, but while there’s hope we’ll go for it. We won’t give up unless it becomes mathematically impossible to stay up.”

Despite Porth failing to win any home match since April 17 last season - a run of 17 league matches - and having scored only 15 goals this term at the Traeth, manager Jim Hackett is expecting to grind out a performance similar to the one in the draw with rivals Airbus during the week.

He said: "They are fighting for their lives and we are certainly not going there thinking we are safe. Their form has improved of late, if not necessarily their results, so it will be a great test of our credentials and hopefully a game we can win, he said."

Having put in a below par performance at Port Talbot recently, the Nomads players reponded as they held Airbus to a creditable 0-0 home draw in awful playing conditions as a strong wind blew down the middle of the pitch.

Hackett added: "It was pleasing to see the display after the Port Talbot disappointment. The players did a lot of talking after that match and really wanted to play against TNS. That game was called off and they carried their confidence into Airbus.

"My staff and I left the players to dwell on their own performances. Sometimes as a manager you can say too much and it was great to see that they were both big enough and strong enough to focus as a group and pull together."

Nomads have no new injury worries following the midweek match and are expected to name the same side that faced their local rivals.

That means exciting young prospect Tom Price will be in the squad again having made his debut in the local derby at the Airfield.

* Nomads' Tom Lloyd has been suspended for two matches by the North Wales Coast FA after being sent off.

Safety first but Jim wants to stay put

Apr 4 2008

by Alec Doyle, Flintshire Chronicle

JIM Hackett has revealed his desire to stay at Connah’s Quay Nomads next season.

The manager, who on Tuesday saw his side earn a vital point in the 0-0 derby draw with Airbus UK Broughton, said he wants to build for the future at Deeside Stadium.

This season – Nomads’ first under a new manager since Nev Powell ended his 14-year association with the club – has been one of significant change and has seen Nomads go from a side flirting with the top six to one battling relegation.

But Hackett believes he is building a new foundation and wants the chance to continue that work next season.

“The club has not discussed with myself or the team any of their plans for next season yet,” said Hackett.

“I would like to stay here, the players we have would like to stay here so, whenever the club is ready, we can talk. But we are still not mathematically safe so let’s get this season out of the way first.”

Hackett originally set a target of 30 points for safety. Nomads have now reached that figure and Hackett is confident that will be enough to stay up.

“Historically 30 is enough for safety in the Welsh Premier,” he said.

“Now we are there we want to score as many points as possible and enjoy the rest of the campaign. In the last week we have to play Llanelli, a rearranged game against TNS and we end with Carmarthen. We want to be able to relax and enjoy those matches.”

In order to do that Nomads need a few more points and a win against struggling Porthmadog would be perfect.

“They are more in the mire than we are,” said Hackett. “If you offered any of the teams below us our position they would snatch it from you. I am confident we can beat Porthmadog and set up a stress-free end to the season.”

Nomads came through the derby without any major injury concerns.