Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 The New Saints 3

10:55, Apr 16 2008

by Paul Wheelock, Flintshire Chronicle

IT shows the progress Nomads have made since the turn of the year that they were disappointed to go down to the outgoing Welsh Premier League champions last night. Pre-Christmas, Jim Hackett’s side would have capitulated after a brilliant brace from John Toner put the Saints firmly in command shortly into the second half. But, rather than surrendering, they fought back and reduced the deficit when Ged Courtney latched on to the influential Danny Forde’s interception and coolly slotted home his first goal for the club. Had it not been for a goal-line clearance and a top stop from Paul Harrison, Courtney and the hosts would have got the equalised they deserved from a spell of pressure in which they produced some of their best football of the season. But there was no way back for the Quay – who went close in a tight first half with a rasping drive from the impressive Mark Cadwallader – after slack marking allowed substitute Tommy Holmes to tap in Chris King’s cross. STAR MAN: Wayne Morgan. Nomads: Pritchard, Baker (Lloyd 86), Morgan (Price 84), Alston, Williams, C Jones, Cadwallader, Forde, Courtney, Herbert, McNutt (Cook 72). Subs: McAllister, N Jones. Goal: Courtney 65. TNS: Harrison, Andelic (Carter 63), King, Baker, Taylor, Leah, Ruscoe, Hogan, Wilde, Toner (Whitfield 83), McKenna (Holmes 76). Subs: Wood, Marriott. Booked: Taylor, King. Goals: Toner 46, 61, Holmes 84. Attendance: 155. From the Evening Leader:- Saints hit back to beat Nomads SCORER – Ged Courtney Connah's Quay Nomads failed to match rivals Airbus as they crashed 3-1 at home to The New Saints last night. Having been beaten by Airbus on Friday, the visitors were in no mood to make it two defeats from two trips to North Wales and produced a spirited display. The game was a closely fought encounter until shortly after the interval when John Toner broke the deadlock and added his and the Saints second midway through the second half. Nomads were not going to lie down however and a defensive mistake at the back allowed Ged Courtney to bring the hosts to within one of their opponents. Tommy Holmes settled the nerves late on with a third at the back post from a Chris King cross

From welsh-premier.com:-

Welsh Premier League Tue 15 Apr 2008 : Deeside Stadium / 19:30
Connah's Quay Nomads	1 - 3	The New Saints
Ged Courtney 65'		46' John Toner 61' John Toner 84' Tommy Holmes
John Toner scores the second TNS goal with an overhead kick despite the attentions of Nomads' Wayne Morgan. Toner at the double for Saints A BRACE from John Toner set The New Saints on the road to victory at Connah's Quay, but it needed a late goal from Tommy Holmes to settle the nerves after Nomads had mounted a spirited fightback. Saints handed league debuts to Bosnian Nikola Andelic and 17-year-old English Colleges representative John McKenna ina game where the first-half produced virtually no chances for either side. But within 15 seconds the the restart, Saints went ahead when a long ball over the top from Phil Baker found Toner, who coolly lobbed keeper Paul Pritchard from the edge of the box. Barry Hogan was narrowly wide a minute later from Toner's cross, while Michael Wilde wasted an opportunity after breaking clear of the defence. The second goal arrived just past the hour when Toner scored his sixth goal in four games with a spectacular overhead kick after Nomads had failed to clear Andelic's right-wing corner. But poor defending on the edge of the box gifted Quay a goal four minutes later, Ged Courtney applying the finish, to signal some sustained pressure from the hosts, who won a succession of corners and free-kicks with their best effort another Courtney shot that was well tipped over the bar by keeper Paul Harrison. Hogan and Alfie Carter both went close to adding a third before sub Tommy Holmes stole in at the back post to convert when Chris King's left-wing cross eluded Pritchard.
Connah's Quay Nomads	Teams	The New Saints
Click highlighted links for further information
Paul Pritchard	GK	Paul Harrison
Tom Baker	2	Nicola Andelic
Wayne Morgan	3	Chris King
Ben Alston	4	Phil Baker
Chris Williams	5	Michael Taylor
Craig Jones	6	John Leah
Mark Cadwallader	7	Scott Ruscoe
Danny Forde	8	Barry Hogan
Ged Courtney	9	Michael Wilde
Chris Herbert	10	John Toner
Sam McNutt	11	John McKenna
John McAllister Stuart Cook Tom Price Tom Lloyd	Subs	Jamie Wood Alfie Carter Tommy Holmes Craig Whitfield Ryan Marriott
Stuart Cook > Sam McNutt 72' Tom Price > Wayne Morgan 84' Tom Lloyd > Tom Baker 86'		63' Alfie Carter > Nicola Andelic 76' Tommy Holmes > John McKenna 83' Craig Whitfield > John Toner
		32' Michael Taylor 88' Chris King
Lee Evans		155