Nomads face Newtown in tough Welsh Premier test
gap Connah’s Quay Nomads face Newtown on Sunday afternoon, in a game where both teams will be looking to keep their unbeaten records in the Dafabet Welsh Premier League so far.
Nomads will be in good spirits for their first home game of the season, having earned a point at Carmarthen before comfortably beating Bangor City last week. Newtown share this form, taking four points so far from a respectable draw against Bala, then beating Carmarthen 4-2.
Although the 2016/17 is still in its early stages, this game will be an interesting test of Nomads and Newtown’s mettle. Nomads will look to build Deeside into a fortress once again, losing just two of their 12 home games under Andy Morrison last season.
Newtown have rarely made the headlines over the summer, but remain a solid outfit under the management of Chris Hughes, who has proven his quality in this league guiding the Robins to consistent top six football, Europe in the 14/15 season and becoming the first away manager to win at The New Saints in 56 league games in a 2-1 victory at Park Hall in March 2016.
The scorer of those two goals, Matty Owen, has sinced joined Connah’s Quay with both sides bringing in a host of new names in the summer. Matty Williams, Ian Kearney and Michael Wilde mean Nomads are brimming with Welsh Premier League experience, but this can be met by Newtown’s summer activity.
Ryan Kershaw and Jordan Wells join from The New Saints, with the popular Andy Jones returning from Airbus for a second stint at Latham Park. An impressive double signing from Aberystwyth sees Ross Stephens and Craig Williams added to a Newtown side who have not been tipped for great things, but not ruled out either.
Recent results can’t separate the sides, with a home win each during last season’s phase two and a Newtown double during phase one, but this was in Nomads’ pre-Morrison era.
The game kicks off at 3:00pm on Sunday 28 August.
