Abertillery Bluebirds 0-3 Connah’s Quay Nomads: Professional performance puts Nomads through

A strong second-half showing saw Connah’s Quay avoid a Welsh Cup upset against Abertillery Bluebirds.

Abertillery Bluebirds – the lowest-ranked side left in the competition – battled well for an hour before their rearguard was broken. 

Michael Bakare and Michael Wilde scored in the space of four minutes. Sameron Dool netted in stoppage time to assure the victory. 

Connah’s Quay dominated proceedings and were good value in their victory but had to be patient after a string of good saves from Gareth Williams.

From the outset, Connah’s Quay were in full-attack mode with Michael Bakare proving to be a menace on the left side. 

The Nomads should have taken the lead in the first quarter. Jamie Insall sliced his shot over the bar after latching on to Mike Wilde’s flick-on.

Wilde himself was denied by Abertillery goalkeeper Gareth Williams who tipped the striker’s goal bound header over the bar.

Bakare was finding his feet in the match and was creating goals for himself and his teammates. 

Mike Wilde was denied with a great goalscoring opportunity for a second-time. He pulled away from his marker to head at Williams who tipped his header onto the crossbar.

The Nomads almost took the lead from a well-rehearsed corner-kick but as Declan Poole smashed his shot from outside the box, it was blocked by teammate Wilde.

Bakare had the Nomads’ last chance of the half as got onto Wilde’s flick on to put his own header just past the post.

Andy Morrison’s men continued to control possession in the second-half. 

The visitors nearly broke the deadlock before the hour mark but Gareth Williams continued to frustrate the Nomads attackers as he blocked Sameron Dool’s low shot after Callum Roberts cross-field pass. 

Abertillery Bluebirds then claimed they had scored a shock lead against the run of play.

Owen Goodenough’s looping header had gone over Lewis Brass for a goal kick but the ball had ended up in the net after creeping underneath the goal. 

Bluebirds players celebrated and the ground paused to await a possible awarding of the goal but the referee deemed it no goal.

Emotions quickly changed as the first goal of the afternoon had been put away from the resulting goal kick. 

Bakare picked the ball up from a short corner-kick and hit a low rasping shot past Williams, taking a heavy deflection on its route past the goalkeeper.

Abertillery then fell further behind after finally conceding to the almost full-time outfit.

Priestley Farquharson’s cross proved difficult for the Bluebirds defence, allowing Wilde to head past Williams. 

Despite conceding twice in quick-succession, Williams continued to impress in goals. The Abertillery goalkeeper blocked Insall’s slotted effort after Dool’s delicate through ball.

Bakare almost added a second but was denied by the post after a dangerous run. 

Insall was denied once more by Williams in the closing stages as his point-blank header was saved by the keeper.

Nomads topped off the afternoon with a third goal as they assured themselves of by putting fire on to any Abertillery fightback. 

Conor Harwood went on a mazy run and was pulled in the box but Sameron Dool was able to tuck a shot past Williams to confirm the victory. 

Abertillery Bluebirds: Gareth Williams, Curtis Shaun Pitt, Charles Davies, Daniel Paul, Michael James Vagg, Corey Mitchell (Iestyn Gwilliam 85), Lewis Clark (James Watkins 76), Owen Goodenough (C), Brandon Withers, Luke Lewis (Chris Penny 83), James Young.

Connah’s Quay Nomads: Lewis Brass (Eric Lerner 83), Priestley Farquharson, George Horan (C), Callum Roberts, Danny Harrison, Declan Poole, Jay Owen (Callum Morris 66), Sameron Dool, Michael Bakare, Michael Wilde (Conor Harwood 66), Jamie Insall 

See how the Nomads progressed here:

(Featured Image: NCM Media and Will Cheshire)