Lacklustre Nomads Share The Points Away To Mostyn

Last minute equaliser sees the spoils shared in the midweek clash between The Nomads and Mostyn

On the back of some great form on the 3G, the Young Reds travelled to Mostyn for the first of 2 mid-week away games before the league season closes.

Mostyn had some brand new faces following a local team, Brynford, folding so Nomads knew it would be a different game to the 5-0 drubbing at the start of the season. The pitch would always be a telling factor, it was appalling.

Both teams were playing on the pitch though and it wouldn't suit any team.

The first half was pretty much all Mostyn, Nomads just could not settle at all. Although Mostyn were dominant they only created 1 shot on target worth note. Striker Kyle Wilkes driving through on goal, as he tried to cut onto his right foot, captain Ben Waddilove recovered fantastically and somehow got a foot to the strike to stop what would have been a certain goal.

Mostyns goalkeeper was the busier of the two, even though his team were more dominant in possession. Karl Bacon made 2 point blank saves to stop nomads scoring as well as saving from long range efforts.

Half time was one which was calming the lads down, they looked nervous in possession against a team who weren't pulling any tackles in the game. Mostyn played a 4-4-2 so there was much space in midfield, the plan was to get Owen Manley on the ball more and in space.

Nomads could have gone ahead at numerous points in the second half, with Bacon making a point blank save from Ben Waddilove off a corner and Jack Aitken hitting over from close range.

The second half could not have been more different to the first. Nomads were now the dominant team, Mostyn were very stout defensively. Fitness on a very poor and heavy pitch was a telling factor for Mostyn - on the hour mark many of their players looked out on their feet but they were still battling.

Tom Bridges and Dom Elsey-McHugh on the wings were causing all sorts of issues and Iwan Rogers in the middle was pulling strings. Any attack that Mostyn attempted to create were snuffed out by the superb Owen Manley, George Coulthon and Luke Blizard.

Nomads would get the breakthrough on the 85th minute through the rapid full-back Liam Bruford. Excellent play down the left between Bruford, Elsey-McHugh saw Bruford released on the over lap after a clever reverse from Iwan Rogers; he blew past the opposition full-back before driving the ball into the far bottom corner with a perfect finish.

The last 5 minutes were end-to-end with Mostyn trying to force a goal and Nomads hitting on the counter attack.

Mostyn would score in the last minute of the game from a corner. The Mostyn man of the match goalkeeper, Bacon went up for the corner and was the one who actually scored it. Heartbreak for the young Nomads side who dominated the second half really. Quite where 5 minutes of added time came from is anyone's guess.

On the swing of the game a draw was a pretty fair result, Mostyn were 100x better than they were at the start of the season with their new additions and scoring in the last minute shows a resilient attitude. The home team were the better side in the first half and the away side the better in the second. If it weren't for a man of the match performance by the home Keeper (and a goal!) all 3 points would have been taken for the Nomads.

The last league game is next Wednesday vs Flint Mountain before they face off against Flint again in the Semi Final of the cup at the end of April.

Scorer
Liam Bruford (Ast. Dominic Elsey-McHugh)

[/b] Player of the Match - Owen Manley [/b]
Manley was brilliant for most of the game, in the first half he aided centre backs Luke Blizard and Ben Waddilove in keeper 2 very lively strikers at bay. In the second he was the platform for most attacks - popping up everywhere for the ball and keeping it moving. He broke down most of the Mostyn attacks as the screening midfielder.