Connah's Quay Nomads 0 - 1 Cefn Druids - Report

Druids' late winner
By Mark McKean
December 27 2003

NEWI Cefn Druids stole all 3 points with a late winner in the North East Wales Boxing Day derby at Connah's Quay Nomads. Osian Jones was the Ancients' hero, as Mark McKean reports from a saturated Deeside Stadium.

OSIAN JONES will go down in NEWI Cefn Druids history after his goal earned the Ancients a win over Connah’s Quay Nomads at the Deeside Stadium on Boxing Day.

His goal in the 86th minute earned his side the three points, the first time they have beaten their hosts in nine top-flight meetings. Over the balance of the contest Druids were marginally the better side and, in Joe Desormeaux and Aiden Shannon, had the better attacking players.

It was Desormeaux who set up the winner as his initial shot was only parried by Nomads ‘keeper Andy Hughes, which allowed Jones to follow up and fire the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

However, it was Nomads who made a brighter start. In the eighth minute, Michael Price, the Druids ‘keeper, was forced to make a finger-tip save at the expense of a corner. The resulting flag kick saw the ball break to Jon Kenworthy whose deft lob just dropped over the bar.

Two minutes later Price was saved by his defenders as he came out of his box in an attempt to head the ball away, but completely misread the bounce and missed the ball completely. Thankfully for him the ball was cleared to safety by his backtracking defence.

This spurred the visitors into action and the running of Shannon up front caused numerous problems for the Nomads defence as he often got in behind his marker. Desormeaux, who was in a role just behind the front two, was the creative influence in the side and always looked to create danger going forward.

A left wing cross by the visitors failed to be converted as two forwards got in each others way. Shortly afterwards another cross from the left saw Hughes beaten to the ball, but the ball bounced back off the foot of the post.

Druids should have gone 1-0 up in the 40th minute, when Shannon was put through but his goal-bound shot was seemingly tipped out for a corner by Hughes – but the referee, Mike Jones of Gwersyllt, and the linesman, pointed for a goalkick.

Two minutes later, Druids had a penalty appeal turned down when Desormeaux’s shot struck the arm of a Nomads defender. Without question, the ball struck the arm, whether it was intentional was debatable, but referee Jones – who had a poor game – ruled that the ball struck the chest.

In the second half, Nomads tried to take control of the game, but that met with little success. Whenever they created anything, it was met with disappointing results with shots being easily blocked, saved or off target.

Desormeaux continued to use his influence to continue Druids’ attacking flow, although it became more on the counter attack, but so often it was a case of nearly rather than it actually coming off.

However four substitutions in ten minutes – three for Connah’s Quay and one for Cefn – appeared to be the last throw of the dice for both sides in the quest of the three points.

Just as it was looking to be a 0-0, up popped Jones to net the three points to close the gap in the table between the two sides to just two points.

By Mark McKean

Man of the Match: Joe Desormeaux (NEWI Cefn Druids).