A late goal from veteran striker Michael Wilde was enough to seal Connah’s Quay a victory over local rivals Flint Town United, and send the Nomads top of the JD Cymru Premier.
The Deeside derby appeared to be heading for a stalemate until Wilde proved too difficult for the Flint defence to contain.
Flint’s perseverance was finally undone with 10-minutes remaining. Oliver Byrne pumped the ball deep into the the home side’s box, in route one fashion, and Wilde rose highest to latch onto the ball and head in the winner for a second consecutive game.
The relentless 37-year-old now has 11 goals this season and his latest strike puts Flint into the bottom-two.
https://twitter.com/CymruLeagues/status/1369405222821507076
The Nomads move two points clear of title rivals The New Saints, while Neil Gibson’s new-look Flint side can take heart from a battling performance as they continue to look for a winning formula.
“I think, in time, teams are going to realise what a result that was, because these [Flint] are going to take a lot of points,” said Andy Morrison following the game.
“They did so many different things to cause us problems but we stood up to it – my team were immense.”
Just two games into the re-start of the JD Cymru Premier, it’s clear that Connah’s Quay won’t be giving up the league title without an almighty fight.
The defending champions are back top of the pile and have just equalled their club record of nine-consecutive wins.
Andy Morrison has his Connah’s Quay side right where he wants them at this stage of the season.
There has been no sign of rust or lack of intensity in their first two Cymru Premier outings, after almost three months without a competitive game.
And after rallying back to win with 10-men on the weekend and grinding out a difficult win in a gritty Deeside derby, it would seem Connah’s Quay are as resilient and determined as ever, and are going to take some stopping.
Flint Town United 0
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1 Mike Wilde 80′
Flint Town United: 1 Jonathan Rushton, 3 Edmond Clarke, 5 Ben Nash, 6 Kai Edwards, 7 Rob Hughes (2 Samuel Hart 74′), 8 Richard Foulkes (20 Conor Harwood 73′), 9 Joshua Amis , 14 Callum Bratley (15 Ross Weaver 60′), 16 Evan Gumbs, 18 Jordan Buckley (23 Thomas Weir 26′), 24 Ben Maher. Subs not used: 13 Ryan Woods (gk), 29 Jake Hampson.
Red Cards: None
Yellow Cards: Bratley 26′ Buckley 26′ Gumbs 29′ Hughes 55′
Connah’s Quay Nomads: 13 Oliver Byrne, 2 John Disney (4 John Hunt 46′), 5 George Horan, 6 Daniel Harrison, 8 Callum Morris, 9 Michael Wilde, 11 Neil Danns, 12 Declan Poole, 15 Daniel Holmes, 19 Craig Curran, 22 Daniel Davies (14 Thomas Moore 82′). Subs not used: 24 Kai Calderbank-Park (gk), 18 Douglas Tharme, 20 Sameron Singh-Dool, 48 Charlie Holland, 55 Sam Rickett
Red Cards: None
Yellow Cards: None
Referee: John Andrew Jones
ROUND-UP
Aberystwyth moved off the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone after a 2-1 win over Haverfordwest County. The Seasiders left it late for a second consecutive game, with The New Saints loanee Louis Bradford heading in a 90+4 minute winner.
Jamie Reed put the hosts in front, scoring his first goal since rejoining Aberystwyth. Ben Fawcett struck his fifth of the season to fire County level inside the final 10-minutes. New signing Jazz Richards made his County debut, coming on as a 56th-minute sub.
Newtown returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over Cefn Druids, that leaves the Ancients in the bottom-two. All six goals arrived in an action-packed first-half that saw Jordan Evans complete a brace to give Newtown a 3-1 lead.
Ex-Newtown man Niall Flint struck twice against his former club for the Druids, but Tyrone Ofori restored the Robins’ two-goal cushion. Newtown finished the game with 10-men after Callum Roberts received his marching orders for a second bookable offence, two minutes from time.
An 79th-minute strike from Sam Snaith kept Penybont’s top-six aspirations on track with a valuable win over Barry Town at a windswept Jenner Park, that moves Rhys Griffiths side into fourth.
Clayton Green was dismissed for Barry midway through the second-half.
“We scrapped our way perhaps, but it was a thoroughly deserved win,” said Rhys Griffiths.
JD Cymru Premier results
Aberystwyth 2-1 Haverfordwest; Barry Town 0-1 Penybont; Cefn Druids 2-4 Newtown; Flint 0-1 Connah’s Quay.
