WELSH ROUND-UP
CONNAH'S Quay Nomads are Welsh champions again – and this time it went the full distance.
Having been handed the title after topping the table at the time of lockdown last season, they were determined to prove their worth by holding onto the top trophy in Welsh football. It went down to final round of 32 games, but they held their nerve and delivered the goods.
Their 2-0 win at Penybont trumped the 2-0 home win by The New Saints and maintained their two-point cushion at the top of the JD Cymru Premier League.
From the moment ‘Captain Fantastic' George Horan headed home the vital opening goal in the fourth minute to give the Nomads the lead there was no way the champions weren't going to make it back-to-back titles.
For the 39-year-old Horan it was another day when he led by example, rising highest at the far post to meet Aeron Edwards inch perfect cross to nod in yet another vital goal for a club he first represented as long ago as 2000.
The Nomads needed to win to secure the title, while TNS were waiting for a slip-up to bring into play their much superior goal difference to sneak over the line if Penybont forced the draw.
TNS boss Anthony Limbrick, had asked his players to concentrate on their business at Bala Town and not worry about what was going on in south Wales. They did just that as they came up with a ninth minute goal from Ben Clark and a 53rd minute effort from Adrian Cieslewicz in a game that saw them go down to 10 men after only 19 minutes when Ryan Harrington was sent-off.
But it was Horan who grabbed the headlines, and a third Welsh Premier title, as he scored the first Nomads goal in Bridgend in three visits. It couldn't have been more important.
While it remained a single-goal lead there were still plenty of nerves around the Nomads dug out but, in the 75th minute, Edwards turned from provider to goal scorer with an unstoppable header than guaranteed him a 10th Premier League title after nine with TNS.
“We were taunted as being plastic champions last year when we were awarded the title and then had to wait for a decision in the High Court before we got the trophy,” admitted Nomads manager Andy Morrison.
“I'm delighted for the players and immensely proud of them. It has been a tough season and it was a challenge to keep them motivated at times. But we wanted to make it back-to-back titles and we've done that. Hats off to TNS for finishing second, but there was no way we were going to allow the title to go back into England.”
Morrison toasted his side's success by wearing a leather cowboy hat similar to the trademark headwear of TNS chairman Mike Harris and claimed he could be poised to quite as manager after six years in charge.
“I'm tired. I'll sit down with my chairman next week and have a chat about the future,” he said.
In the other game in the Championship Conference, former Welsh international David Cotterill fired home a penalty for Barry Town United to level things up at Jenner Park after Darren Thomas had given Caernarfon the lead 12 minutes earlier.
Barry took the lead for the first time five minutes later through Rhys Kavanagh before adding another from Jordan Cotterill nine minutes from time. The visitors clawed one back with a second from Thomas to make it 3-2.
In the Play-Off Conference, Aberystwyth Town went on the rampage at Latham Park against Conference winners Newtown with goals from Matthew Jones, David Evans, Owain Jones and Harry Franklin sealing an impressive 4-0 win.
Cardiff Met had an 85th minute goal from Liam Warman to thank for their 2-1 home win over Flint Town United, while Cefn Druids bowed out of the top flight with a 2-0 defeat at Haverfordwest County.
