Connah’s Quay Nomads 0 Llanelli 1

15:40, Apr 10 2008

by Paul Wheelock, Flintshire Chronicle

NOMADS were left to rue early missed chances on Saturday as they failed to spoil the Welsh Premier League champions’ title party. Victory for the Quay’s neighbours Airbus UK Broughton over The New Saints the previous evening meant Llanelli arrived on Deeside ensured of the trophy. And, with the hosts safe from relegation, the pressure was off both sides, making for an entertaining game which was settled by Rhys Griffiths. But Nomads could and should have been in front by the time the goal machine plundered his 38th league strike in 29 games. Mark Cadwallader wasted two good opportunities before Sam McNutt’s raking pass found the lively Ged Courtney, who cut inside and saw his drive come back off the post. The let off sparked the visitors into action and Griffiths fired wide before Chris Holloway flashed a header past the upright. The Quay continued to control the contest, however, and they would have got the goal they deserved had it not been for goalkeeper Duncan Roberts, who tipped Courtney’s delicate chip over the bar. Llanelli improved after the break, though, and Griffiths should have broken the deadlock from six yards out. But the league’s top scorer made it third time lucky in the 58th minute when he turned in Andrew Mumford’s pull back. And that was the way it stayed although McNutt forced Roberts into one final save. STAR MAN: Ged Courtney. Nomads: Pritchard, Baker (Kilgannon 75), Morgan, Alston (Herbert 77), Williams, Jones, White (Price 65), Forde, Courtney, Cadwallader, McNutt. Sub: McAllister. Llanelli: Roberts, Phillips, Lloyd, Mumford (Follows 67), S Jones, Thomas, C Jones (Evans 75), Legg, Griffiths, Holloway, Pritchard (Matthew Jones 50). Subs: Wanless, Mark Jones. ON WEDNESDAY – Return to this site for a match report from Tuesday night’s Nomads versus Saints clash at the Deeside Stadium.

Nomads make victory difficult for Llanelli

Apr 13 2008 by Our Correspondent, Wales On Sunday

LLANELLI, already assured of the title thanks to a surprise helping hand from Airbus UK the night before, were celebrating their first-ever championship triumph twice over on Deeside yesterday after their latest victory – their 26th of the season.

Airbus took all the pressure off Peter Nicholas’s men with that unexpected 2-0 win over Llanelli’s only remaining rivals The New Saints to allow the Reds a virtual lap of honour at the Deeside Stadium.

But the Nomads, out to avenge a 4-0 defeat in their December meeting at Stebonheath Park, were not prepared to roll over and counted themselves unlucky not to have pulled off a notable scalping to equal that of neighbouring Airbus.

Nomads showed they had learned a few lessons from that previous experience by dropping an iron curtain that left Llanelli struggling for chances.

Relaxed at having averted the threat of relegation, composed Nomads held the champions in check throughout a deadlocked first half and were unlucky to see a fine effort by Jed Courtney thud against the woodwork on 15 minutes. Nomads keeper Paul Pritchard hardly had a shot of note to save as his team more than held their own, with Mark Cadwallader only inches wide with a fierce drive from 20 yards.

Nomads manager Jim Hackett had flagged up the threat of Rhys Griffiths before the game and his fears that he could be their undoing proved only too prophetic. Just before the hour mark Griffiths produced the game’s only goal.

A Llanelli freekick was headed clear but only as far as Griffiths lurking near the edge of the box and before anyone could get in a tackle the Llanelli hero had steered a shot beyond the reach of Pritchard.

Manager Nicholas, who had watched TNS’s fateful crash the night before, was delighted to become the first manager to produce a championship winning side with two different clubs.

“It’s good it’s all settled and we don’t have to go to the wire,” he smiled. “Full credit to the players and staff and with three games to go, we can start to enjoy ourselves.”